RIP Yoda, World's Ugliest Dog

RIP Yoda, World’s Ugliest Dog

Yoda, the current holder of the World’s Ugliest Dog title, crossed the Rainbow Bridge on Saturday.

The diminutive (she weighed only 1.8 pounds), 15-year-old Chinese Crested-Chihuahua mix won the dubious distinction last year at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma, Calif.

The trophy was 15 times bigger than Yoda.

Her dog mom, Terry Schumacher, of Hanford, Calif., sent an email to the Hanford Sentinel with the sad news that Yoda had died in her sleep.

Yoda had a rough start in life. According to a Sonoma-Marin Fair press release, Schumacher’s 2-year-old daughter found the tiny dog in a field 14 years ago.

“I told her to put it down because I thought it was a rat,” Schumacher recalled.

Vicki DeArmon, producer of the World’s Ugliest Dog contest, told the Associated Press that Yoda will hold onto the honor until a new winner is selected in June.

“I will miss her funny little ways!” Schumacher wrote in the email. “But comforted knowing she will be joining my Mom and Dad, who loved her so much! Her memories will live on forever!!!”

PHOTO: sonoma-marinfair.org

Laura Goldman is senior social media writer for i Love Dogs, Inc. She does love dogs. And elephants and turtles. Along with writing about the loves of her life, Laura likes to play with her two pound pups and tell anyone who’ll listen just how awesome Pit Bulls are.