Petunia the Hairless Bulldog Mix Crowned 2025 World’s Ugliest Dog, And Steals Hearts Along the Way

At first glance, Petunia might not fit the glossy magazine image of a show dog. She’s almost completely hairless, her skin folds into deep wrinkles, and her underbite could stop you in your tracks. But in Petaluma, California, on a sunny August afternoon, none of that mattered, in fact, it’s exactly what won her the crown.

The 2-year-old English-French bulldog mix has officially been named the 2025 World’s Ugliest Dog at the annual Sonoma-Marin Fair, a quirky and beloved event held about 40 miles north of San Francisco.

This year’s contest, like every year since it began nearly five decades ago, wasn’t about poking fun. It was about something much more important: celebrating the beauty in imperfection, raising awareness for rescue animals, and proving that every dog, no matter their look, deserves a loving home.

Petunia’s journey to the stage wasn’t a glamorous one. According to Luvable Dog Rescue, the Oregon-based nonprofit that saved her, she was found in the middle of what rescuers called “the chaos of a backyard breeder and hoarder” in Las Vegas.

She was underweight, under-socialized, and living in conditions that would make any animal lover’s heart sink. But in 2023, she was relocated to Oregon, where she was eventually adopted by Shannon Nyman, the woman who would become her biggest advocate, and the one leading her to the spotlight at this year’s competition.

“From the day I met her, I knew she was special,” Nyman told fair organizers after the win. “She’s got personality, she’s got attitude, and she’s got more wrinkles than any 2-year-old should have.”

For nearly 50 years, the World’s Ugliest Dog contest has been a highlight of the Sonoma-Marin Fair. The rules are simple: dogs are judged not just on their unconventional looks, but also on their personalities, their backstories, and the joy they bring to the people around them.

Most of the contestants are rescues, often from puppy mills, hoarding situations, or shelters where they were overlooked.

“This event is about giving a stage to dogs who may not have had the easiest start,” the fair’s organizers wrote on their website. “It’s a celebration of resilience, uniqueness, and unconditional love.”

It’s also a fundraiser and awareness campaign. Every year, the competition draws media coverage from around the world, leading to spikes in adoptions at local shelters and donations to rescue organizations.

On Aug. 8, Petunia strutted onto the stage, well, more like waddled, with Nyman proudly walking alongside her. The crowd cheered, phones snapped photos, and the judges took in every wrinkle, tooth, and skin fold.

“She’s the most wrinkled 2-year-old I have ever seen,” one judge remarked, smiling at Petunia as she squinted in the California sun.

In the end, it wasn’t a close call. Petunia walked away with the first-place trophy, a $5,000 cash prize, and the promise of seeing her face on upcoming limited-edition cans of MUG Root Beer, one of the contest’s main sponsors.

Petunia joins a long line of memorable winners. Last year’s title went to Wild Thang, an 8-year-old Pekingese from Oregon whose lolling tongue and wild fur made him an instant favorite. Before that, the crown has been worn by everything from toothless Chihuahuas to scruffy mutts with one eye.

Each winner becomes a kind of ambassador for rescue animals, reminding the public that beauty isn’t just skin, or fur, deep.

If winning in front of hundreds at the fair wasn’t enough, Petunia’s fame quickly went national. Just three days after the competition, she appeared live on NBC’s Today show alongside Nyman, where she basked in the studio lights like she’d been doing media tours her whole life.

Producers and hosts alike cooed over her personality, confident, a little sassy, and surprisingly camera-ready for a dog who had once lived in total neglect.

“She’s a star,” Nyman said with a laugh backstage. “And she knows it.”

While the contest is lighthearted, Nyman and rescue advocates hope Petunia’s story carries a bigger message. Dogs like her, the ones overlooked for their looks, medical needs, or past traumas, are often the hardest to place in forever homes.

“Petunia is living proof that the so-called ‘ugly’ dogs can be the most beautiful souls you’ll ever meet,” said one volunteer from Luvable Dog Rescue. “She’s quirky, she’s imperfect, but she’s full of love. That’s what matters.”

For now, Petunia is back home in Oregon, spending her days exactly the way she likes: lounging on the couch, taking short walks, and enjoying the occasional treat (or three).

But her schedule is busier than the average rescue pup. Along with the Today show appearance, she’s set to be featured in several local events and campaigns encouraging people to adopt from shelters.

“She’s not just my dog anymore,” Nyman admitted. “She belongs to everyone who’s ever loved a dog that didn’t fit the mold.”

If you ask anyone who’s been to the World’s Ugliest Dog contest, they’ll tell you it’s less about poking fun and more about celebrating resilience. The laughter, applause, and even the jokes are all wrapped in affection.

Petunia may not look like the dogs on high-end pet food commercials, but in her own way, she’s become the face of something far more important, the idea that every dog, no matter their past or their appearance, deserves a chance to shine.

As one fairgoer put it after the contest, “She’s not the world’s ugliest dog to me. She’s just the world’s luckiest.”

 

News Source @USAToday