The Miss USA Pageant wasn’t the only beauty contest that took place over the past few days.

Drake University held its 30th annual Drake Relays Beautiful Bulldog Contest yesterday and the winner can finally sleep in peace. Porterhouse, a 4-year old pooch who had come agonizingly close each of his first three years in the competition (finishing as the runner-up twice {2006 & 2007} and winning “Mr. Congeniality” last year), finally broke through to wear the crown.

Porterhouse, left, stares down his fiercest competitor, Maxxis

Tortured and tormented by calls of “always the bridesmaid, never the bride,” and “second place is just the first loser,” Porterhouse put his nose to the grindstone over the last 12 months in preparation for his big day.

Yearning to earn the billing of “top dog”, Porterhouse, owned by Kevin and Erin Bell, of Des Moines, Iowa, spent hours upon hours just staring at himself in the mirror, and even gave up licking himself for lent (in efforts to freshen his breath for the judges…).

And it all paid off in the end. Porterhouse beat out 49 other dogs from eight states to claim the title. Ladies and Gentlemen, your 2009 most Beautiful Bulldog:

PORTERHOUSE!!!