The owner of Britain’s ugliest new dog says four-year-old Peggy is ‘beautiful inside and out’.
Peggy, believed to be a Chinese Crested Pug and Cross – or Pugese – is owned by Holly Middleton of Leven, near Hornsea, East Yorkshire.
Contest organizers said: “We never imagined we’d discover a star – but that’s exactly what happened.”
She will now receive a grooming session and a professional photo shoot.
Ms Middleton, 36, said friends and family told them Peggy had a ‘good chance’ when they entered her into the competition run by photo printing company Parrot Print.
“We tend to forget that Peggy is not your standard dog and we are very aware that some people would call Peggy ugly,” she said.
“It’s always with humor and we don’t take offense, and neither does she.
“Although some people find Peggy’s unusual appearance strange and in rare cases off-putting, and although Peggy has won the title of UK’s ugliest dog, we think she is both beautiful inside and out, and wouldn’t change her for the world.”
Peggy was one of seven dogs entered in the contest and Parrot Print said she “took it all in her stride”.
“We never could have imagined we would discover a star – but that’s exactly what happened when Peggy entered the competition.”
The company said the judges never doubted the identity of the winner.
“We all adore Peggy,” said Matt Dahan, founder of ParrotPrint.
“When we started this contest, I never thought we would find a dog like her who manages to be both ugly and so cute.
“She is so loved by Holly and her family which is fantastic to see.”
Ms Middleton previously explained how she adopted Peggy online in late 2018 when she was the last remaining puppy from an accidental litter.
“We loved her from the moment we laid eyes on her with her big brown eyes, her little tuft of white hair and her tongue hanging out to the side. I just felt sorry for her, sitting there without hair and his tongue sticking out.”
She hoped Peggy’s victory would encourage people to overlook the “little quirks of these dogs left on the shelf”.
“From the moment Peggy arrived she has been a beloved addition to our family.
“She grew up alongside our two boys and is the most affectionate, laid back and sweetest dog we could ask for.”
Follow BBC East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire on Facebook, Twitterand instagram. Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk.