World’s Ugliest Dog 2025 crowns new winner — the unconventional beauty will be the face of limited-edition root beer

A decades-old tradition returned this week to crown the World’s Ugliest Dog. Petunia, a 2-year-old pup, strutted the red carpet in her flawed beauty with her owner, Shannon Nyman, all the way from Eugene, Oregon, and clinched this year’s title. The English-French bulldog mix turned heads with her unique charm and hairless appearance, and took home a $5,000 prize and will have the honor of becoming the face of Mug Root Beer's limited edition cans. The peculiarly named contest is aimed at promoting the adoption of dogs regardless of their flaws. It is to remind people that “pedigree does not define the pet,” the organizers say, per the New York Times. 

Petunia did not walk the red carpet, but charmed the audience, being held in someone’s arms, and arrived at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa, California. She beat 10 tough competitors to join the long list of ‘ugly’ champions in all the years the contest has taken place. In addition to popping up on the root beer cans, Petunia will make a star appearance on NBC’s Today show on Monday, August 11. Other contestants include an 8-year-old Chinese Crested named Little Prince Wonder and a 13-year-old chihuahua.

However, Petunia’s odd glamour is not reminiscent of her pedigree but of her chaotic past. She was rescued from a backyard breeder and hoarder in Las Vegas and brought to Luvable Dog Rescue in Oregon. She received all the necessary medical attention, including a spay and a corrective surgery for her elongated palate. Fortunately, Petunia found her forever home with owner Nyman and is marked for her “gentle soul” that adores all life that surrounds her, be it cats, dogs, or people. The dog contest is designed not to mock the flaws, but to “celebrate the imperfections that make all dogs special and unique,” the organizers said, per the source. @cbsnews covered Petunia's grand win at the contest. 

In 2024, Wild Thang, an 8-year-old Pekingese, remembered for his wild fur and pink tongue sticking out, was crowned the ‘World’s Ugliest Dog.’ He got a chance to make an appearance on TODAY with his owner, Ann Lewis, and was happy to bask in his newfound fame. “We got bombarded. He was just loving it. He was wagging his tail. He was happy. He was getting head shots with people,” said Lewis, per TODAY. Wild Thang had survived distemper as a puppy, which caused his teeth to deform and a dangling tongue. 

Though it may not sound like it, the contest intends to send an important message about embracing the beauty and flaws of every dog and showcase how lovable and beautiful they all are. Besides that, it encourages potential pet owners to adopt rather than buy from a breeder, as most of the contestants are rescue dogs from shelters and puppy mills. For about 50 years now, the ‘World’s Ugliest Dog’ contest has shone a spotlight on the unconventional-looking pups on a global platform.