World's Ugliest Dog | Snopes.com

Fact Check

Does a photograph show the winner of a 'World's Ugliest Dog' contest?

Published Jul 7, 2005

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Claim:   Photograph shows the winner of a "World's Ugliest Dog" contest.

Status:   True.

Example:   [Collected on the Internet, 2005]

Is this truly the winner of the "Ugliest Dog in San Francisco" contest?

Origins:   Sam, the above-pictured canine, is a 14-year-old pedigreed Chinese crested owned by Susie Lockheed of Santa Barbara, California. In June 2005, Sam won
the "World's Ugliest Dog" title at the Sonoma-Marin Fair contest for the third consecutive year.

The Associated Press described Sam thusly:

The tiny dog has no hair, if you don't count the yellowish-white tuft erupting from his head. His wrinkled brown skin is covered with splotches, a line of warts marches down his snout, his blind eyes are an alien, milky white, and a fleshy flap of skin hangs from his withered neck. And then there are the Austin Powers teeth that jut at odd angles.

He's so ugly that even the judges recoiled when he was placed on the judging table . . .

Unfortunately, Sam is suffering from a number of age-related ailments (congestive heart failure, lung and kidney problems) and will probably make no more public appearances, so he may have to cede his "World's Ugliest Dog" crown in next year's competition.

Update:   Reports indicate that Sam went to doggie heaven in mid-November 2005.

Last updated:   21 November 2005

  Sources:

    Associated Press.   "Hairless Pooch Wins Ugly Dog Contest."
    1 July 2005.

    Santa Barbara News-Press.   "Sam Has Won the Ugly Dog Crown for the Third Time."
    1 July 2005.

David Mikkelson founded the site now known as snopes.com back in 1994.

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