A British dog named Mugly has earned the dubious title of World's Ugliest Dog.
With beady brown eyes, wayward whiskers and a stubby but pronounced snout, it's apparent that the Chinese crested isn't a paragon of conventional dog beauty.
But the pooch's unique characteristics worked in his favour on Friday as he competed in an annual contest where unattractiveness is the main criteria.
Beating out 28 other dogs, Mugly won $1,000 and a year's supply of dog cookies -- as well as the international recognition that comes with being named the most unsightly dog in the world.
Mugly claimed his prize before an audience of rival pooches with names like Handsome Hector, Creature, Icky and Spam-O-Rama.
Owner Bev Nicholson said she was stunned to hear that Mugly had won.
"I couldn't speak when they announced Mugly's name. I didn't know which way to look. I was shaking as much as the dog," she said in a prepared statement.
Along with the limelight, the eight-year-old rescue dog will also receive a professional photo shoot and a VIP stay at the Sheraton Petaluma in northern California.
Contestants in the ugly dog contest are judged for "natural ugliness" in both pedigree and mutt classes, according to criteria from competition host Sonoma-Marin Fair.
Ultimately, the title of "world's ugliest" is decided by an audience of hundreds of vocal onlookers and a panel of judges.
The winner of last year's contest was Yoda, a Chinese crested and Chihuahua mix.
