She does not stand in triumph. She does not strut.
Instead, Petunia rides in someone’s arms, her small, hairless body balanced against a loop of pink leash. Fairground trophies shine behind her, but she looks away, folds of skin settling like soft hills along her neck.
Petunia, a 2-year-old hairless English-French bulldog mix from Eugene, Ore., arrived at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa, Calif., not as a polished show dog but as herself.
The World’s Ugliest Dog Contest, a decades-old tradition meant to promote the adoption of dogs and remind people that “pedigree does not define the pet,” has never sought perfection.
In this competition, the missing fur, the misaligned teeth, the eyes that wander in different directions — they are not flaws, but badges of honor.
Petunia was one 10 contestants that sought to join the reign of oddity champions from the past.
In 2024, there was Wild Thang, remembered for a pink tongue forever lolling and glittering eyes set in a tiny head beneath a frizzed crown of brown-and-white fur. In 2023, there was Scooter, a glossy black jelly bean of a dog with a shock of mohawk-like hair.
And in 2022, there was Mr. Happy Face, a Chihuahua mix likened to a hyena, a mandrill baboon, or perhaps a gorilla in miniature.
But Petunia’s story began far from the fairground.
In Las Vegas, she lived in the chaos of a backyard breeder and hoarder.
Rescuers from Luvable Dog Rescue in Oregon brought her north, where she got the medical care she long needed: a spay, and surgery to correct an elongated palate, a painful condition that makes every breath a chore.
She healed. She learned to walk on Oregon trails and to curl into the nook of a couch. Petunia’s owner, Shannon Nyman, could not be reached for comment on Saturday.
Snuggling became a daily requirement. Today, Petunia is described as a “gentle soul who adores other dogs, cats, and people.”
She also learned that humans could be gentle, too.
Contest organizers said their competition celebrates the “imperfections that make all dogs special and unique.”
This year, Petunia’s imperfections will grace limited-edition cans of MUG Root Beer, a sponsor of the contest, and earned her $5,000. She will also make an appearance on NBC’s “Today” show on Monday.
Petunia’s real prizes came long before she was crowned the ugliest dog of 2025: the clear air in her lungs, soft blankets under her belly and the kind of love that does not depend on a judge’s scorecard.
The crowd will remember her as the champion.
She will remember the arms that carried her home.
Mark Walker is an investigative reporter for The Times focused on transportation. He is based in Washington.
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