‘World’s Ugliest Dog’ 2023 winner appears on ‘Today’ show

The newly crown “world’s ugliest dog” went from Petaluma to the bright lights of the Big Apple over the weekend for a Monday appearance on the “Today” show.

Scooter, a 7-year-old hairless Chinese Crested, won the 2023 World’s Ugliest Dog contest Friday at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma.

NBC News’ Gadi Schwartz was one of the judges of this year’s contest.

Scooter and owner Linda Elmquist, from Tuscon, Arizona, came to the popular NBC morning show’s studio in New York to talk with hosts Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb about the victory and Scooter’s life.

Scooter was born with a defect causing his hind legs to grow backwards, and so he walks with his two front legs or with an attached rolling harness.

“He has no idea he has a defect and he was born that way,” Elmquist told the hosts. She said he is full of self-confidence and easily stands up to bigger dogs.

“He loves everybody. He has really big heart,” she said.

She said when Scooter was announced the winner she was “so happy.” “I know he will represent really well the under-trodden, the ugly, the blemished.”

“This contest is not about making fun of or laughing at or just taking advantage of their ugliness. It’s about bringing forward all of the beauty,” Elmquist said.

The World’s Ugliest Dog contest is held annually at the Sonoma-Marin Fair. Each year’s winner takes home the first place prize of $1,500 and the coveted title of “world’s ugliest dog.”

Elmquist is a part of Saving Animals From Euthanasia, a rescue organization that got Scooter when he was first brought in to be euthanized. She has been Scooter’s owner for seven months.

To see the full segment, go to pdne.ws/3NpQlRe.