World's Ugliest Dog 2018 : Zsa Zsa the English bulldog takes top prize

Dog owners are encouraged to flaunt their pets' imperfections

(AP)

The winner of The World's Ugliest Dog 2018 is a nine-year-old English bulldog.

The unattractive pooch, named Zsa Zsa, won the title at Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds in Petaluma, California.

The annual competition started as a parody of more traditional pure-breed dog contests, with hounds flaunting their hairless bodies, lolling tongues or unusual eyes.

The dogs and their handlers walk down a red carpet and are evaluated by a panel of judges.

But there is an incentive for people to enter their pups in this fairly ridiculous annual event.

Zsa Zsa’s owner, Megan Brainard of Anoka, Minnesota, will receive an impressive $1,500 (around £1,130) for the win.

Although a common feature of the breed, this English bulldog is particularly recognisable for her long tongue that almost touches the floor.

Her short, squat legs were given an extra special touch, as Zsa Zsa sported hot-pink nail polish.

Although a tongue-in-cheek event, the winner of this year's event highlights a broader issue with dog breeding.

English bulldogs are one of the most inbred types of dogs, with some geneticists saying the problem is now so bad their health will never be able to improve.

They often suffer from a range of health problems and ailments.

Their heavily wrinkled faces are prone to skin infections, and their narrow nostrils mean they often having breathing difficulties.