A DogExplorer.com Exclusive 
Sam, a Chinese Crested Dog entered in our World’s Ugliest Dog contest and known throughout the world as Sam, the World’s Ugliest Dog, has passed away. He was fifteen. We were notified of his death during a phone call with his owner, Susie Lockheed, today.
Anyone who has spent anytime with Susie and Sam would know that she adored him, and, he adored her.
Sam helped Susie through some difficult health issues and Susie also credits him for helping her find her fiance. In addition to the love she showered on the little dog, Susie likely also saved his life when her fostering him on a temporary basis turned into an adoption.
Sam was getting on in years, not the most social of dogs and very hard to adopt out as a result.
Susie saw something beyond his looks and brought him into her life.
Their story illustrates the point DogExplorer.com had hoped to raise through humor with our World’s Ugliest Dog contest. That older, less photogenic dogs, not only deserve homes, they can enrich the lives of those who adopt them in ways unimaginable.
Our deepest sympathies go out to Susie at this difficult time.