I Just Don't Understand

I'm not an anthrophobe (unlike some of you). Quite the opposite--I tend to like people, especially the ones that will tolerate me (though, those are admittedly few in number).

But, in the end, I guess there are a lot of people I just don't understand. Such as the person who dresses up a monkey like I might dress one of my daughters, or the person who dresses up a demon cat like my grandma.

Photo soure: LinkInn

What We Do to Our Animals

We do some very odd things to our animals. And seldom do the animals in question enjoy what we do to them. The following photos illustrate just that. I never thought a dressed-up burro and a painted Chinese Crested dog could have so much in common.

Photo source: Knuttz.net

Mere Technicality

Everyone congratulate Sgorby. He is the proud new owner of some Sphynx kittens. I've featured these hairless felines many times before, and intend to do so in the future.

But these kittens pass the ugly test on a mere technicality (hairlessness secures their place). They are so darned cute.

Thanks for the photos, Sgorby.

Always a Winner

Sphynx cats are always favorites at any cat show. But you'll always have a winner when you dress one up in a costume.

I hope that cats aren't really the masters of the Underworld. If that's the case, then this cat's owner is in for a pretty rough eternity.

Thanks for the link, Kristene.

Photo source: Activate.us

What Are Those Languages for?

Jackpot alert! Jackpot alert!

I can't read the Russian on the site posting these photos, so I don't know what kind of dogs these are. I tried using Google's translator (link), but couldn't glean any additional information. In fact, the translation was rough--the word 'tongue' features prominently in the Russian version (no surprise, given the puppies), but Google translated the word as 'language'. So you end up with Russians commenting on the photos and asking what the dogs use those languages for. I can see why the Russian to English is still in BETA.

But I digress...

Those over-sized tongues and the hairlessness are reminiscent of a Chinese crested / chihuahua mix. That's the best I can come up with.

But anyways, enjoy the photos, enjoy the pups, enjoy the lolling tongues and oily skin, and enjoy the Russians enjoying their dogs.

Thanks for the photos, Katrien.

Photos from: Ziza.ru

Upping the Charm

If you hate naked mole-rats, then this isn't the blog for you. I expect I'll return to this rodent every few months, especially when new photos crop up. But you needn't fear that you'll encounter one, unless you are walking the wilds of Africa, or the grounds of one of your nicer zoos.

One interesting factoid is that these rats have developed an almost insect-like social structure. Now that ups their charm.

Thanks for the link, Karen.

Photo source: SFGate.com

Former King

In light of Elwood's new title as Ugliest Dog, I'm fielding a request from some of you to show off Sam's mug. This pooch was the title holder for several years. Alas, just as his fame was sweeping the world, he up and expired (R.I.P.).

Thankfully, as I have tried to demonstrate for 18 months now, there is no shortage of ugly in this world. If anything it grows with each passing day.

Photo soure: ILX

Fatal Flaw

Connie sent me a link to this article on Elwood, the newly crowned winner of the ugly dog contest in Petaluma, CA. I can't get enough of this Chinese crested / chihuahua mix. What's amazing is that the dog's breeder was going to euthanize him because he was too ugly. But Quigley, his proud owner, rescued him and has turned his once fatal flaw into fame. He even raked in a cool $1K for winning the coveted prize.

Thanks for the link, Connie. And thanks for your quick action, Quigley. The world has a bit more character because of you.

Photo source: Associated Press

What Do You Get

Now this is a real jackpot. What do you get when you mix two Sphinx cats with a Chinese crested dog? You get a writhing mass of hairless, oily, confused house pets.

Even forgoing the home office decor, this scene would never be played out in nature. A horror film maybe, but not in the wild. Hmm. I'm going to write Stephen King and Anne Rice and tip them off to the next box office hit.

UPDATE: CollegeGirl has corrected me. That isn't a Chinese crested. That's a Mexican Hairless, or a Xoloitzcuintli.

Aloha Spirit

Our favorite pair of hairless guinea pigs * * Harry and Fuzzy * * are back! Sharla and Steven have captured the Aloha spirit of the islands by dressing them up in festive leis. Grass skirts might be in order for the next tour of Hawaii - such nakedness!

Thanks for the photos, Sharla and Steven.

Indignity

Did someone really tattoo this rat? Really? What an indignity. But then, we do dock tails, clip ears, and castrate/spay animals, so this rat may have gotten off easy. Next time, rat. Next time.

Thanks for the link, Matt.

Photo source: ModBlog

Harry and Fuzzy

Sharla and Steven are two pet owners who know exactly what this blog is about. They love their hairless guinea piggies - named Harry and Fuzzy - and are proud to share them here, with you.

So say hello to these two new residents of Ugly Overload. You will never meet another pirate / cowboy combo quite like them.

Thanks for the photos, Sharla and Steven.

BTW, these two hail from Hawaii. Is there some sort of hairless gene running rampant over there? Between these critters and the kohona cats, I'm beginning to see a disturbing trend.

Rest and Play

Some of you may remember my post on kohona cats. These are a very rare breed, native (in a sense, at least) to Hawaii. Well, Tiffany saw this post, an wanted to send along a photo of her kitty. You've gotta love pet owner pride.

