Hairless French bulldog named 2025 World’s Ugliest Dog
Petunia, an English-French bulldog without hair, won the hearts of many as she was crowned as the World’s Ugliest Dog in 2025.
After reigning supreme among 10 contestants that included a Chinese Crested and a chihuahua at the contest held on Friday, Aug. 8 at Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma, California, the 2-year-old pet and her parent Shannon Nyman took home a cash prize of $5,000 (P285,082).
Petunia is also set to appear on Mug Root Beer cans that will be available for a limited period as well as on TV via the Today show.
The New York Times reported that Petunia—who is described as “a gentle soul who adores other dogs, cats, and people”—was rescued by Luvable Dog Rescue from a backyard breeder and hoarder in Las Vegas. She was brought to Oregon, where she was given medical help for a spay as well as a surgery to fix her elongated palate.
Petunia succeeded Wild Thang, who won the contest in 2024 after multiple attempts. His tongue is out and has no teeth, and his right leg paddles 24/7.
The World’s Ugliest Dog Contest has been running for 50 years. According to its organizers, the annual tilt “is not about making fun of ‘ugly’ dogs, but having fun with some wonderful characters and showing the world that these dogs are really beautiful” by celebrating their imperfections.
