Cruella, a Chinese Crested dog, has been named as the ugliest dog in the Netherlands for 2023. The owner of the "ugly" pet, Tim Horsting, told the AD that they feel the award is a “title of honour”.

Cruella the dog named after Disney villain Cruella de Vil

The dog who received the title, Cruella, is named after the Disney villain Cruella de Vil. The dog’s owner, Tim Horsting, and his partner Winny, describe the dog as “playful, affectionate and friendly,” adding that “she's actually a very sweet dog.” The couple from Wageningen told the AD: “On the one hand, it is nice that our dog wins a prize, but on the other hand, it is also annoying that people think she is ugly.”

The pair have owned Cruella for four years already, and Tim told the newspaper that his wife “had wanted a Chinese Crested for a long time and when she found a litter, she went to take a look. Actually, the dog chose her, because she immediately walked up to my wife. At first, the idea of ​​a Chinese crested dog didn't appeal to me, but when my wife came home with her I was sold. I saw that face and was blown away.”

Couple say Chinese Crested dogs are rare in ugly dog competitions

The couple say that they entered the dog in the competition after realising that Chinese Crested dogs are usually quite the vote winners in “ugliest dog” competitions. The couple decided to enter Cruella after seeing an advertisement at a dog photography shop in Schiedam.

"We don't find her ugly at all, but the Chinese Crested is a dog that you often see during these types of elections. A Chinese crested dog also won in America this year.” The couple often also dress Cruella up. "A Chinese crested dog gets cold quickly and burns easily, so she often wears a suit. This varies from jumpsuits to jackets and sweaters. That dog has more clothes than me”, owner Tim told the AD.

You can see Cruella in action below: