Martha the Neapolitan Mastiff Is Crowned 'World's Ugliest Dog'

Martha beat out 13 dogs at this year's Sonoma-Marin Fair in California.

A tough to look at but easy to love gentle giant took this year's title of "World's Ugliest Dog."

While most years the champion of the Sonoma-Marin Fair's signature event in California is usually a puppety Chinese crested or cross-eyed Chihuahua (or some unholy mixture in between), 2017 is the year of the big, ugly dog.

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Meet Martha, the 3-year-old Neapolitan Mastiff that won over the judges and the crowd for her drooling, excess skin and endless wrinkles.

“We were impressed by a 125-pound dog with 300 pounds of skin. And Martha was the overwhelming crowd favorite," joked Chief Judge Brian Sobel.

Martha, who is being fostered by Shirley Dawn Zindler for the Dogwood Animal Rescue Group, takes home $1,500 and a monumental, 5-foot trophy.

“She’s a 125-pound, drooling, snoring, gassy, loud and silly girl," Zindler said. "She knocks over every water bucket no matter how securely attached to the fence. She bosses the other dogs around and makes sure all guests are suitably slimed on arrival."

Second place went to Moe, owned by Miriam Tcheng and third place was Chase, owned by Storm Shayler.

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The Spirit award was won by Precious, who is owned by Catherine Kennedy.

Last year, the trophy went to a tiny little Chihuahua mix named SweePee who, at 17 and blind with only the thinnest whispers of hair on her quivering body, was also as hard to look at as she was easy to adore.

Watch: Daughter Swaps Out Family Pics for Photos of Chihuahua in Matching Costumes

 

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