The cuddliest competition of the year is back.
That’s right: 142 rescue pups from 80 shelters will go head-to-head Feb. 9 in the 21st annual Puppy Bowl, airing at 2 p.m. EST/11 a.m. PST across Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, TBS, truTV, Max and discovery+. And the cuteness overload is worth the tune-in alone.
In the three-hour-long television event, more puppies than ever before will compete on either Team Fluff—led by Julep, the first-ever St. Bernard-mix, and Smoosh, the only Pekingese to compete in the games—or Team Ruff—led by Mr. Pickles, a Pug-Chihuahua mix from Dallas, and Tuani, a Chihuahua-German shepherd hailing from Nicaragua—in the call-to-adoption program.
“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,” said Chief Creative Officer of U.S. Networks and President of Discovery Networks Howard Lee. “Win or lose, Puppy Bowl XXI will have the cutest players in the game on Sunday, February 9 and will inspire families across the country to adopt a new furry friend.”
Viewers can also expect play-by-play commentary from sportscasters Steve Levy and Taylor Rooks throughout the game, as well as a pet DNA test portion where those tuning in can get insight into each player’s unique breed.
Included in those furry friends are 11 paw-some special needs pups who are proving that their disabilities will never hold them back. Take Jolene, for instance, an American Pit bull terrier-mix competing in a wheelchair. And then there’s Sprinkle, a hard of hearing and blind Australian shepherd-mix who is ready to take home the gold.
And everyone’s favorite segment is sure to warm your heart. Reappearing this year, the adoptable portion will feature the game’s pups—as well as a few adorable kittens—who are up for adoption and are finding their fur-ever homes in real time.
To meet all the pups competing in this year’s Puppy Bowl, keep reading.
Zoey
Danbury Animal Welfare Society (Bethel, CT)
Mr. Pickles
Dallas Dog (Dallas, TX)
Doodle
Providence Animal Center (Media, PA)
Colonel
Kentucky Humane Society (Louisville, KY)
Raspberry
Bosley’s Place (Smyrna, GA)
Orla
AHeinz57 Pet Rescue (DeSoto, IA)
Bark Kent
Great Dog Rescue New England (Andover, MA)
Jolene
Humane Society of Greater Dayton (Dayton, OH)
Smoosh
Florida Little Dog Rescue Group (St. Cloud, FL)
Petunia
Helen Woodward Animal Center (Rancho Santa Fe, CA)
Alice
Florida Little Dog Rescue Group (St. Cloud, FL)
Sky
Compassion Kind (St. Petersburg, FL)
Huckleberry
Bosley’s Place (Smyrna, GA)
Lex Woofer
Great Dog Rescue New England (Andover, MA)
Violet
Barky Pines Animal Rescue & Sanctuary (Loxahatchee, FL)
Tula
Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland (Westbrook, ME)
RedBud
Oklahoma Humane Society (Oklahoma City, OK)
Travis
Florida Little Dog Rescue Group (St. Cloud, FL)
Parker
Five Acres Animal Shelter (St. Charles, MO)
Felicity
Desert Harbor Doberman Rescue (Phoenix, AZ)
Linen
Dog Star Rescue (Bloomfield, CT)
Maxx
Nevada SPCA (Las Vegas, NV)
Erin
AHeinz57 Pet Rescue (DeSoto, IA)
Mabel
Green Dogs Unleashed (Troy, VA)
Belle
The Animal Pad (San Diego, CA)
Lilly
Tri-State Basset Hound Rescue (Deepwater, NJ)
Sarge
Angel City Pit Bulls (Los Angeles, CA)
Queenie
Florida Little Dog Rescue Group (St. Cloud, FL)
Charles
Renee’s Rescue (Hockessin, DE)
Clark
Lucky Dog Refuge (Stamford, CT)
