Meet Wild Thang, “the ugliest dog in the world”

Those who say only inner beauty matters will have to wake up early to impress the judges in the World's Ugliest Dog competition.

Presented at the Sonoma-Marin Show in Petaluma, California, this annual classic has elected a new champion for undesirable physical traits in the dog world…Wild Thang.

It's an 8-year-old Pekingese who finally took home the $5,000 prize pool reserved for the top winner. Wild Thang has already failed to do so five times in the past, according to CNN.

“She was a crowd favourite… she's a bit of a bridesmaid and not a bride at all,” said one of the judges at the event.

After contracting a virus that nearly cost him his life as a puppy, Wild Thang suffered permanent damage that affected his physical appearance. His teeth that refuse to grow and his tongue that constantly hangs off the end of his snout are just a few of them.

Rookie on the podium

France Press agency

For his part, the 14-year-old pug Roma won second place in his first participation in the competition. Despite his bowed legs, which require assistance from a walker, the silver medalist loves to “dance with his paws to express the joy of his life,” according to his biography.

The organizers would like to point out that the competition does not aim to “laugh at dogs,” but rather to discover “wonderful personalities.”