WorldsUgliestDog2

Munchkin is approximately 8 years old. Her dog breed is affectionately known as
a “Canardly” (as in “you can hardly tell). She could be part affenpinscher
(monkey face) terrier but her vet is convinced she is a “one of a kind” unique
dog.

Munchkin accomplishments include:

Won 2005 Sonoma-Marin Fair Ugly Mutt of the Year
Won 2005 Sonoma-Marin Fair Ugly Dog of the Year,

Current member of the World’s Ugliest Dog - Ring of Champions
Won 2005 Ugly Dog Contest sponsored by Fetch Magazine & Deaf Dog Coffee.

Dog Park openings – as special hostess

2005 appearance on the Carson Daly talk show with Donald Trump

2006 Rose Parade hostess in her personal float

2006 Humane Society 75th Anniversary “celebrity hostess”

Featured in July 10, 2006 People Magazine

Featured in AnimalPlanet.com Ugly Dog Contest

Featured in July, 2006 TV Germany show, Explosive (seen all over Europe)

Featured in July, 2006 London Daily Mirror newspaper

Soon to be featured in October, 2006 Animal Planet episode of the Sonoma-
Marin Ugly Dog Contest

I saw Munchkin’s photo in 2004 on Pets Unlimited website and laughed. Anything
that tickled my tummy so much has to come home with me. I drove to San
Francisco and Paulie, the adoption counselor, took me to meet Munchkin. When
she waddled & snorted her way from underneath the adoption counselor desk,
tears of joy welled up. She was identical to my previous 6-time Worlds Ugliest
dog, Nana; only 15 lbs. heavier!!! I sat on the floor and she leaned against me,
looking up at me with her soulful eyes, & rolled over for me to scratch her
tummy. We bonded immediately and it was if she was asking “what took you so
long to find me?” Paulie noticed it was an obvious love connection and offered
an “on sale” price of $75, a substantial reduction from the regular adoption price
(little did he know, I would have happily paid any price). Munchkin had been
rescued from another animal shelter just in time and had been at Pets Unlimited
for 8 months with no interest by potential adopters. Pets Unlimited is located in
the heart of San Francisco’s hills among the Victorian homes. Pets Unlimited
places poster size photos of available pets in the large windows facing the busy
street. As months went by, no one came for Munchkin until I came along. Why
someone couldn’t see her beauty & charm is beyond me.

Dogs like Munchkin don’t come around that often. She is special not just for her
looks – but her personality which really shines beneath all of those extra
pounds. Visually she grabs you by the eyes, but emotionally she gets right into
your heart with a sweet kiss on the face or rolling over for a belly rub. As a pet
therapy volunteer, Munchkin has helped so many people heal and find comfort –
whether she’s visiting a hospital for children, who giggle in delight when they see
her or at a nursing home, making each day brighter for a lucky resident,
Munchkin was meant to be in the spotlight. Although she remained in a shelter
for many, many months, ignored and shown pity by those who visited, her new
life has given Munchkin a better purpose in life – to make people smile
everywhere she goes. Her rags to riches story is truly a lesson for us all to never
judge a book by its cover.

The reactions when people first encounter Munchkin vary. Because she snorts
when she walks, and the hair on her back is short & wiry, people ask, “what is
that pig doing here?” Other people refer to Munchkin as a relative of Don King
(boxing promoter) or Cruella De Vil (from 101 Dalmatians) because her hair
around her head & neck is very long, mostly gray, and stands straight up without
any “product” assistance.

While at the NBC studio in Burbank, CA, Munchkin was resting near the dressing
room door. Donald Trump walked by, looked at Munchkin, did a triple take, and
stooped down to pet her. While Donald Trump ran his fingers through her hair,
he asked “what is this?” I thought his question was amusing. He agreed to a
photo and asked his bodyguard to take the picture. I call this photo “Funniest
Hair” photo.

During a photo shoot with Munchkin in Los Angeles in June 2006, I was walking
Munchkin at a dog park. A woman and 2 Great Danes came running up to us.
She said, “Oh my God, is this Munchkin?” I was shocked anyone outside
Sonoma County would know her. She remembered Munchkin from the Carson
Daly appearance. She took photos of Munchkin with her 2 Great Danes;
although I have a feeling that perhaps her dog’s height may have caused them
to be cut out of her photo. It was a pretty funny sight.

When we visit dog parks, many people come up to us and ask, “is this
Munchkin?” They want to take photos with her, sometimes including their pet. I
bring along a “paw print” stamp and inkpad so people can have her “paw-o-
graph”.

Munchkin & her Chihuahua “siblings” have a custom wardrobe from the
Dogsace collection. At home, they have a wardrobe closet for their couture
clothes & accessories. These are one-of-a-kind dresses and skirts designed just
for them. Munchkin’s measurements are quite, well, “off” so she needed a
fashion designer to create her special style.

Munchkin has high self-esteem. She’s very friendly and if people get down to
her level, she’ll lean into them, expecting her tummy to be scratched, eventually
laying completely on her back. This gets laughs from people as she looks like
an upside down pig. What’s even funnier is how she rocks and rolls to right
herself back up. People also say, “I didn’t know Gremlins were real”; or “Is that a
hybrid of some sort? Was it imported?”

There really must be something to the human saying…”she has a face only a
mother could love!”