The head judge of the World's Ugliest Dog competition reveals how he picks 'winners'

pulse

June 26, 2017 10:24 PM

How judges pick the "winners" of the World's Ugliest Dog contest.

A Neapolitan Mastiff named Martha rests on the stage after after winning the 2017 World's Ugliest Dog contest at the Sonoma-Marin Fair.

In the high-stakes world of competitive dog shows, veteran judge Brian Sobel says first impressions make all the difference.

"I'll see the animal and say, 'Oh boy. Now this one gets my attention — from bulging eyeballs to growths to a tail that looks like it comes from another species. Maybe a tongue hanging out,'"

The World's Ugliest Dog contest, which Sobel has judged for about 10 years, celebrates the pooches whose faces only a mother could love. Last Friday, a panel of judges crowned Martha — a 125-pound

At the World's Ugliest Dog competition, held at the Sonoma-Marin Fair, contestants walk on a runway before the judges. Sobel said he evaluates the dogs on three categories: personality, appearance, and audience reaction. There are no breed standards or physical examinations.

"This isn't the Westminster Dog Show. It's the polar opposite of that. If a dog walks straight and looks perfect, like my former Labrador Retriever, he's not going to make it," Sobel said.

Sobel said when they announced Martha as the winner, she laid down on the stage and remained totally unfazed by the photographers swarming around her.

"The jowls spread out three feet on each side of its face. It was really a unique dog," Sobel said.

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