[Printer Friendly Version]   [How to E-mail This Article to A Friend]

WEEKLY NEWS 3: World’s Ugliest Dog

A fourteen-year-old Chinese crested has won the “World’s Ugliest Dog” contest for the third straight year. The homely pooch, named Sam after the biblical story of Samson and Delilah, is one of four hairless dogs living with Susie Lockheed of Santa Barbara, California.

Just how ugly is this three-time world champion? Sam’s hairless pink body is covered with unsightly warts, moles, and blackheads. One of his eyes is reddish-purple, and the other is milky-white. When he opens his mouth, he reveals a jumble of yellow, crooked teeth. Adding to the “yuck” factor, Lockheed purposely let his toenails grow prior to the contest.

Because of severe allergies to furry pets, Lockheed can only have hairless breeds in her house. She was persuaded to take Sam several years ago when his owner had to move to a place where dogs were not allowed. Sam was considered by an animal agency to be too homely for adoption. Lockheed’s other dogs, all hairless, are named Tinkerbelle, Pixie Noodle, and Tater Tot.

Lockheed first heard about the ugly dog contest from a Jay Leno show featuring the winner in 2002. She knew right away that Sam had what it took to be a winner himself, and entered him in the contest in 2003. The Sonoma-Marin Fair, held in northern California each June, has held the contest since 1989.

At 14, Sam is considered elderly. He is taking medication for heart and kidney disease. Sam’s third victory might very well be his last, worries Lockheed. She told the Los Angeles Times, “I just feel like he’s on borrowed time, and every day is just a blessing.”

--Written by Patricia Daniels

Write your own story telling us what you think about this article!

Read WEEKLY NEWS 4: Alligator Escapes Capture