This sequence shows him at rest and at play. Tiffany, does he ever open his eyes? And what is he doing in the second photo? Is he really flipping us all off? Bad cat!

Thanks for the photos, Tiffany.

Perro sin Pelo del Peru

This picture was floating around Yahoo! photos for a while. I thought it high time I shared it. You're looking at the Peruvian Hairless Dog. This canine was used by pre-Incan cultures in the Andes for hunting and companionship. They're even featured on ancient pottery.

These dogs were nearly driven to extinction by the Spanish conquistadors, but were able to survive in rural areas. In recent years they were recognized as an official breed by the FCI, so they should be safe now, assuming no more Pizarro brothers sweep through Peru again.

Photo courtesy: Reuters

Orcs Riding Guinea Pigs

Here is a bonus post for y'all.

Jack saw my post on the baldwin guinea pig and thought that the beast would serve well as a frightening mount for an orc or a behorned Viking, a la Frank Frazetta. To demonstrate this truth, both he and Ian provided us with visual proof. I think these dramatic renderings say it all.

Thanks for the orc-riding-guinea pig action, Jack.
























Thanks for the orcish plug for UgO, Ian.

Baldwin for Sale

Chrissie has tapped into a veritable font of ugly animals, and she's struck gold with this one.

Behold the Baldwin Guinea Pig. This is one of two hairless guinea pig breeds, the other one being called a Skinny Pig. These rare critters come with a hefty price tag, upwards of $150.00!

"But wait," you say, "this one has some hair left on it!" Never fear. All that useless hair will eventually fall out, leaving the rodent perfectly hairless. They evidently make for great pets, so have at it, people. Just make sure you purchase from ethical breeders; breeding for very narrow genetic traits can be a difficult and sad process (for the animals involved, that is).

Thanks for the photo, Chrissie.

Microwaved Hotdogs & Mole-Rats

I've posted on the naked mole-rat before (see this link), but I've recently received a couple of requests to invite them back. Katy sent me this photo, then Lani sent me this article, which has this to say about this rodent's appearance:

"Picture a hot dog that's been left in a microwave a little too long, add some buck teeth at one end, and you've got a fairly good idea of what a Naked Mole Rat looks like."

I love it. But you needn't fear running across one of these in the wild, unless you are one of my African readers. Even then, you probably haven't ever seen one. They live underground and never venture top-side.

The naked mole-rat makes for great children's book material. That's a good thing; we want our kids to know that ugly has its place, too.

Thanks for the links, Katy and Lani!

Photos (1 & 2) courtesy: Lisa

Not So Cute

I make it a point not to post on deformed animals. This site isn't a freakshow. But, occassionally, I do like to put the spotlight on disturbing trends, such as my post on white tigers. Lorri sent these photos of a hairless palomino foal (with mom in the bottom one). This is a sad mutation, since it results in a truncated lifespan for the afflicted horse. It is, therefore, never intentionally bred into the animal.

I'm posting on this because I thought it dovetailed nicely with an article that one of my readers, Michael, sent me. It is a New York Time's article that reports on the Japanese obsession with cute and cuddly pets. The problem with this craze is that it is fed by rampant inbreeding and puppy mills, and it results in deformed, tortured, and sickly animals.

My point is this: every new breed of animal we create invariably involves some inbreeding. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it is all too often abused. Let's stay away from these Hollywood fads and bear in mind that these are living critters. For every mini chihuahua Paris Hilton carts around, there is one of its littermates that was born missing its paws, nose, or eyes, or with a brain disorder. That's not so cute.

Thanks for the photos, Lorri, and thanks for the article, Michael.

Ugly Overload Turns One Year Old

That's right. It's been more than 365 images of ugly animals, many of them making their internet debut right here. A whole year of bats, sphynx cats, Sam, centipedes, hippos, elephant seals, matamata turtles, crocodiles, vultures, eels, deep-sea abominations, and many more.

Let me reaffirm the purpose of this blog. Cute and beautiful animals always get the spotlight. But the ugly are left in the dark, without a place to call home. This blog is devoted to them. Here the ugly critters of the world have their day in the sun, and the abominable beasts have a place to call their own. Here there is no shame, and no reason to hide.

Photo courtesy: Animal Planet



















I began this site featuring Sam, the world's ugliest dog. Let me begin year two with his possible successor (according to voters on Animal Planet). Meet Ellwood. He typifies what this blog is all about. He's proud, and rightfully so.

Of course, I'm well aware that beauty and ugly are in the eye of the beholder, and in the end I must be the final arbiter - at least for this blog. Bear in mind that we are all just having fun here. No animals are being condemned.

Thanks again to all of you. You have made this labor of love worthwhile. Come back often - I'll be rolling out new features in the weeks to come.

As always, your comments, suggestions, and submissions are always welcome.

Kohona Love

Jack sent this feline family to me. They're kohona sphynx cats, and they remind us all of the Christmas spirit with their unconditional love for each other. They also remind me to add a nice winter coat to my Christmas list - they must be freezing. You try walking around with no clothes on, and completely shaved. Do it in private, though. We don't want to see that.

Photo courtesy: Belfry Sphynx