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Humans don’t deserve dogs. There, I said it. They give and give – and even when we don’t give them the love and appreciation they deserve in return, they still give again.
Dogs are our family and friends, being faithful companions and keeping many people from depression, loneliness or worse. Simply put, our furry four-legged friends save lives.
Dogs save lives by serving people with health challenges. Dogs save lives by getting narcotics and weapons off the streets. Dogs save lives by sniffing out trouble and, if necessary, going on the attack in law enforcement and the military.
In short, dogs are the bomb – even when they’re as ugly as sin.
I have one such dog. Rambo started out oh so cute and cuddly before a skin disease started making him lose his thick black hair. Nowadays, I call him the Toxic Avenger because it looks like he was dipped in a vat of dog hair-vanishing waste. However, one of my youngest daughter’s friends actually thought it was a haircut, which means he’s just ugly enough to also be considered cute (and he does love cuddling).
Our friends across the ocean in the United Kingdom thought it would be fun to find out who was the worst-looking canine in all of the land. Peggy, a 4-year-old cross breed, was named the ugliest dog in Great Britain during a contest organized by ParrotPrint.com.
Peggy’s prize was a pamper session at a luxury doggie spa, which brings to mind the question, “There are luxury doggie spas?” She has also become something of a media personality in the U.K., appearing on several television shows since winning the competition.
Despite the dubious honor, her owner – Holly Middleton of Yorkshire – said her pet is gorgeous, inside and out. Peggy, believed to be a pug/Chinese crested mix, was the runt of the litter (shocker!) and went unadopted for six long months.
The dog won the contest after being selected from hundreds of entries from all over England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. But that’s not good enough; now ParrotPrint.com wants to launch a new contest to find the world’s ugliest dog, and they are inviting entries from dog owners on all four corners of Earth. (Unlike hoops star Kyrie Irving, I know Earth is round and has no corners, but just go with me here.)
A spokesman for the company said via email that they are only interested in receiving photos of downright ugly dogs, warning that pretty pets need not apply. “We want to see pictures of dogs so ugly they make your eyes hurt when you look at them,” he said in what will go down as one of the best quotes of 2023.
The official bragged about Peggy.
“She’s certainly unique, with a face only a mother could love. Luckily, her mum, Holly, does love her to bits,” he said. “Peggy will certainly take some beating, although it’s possible there could be an even uglier mutt out there somewhere.” (See photo below to compare.)
To enter the contest, please send a photo of your dog along with her name, age and breed to uglydog@parrotprint.com – and don’t forget to mention where you live. To find out more about Peggy’s rags-to-riches story, visit https://parrotprint.com/us/uglydogcompetition.
In the spirit of canine transparency, please send us a copy if you decide to enter. Maybe the one in your doghouse could be your family’s claim to fame.
David Brown is publisher of the Cherokee Scout. You can reach him by phone, 837-5122; email, dbrown@cherokeescout.com; or on Twitter @daviddBstroh.