Meet Jinny Lu, the pug who is crowned the world's 'ugliest' dog 2026

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, but in this contest, being ‘ugly’ means everything. For years, thousands of dogs have participated in the World’s Ugliest Dog contest, a competition that celebrates ‘the imperfections that make all dogs special’ and promotes dog adoptions. Jinny Lu , a pug from South Korea, won the World’s ‘ugliest’ dog title as the contest marked its 50th year at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa, California. The adorable pooch took home the $5,000 prize after winning the contest.