Yoda Is World’s Ugliest Dog for 2011

Each year, at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma, the world’s ugliest dog is named and, believe it or not, competition is fierce. For 2011, the much-coveted title, along with the winner’s cup and the prize money, goes to Yoda.

As you can see, Yoda is small: she barely weighs 1.8 pounds, can’t hold her tongue in her mouth, has wonky, protruding eyes, fizzy fur and skinny legs.

As such, it’s no wonder she beat other 29 contestants of “questionable beauty” to the big title, as the San Francisco Chronicle writes.

Not only that, but the moment she set foot in front of the jury, audience and the cameras, Yoda became a favorite with almost everybody, which, undoubtedly, helped her secure her win.

Her owner, Terry Devine Schumacher, Hanford, California, recalled the day her daughter brought Yoda home, after finding her in a field – and how she was initially startled by her ugliness and wanted her dead.

“I told her to put it down because I thought it was a rat,” Schumacher recalled after the win. Since that day, Yoda has been with the family for the past 14 years.

“Her irregular features, scruffy fur, especially between her toes and tiny stance made her a crowd favorite. Favorites coming into the contest were Icky, Cuda, Handsome Hector, Ratdog,” the aforementioned publication writes.

What secured for Yoda the top spot was the fact that, this year, the competition allowed viewers at home to vote as well. This definitely catapulted ahead of the competition.

“The Sonoma-Marin Fair allowed the audience a vote this year via text (a la American Idol) and Yoda quickly skyrocketed to the top of the text voting. The judges concurred and a new winner was named,” the San Francisco Chronicle writes.

Aside from international fame, which will soon translate in appearances on the talk show circuit, and the trophy, Yoda also gets $1,000 for being the world’s ugliest dog.

“She also receives a photo shoot with Kira Stackhouse of Nuena Photography and a pampered overnight stay in the luxurious Loft Suite at the Sheraton Sonoma County,” the aforementioned media outlet says.