Mr. Happy Face May Have Won The “World’s Ugliest Dog” Title, But He’s Just Perfect

“When I first met him, he was the happiest creature that I had ever met," his mom says.

Damjan

• Published in Animal Stories
• July 30, 2022

A new champion of the World's Ugliest Dog contest has been announced. Mr. Happy Face, a 17-year-old rescue dog, earned the victory and the right to bark about it, and his mother couldn't be happier.

The competition, which takes place at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds and Event Center in Petaluma, California, "celebrates the imperfections that make all dogs wonderful and unique," according to the official website. Like Mr. Happy Face, the majority of the candidates were rescue canines.

Musician Jeneda Benally and her cherished senior dog received $1,500 and a trip to New York City to appear on the Today Show. A Pekingese named Wild Thang earned second place.

Benally rescued the dog in August 2021 from a shelter in Arizona. The Chinese crested-Chihuahua mix with no hair was predicted to be dead within a month because he was "very old." Many people were hesitant to adopt the adorable dog because of a lifelong requirement for medications to treat numerous tumors and ailments.

“When I first met him, he was the happiest creature that I had ever met. He hobbled up to me and chose me," Benally told the Today Show. "I vowed that day, he would be so loved that he would never remember how awful his previous life had been.”

A 17-year-old rescue named Mr. Happy Face won the World’s Ugliest Dog competition

The proud dog owner wants to encourage others to look past age or physical restrictions with her senior rescue.

“I believe that this humble soul is also being an example, in subtle ways, to help humans realize that even old dogs need love and a family, too,” Benally said.

“Love, kindness, and mommy kisses have helped him defy the anticipated short life that we all expected him to have with our family.”

After finishing his interviews with the media, Mr. Happy Face will resume his normal activities, which include playing with his canine siblings, indulging in stinky foods, spending time with his mother, and making the most of each and every day.

The contest "celebrates the imperfections that make all dogs wonderful and unique."

The owner hopes this will inspire people to adopt senior pets.

Because older animals are typically the last to be adopted—senior dogs, for instance, have an adoption rate of 25% compared to the adoption rate of younger dogs and puppies—the choice to adopt an older animal can also take on crucial significance.

There are numerous advantages of adopting a senior dog:

• Older dogs frequently outgrow tendencies that puppies do not, such as teething, destructive behavior, and home accidents.
• Older animals often have some basic training and can understand and comply with key directions like "sit" and "down."
• Due to their prior experiences living in homes with people or other animals, mature animals are more likely than younger pets to adapt to their new environment quickly and readily.
• A senior pet's personality is less likely to alter because it has already matured, unlike a puppy whose traits and temperament may vary over time as he matures.

So, what do you say? Are you ready to give some senior dogs a chance?

They certainly deserve it.

Damjan