She’s been rejected three times before, but this year, Jinny Lu finally strutted her way to the top.
On August 14, the 50th Annual World’s Ugliest Dog Contest took place at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa, California, produced by the Sonoma-Marin Agricultural Association.
As always, the event brought together a parade of gloriously odd-looking dogs, each one competing for a title that sounds harsh but has never really been about cruelty at all.
This year’s crown went to Jinny Lu, a 6-year-old pug adopted through Pug Rescue four years ago. According to MUG Root Beer, the contest’s longtime sponsor, Jinny Lu has been “a constant source of mischief and joy” ever since she joined her family.
Her owner, Michelle Grady, entered her for the fourth time this year, finally taking home the win.
“She absolutely loves competition, meeting everyone, and everything the event stands for,” Grady said of her pug.
As the winner, Jinny Lu earned Grady a $5,000 prize and something even quirkier: the chance to replace MUG Root Beer’s longtime mascot, Dog, on a limited-edition can design.
Fittingly, Dog himself showed up to help crown his temporary replacement, no hard feelings apparently included.
Second place went to Pinky, a Chihuahua and Pomeranian mix, who earned her owner $3,000, while third place and $2,000 went to Otto, a Chihuahua mix.
Jinny Lu takes over the title from last year’s winner, Petunia the bulldog, who was rescued from a backyard breeder before finding her forever home.
Behind the funny headlines, organizers say the contest has always carried a more meaningful message.
“The World’s Ugliest Dog Contest has never really been about finding the world’s ugliest dog,” said Mandy Clendenen, CEO of the Sonoma-Marin Agricultural Association. “For 50 years, this event has celebrated the uniqueness of every dog while sharing an important message of compassion, rescue, and acceptance.”
Fifty years in, the message hasn’t changed: every dog, however wrinkled, hairless, or gloriously mismatched, deserves someone who thinks they’re perfect exactly as they are.
Would Jinny Lu get your vote for cutest “ugly” dog ever?
Source:
1. people – “Jinny Lu, a 6-Year-Old Pug, Wins the 2026 Ugliest Dog Contest, Marking 50 Years of Bizarrely Beautiful Winners”
2. ndtv – “6-Year-Old Pug Jinny Lu Wins 2026 World’s Ugliest Dog Contest”