Puppy Bowl in 2014.Photo:Mark Von Holden/AP
Mark Von Holden/AP
ThePuppy Bowlis a dog lover’s Super Bowl.
Animal Planet’s annual four-legged event began in 2005 and nearly six million viewers tuned in to the inaugural broadcast, according toRolling Stone.
“Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl serves as an annual pop culture programming event that continues to expand in reach, awareness and of course, puppies, every year,” Howard Lee, president of Discovery Networks, said in a 2025press release. “Win or lose, Puppy Bowl 21 will have the cutest players in the game and will inspire families across the country to adopt a new furry friend.”
This year, the Puppy Bowl will feature142 rescue puppies(11 of whom are special needs) from 80 shelters across 40 states and two countries. Longtime refereeDan Schachnerwill call the game between Team Ruff and Team Fluff as they compete for the “Lombarky” trophy.
But how did the Puppy Bowl start? Keep reading for a look back at the Puppy Bowl’s 21-year history.
How did the Puppy Bowl start?
Puppy Bowl in 2012.Linda Davidson / The Washington Post via Getty
Linda Davidson / The Washington Post via Getty
Animal Planet’s inaugural Puppy Bowl took place in 2005, and the idea came about in a brainstorm for Super Bowl counter-programming.
The scheduling team figured the best way to draw viewers was to point a camera at puppies on a mini football field – something akin to the televised burning Yule Log that airs every holiday season.
Margo Kent, the executive producer for Puppy Bowl I, toldRolling Stonethat it started as a “joke” and that she was surprised when Warner Bros. Discovery gave them the green light.
“It was one of those moments on the network’s side — where everything is always over-calculated — where they took a risk and said, ‘You know what? It’s a funny idea. Let’s just do it,’ " she recalled, adding that they only had an $88,000 budget. “There’s a genius to the simplicity: Who doesn’t like watching puppies play?”
The network had a few stipulations, though: all the puppies had to be adoptable, cute, diverse and full of personality. So, Animal Planet recruited the Washington Animal Welfare League to help them find their Puppy Bowl players.
“We basically had to cast the puppies,” Puppy Bowl I producer Laurie McGuckin toldCrackedin February 2024. “All told, we ended up with 25 or 30 puppies.”
While the first Puppy Bowl was more of a free-for-all set to soft music — worlds away from the production it has become — there were a few memorable moments. A dog named Riley received a flag for peeing on the field of play and Max, a Jack Russell terrier, was selected as the MVP.
Where are the Puppy Bowl puppies from?
Puppy Bowl in 2020.Amanda Edwards/Getty Images for Discovery, Inc.
Amanda Edwards/Getty Images for Discovery, Inc.
At its core, the Puppy Bowl is a way to raise awareness about pet adoption. Each year’s puppy participants come from shelters and rescue organizations across the country and are all available for adoption.
“The biggest thing that I hope people take away from Puppy Bowl is you can get just about any dog you are looking for in rescue. The dog you’re looking for is out there,” Laurie Johnson, director of Florida Little Dog Rescue, told PEOPLE in February 2024.
“It makes my day. I love him to death,” he told theAssociated Pressof training Parsnip. “He has a lot of raw potential. He’s gonna be a star.”
On set, dog trainer Victoria Schade is responsible for ensuring “puppy happiness and safety during gameplay,” as she toldAPin February 2025.
“One of my ‘Puppy Bowl’ skills is reading butts. So I know when a puppy is going to go to the bathroom and I’ll typically say like, ‘Watch out in the 20-yard-line, we’re going to have a deposit’ and everyone’s ready to go with that cleanup,” Schade, who has been working with Animal Planet for 19 years, jokingly added.
Do all the puppies from the Puppy Bowl get adopted?
Backstage at the Puppy Bowl in 2012.Linda Davidson / The Washington Post via Getty
“As soon as people start watching Puppy Bowl, they can go to AnimalPlanet.com and look up the puppy profile, which will connect you with the shelter or rescue center that has them!” referee Schachner wrote in a 2015Redditpost.
“You have to act quickly,” he continued. “So what we like to say is ‘Don’t worry if the dog you fell in love with is no longer available — because they are part of litters, and they will probably have brothers or sisters that you can adopt, even if that one star puppy isn’t [available].’ "
Where is the Puppy Bowl filmed?
Puppy Bowl in 2013.Linda Davidson / The Washington Post via Getty
The first Puppy Bowl in 2005 was filmed in a studio in Silver Spring, Md., but in recent years, Animal Planet has shot the four-legged show in Glen Falls, N.Y. at the Cool Insuring Arena.
“Of course, we have some New York rescues, but you name it. Florida, Texas, Phoenix, California, Midwest. This year we have a pup from Nicaragua because we want to showcase some of the overpopulation issues in Central America,” Schachner told theNew York Postin February 2025.
Unlike the Super Bowl, the Puppy Bowl isn’t a live event. It is filmed several months in advance, perVox.
Where can I watch the 2025 Puppy Bowl?
Puppy Bowl 2025.Courtesy of Animal Planet/Discovery
Courtesy of Animal Planet/Discovery
Audiences will also be able to rewatch the three-hour, pup-filled event on Max and discovery+ following the 2025 Super Bowl.
source: people.com
