A Face Only A Mother Could Love
The little guy and I went to the Super Pet Expo just recently. It was an experience. Many, many vendors were on display, displaying treats, food, toys, cleaners, leashes and collars, bedding, etc. coming to market, dog trainers available to answer questions… that actually gave me a giggle. As the Little Guy (who was walking on the end of a leash) and I walked past a trainers booth, he yelled out to me, “Can I answer any questions about your dog??!!” I smiled and replied no, not at this time, thank you. I was kind of taken aback by the approach of that question, thinking to myself, “I can tell you about my dog, but no, you cannot tell me about my dog.” I looked at his set up behind him to view his booth display and realized he was a trainer and, well, maybe asking me if I would like some feedback on any issues I might be having regarding behavior and/or training might have been a better approach? I dunno… he just made me giggle.
The Ultimate Air Dogs displayed their love of both toys and water by heaving themselves through the air into a giant pool set up inside the building. I had only watched these dogs on television, competing how far they can lunge themselves through the air to retrieve their toy. It’s a whole new experience in person. These dogs really love what they do!
Other animals were live on display as well. I held a Sugar Glider for the first time and learned more about them. They’re darling little guys. They look like tiny flying foxes. With magnets. One got away from a child that was holding him and this Sugar Glider jumped through the air and sailed right onto his owners chest. He would have been dog bait had he landed on the floor. Many if not most people brought their dogs to the event, and there were hundreds and hundreds of us in the building.
I had a renewed appreciation for the Little Guy though once I met the Ugliest Dog in the World at the Super Pet Expo. Seriously, he was voted the Ugliest Dog in the World; and he is, indeed, the ugliest dog I have ever met. A face only a mother could love.
His name is Elwood. He was voted the Ugliest Dog in the World in 2007. In 2006 and prior years, a dog named Sam held the title of the Worlds Ugliest Dog, and it was pretty much known that whoever competed against him in any given year was always running for second place. Sam scared little children, just by the way he looked. He was that ugly. Elwood had come second to Sam in 2006. Sam passed away shortly after receiving his title in 2006, paving the way for a new dog to carry the crown in 2007.
Here is a photo of Sam with his foot in his mouth. He often played with his leg, it was his imaginary friend. If I hadn’t told you this was a dog, what in the world would you have thought he was? He looks like he went through a fire, doesn’t he? He was beaten severely, with the ugly stick that is.
Elwood’s human Karen Quigley traveled from New Jersey to bring Elwood to the Super Pet Expo, and talked about everything Elwood, while Elwood stood on a table in full display of his ugliness. He most definitely is not near as ugly as Sam IMO, but Elwood is seriously ugly. He is a Chinese Crested and Chihuahua mix, has a hunched, hairless back, his flaccid tongue hangs permanently out of the left side of his mouth.
Way out.
Elwood:
Somehow he reminds me of Yoda.
When Karen Quigly first rescued Elwood she thought “My God, I think this dog has had a stroke.” Those bulging eyes and slack tongue just didn’t seem right. “I’m going to have to get a neurologist.”
Elwood’s veterinarian checked Elwood out thoroughly, stepped back and announced, “He is what he is, but there’s nothing physically wrong with him.”
This video is Elwood and his ugly friends as guests on “The View”. Often times owners tend to look like their dogs. (Or dogs tend to look like their humans?) Fortunately I’ve not noticed any resemblance here. That would be so wrong!
I’ve shared photos of both dogs with friends. One of them screamed and deleted their photos immediately. Then asked me if they were real. I broke the news to her in person; they’re very real, and were born that way. Another friend told me he would have to kill ‘it’ if ‘it’ were his. It’s just “too damn ugly”.
Would you have a dog that looked like these guys? I could probably deal with the second one, Elwood, but the first picture, the one of Sam… that could be something else altogether. Every day waking up to that face, I don’t know, I guess you just get used to it? I generally don’t “judge a book by it’s cover” but he really is terrifying to look at, like something to have nightmares about IMO!
I adopted a dog that I called JackE because she looked like Jack Elam. http://deelores.homestead.com/jackelam.html She was Pomerian, daschund, and beagle mix, long body, short legs, brown and white short hair except her tail (12″ long hair!) and bottom. She couldn’t blink her left eye and it went in a different direction. She was beautiful to me but I do have to admit, I’m not sure I could deal with a dog that looks like it has full body mange…
Sometimes they’re ’so ugly’ they’re actually cute! Elwood is kind of that way to me. Sam however is just downright terrifying. Elwood was such a sweet boy, staring up at his mom the whole time Karen was talking about him; they really love each other. They’re a charming couple to watch. My dog would have jumped off of the table and run around like a nut if I had placed him on a table to stand while I spoke to an audience! Little Ugly Elwood just stood there all proud of himself and stared up at his mom and out at the audience like he was used to being a star.
I saw Elwood win the ugliest do competition when it was live on TV! We don’t own dogs due to Amy’s allergies, but I love them and seem to always gravitate towards dog shows and such on tv Saturday mornings. Sam always looked possessed to me. He does look evil, though in a cute-ugly sort of way.