'Yoda' Named World's Ugliest Dog

She’s hairy and patchy and lets her tongue loll out of her mouth like a fat, pink worm. But she’s a winner.

Yoda, a 14-year-old Chinese-crested Chihuahua belonging to Nicole Schumacher was able to wow judges at a Northern Californian fair. Yoda beat out fierce competition to claim the title of the World’s Ugliest Dog.

Proud of her pooch, Schumacher doesn’t seem to mind Yoda’s looks. In fact, the pup has come a long way since she was found by Schumacher after being abandoned. Originally, Schumacher was frightened by what she thought was a large rat lurking behind a block of apartments. Discovering the “rat” to be a dog in need of a good home, Schumacher took Yoda in.

Other contestants at the World’s Ugliest Dog competition featured protruding tongues, buck teeth, missing eyes, and hairless bodies. Yoda beat out last year’s winner who was present again at this year’s competition.

The former title-holder was a one-eyed Chihuahua named Princess Abby. Previous winners in 2007 and 2008 were also Chihuahua’s, establishing a trend for the competition.

Owners all around appeared proud of their unusual pups — ready to prove that ugly is in and good-looks are out.