Mr. Happy Face May Have Won The “World’s Ugliest Dog” Title, But He’s Just Perfect
Mr. Happy Face just turned a lifetime of being overlooked into a big win. The 17-year-old rescue dog took home the World’s Ugliest Dog title, and his owner, musician Jeneda Benally, could not be prouder.
The annual contest in Petaluma, California, is meant to celebrate rescue dogs and the quirks that make them memorable. Benally’s Chinese crested-Chihuahua mix beat out other unusual contenders, including a Pekingese named Wild Thang, and even earned a prize package and a trip to New York City.
His story is part feel-good comeback, part adoption reminder, and it is hard not to root for him.
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.
She says Mr. Happy Face has already done plenty of winning in everyday life.
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.
It’s the same kind of bright persistence as the shelter dog Max, rejected for nine years but still greeting visitors with a grin.
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 to 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.
For another dog-judgment showdown, see the mom who clapped back at her mother-in-law over “not pretty enough”.