Watch a labradoodle get an 'excessive hydration' penalty in Puppy Bowl XIX first look
On Sunday, Feb. 12, all eyes will be on the field. Do we mean at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., as the Chiefs or Bills or Bengals or Dolphins or Jaguars or Chargers or Ravens face the Eagles or 49ers or Seahawks or Giants or Cowboys or Vikings or Buccaneers in Super Bowl LVII? We do not. While that will surely be the most-watched TV event of the year, some viewers will see it as only the second most important gridiron game that day. Because that is also the day when Puppy Bowl XIX will be broadcast.
Designed to raise awareness for pet adoption via highly cuddly pups, Puppy Bowl will go bigger than ever this year, featuring a record-breaking 122 competitors, who hail from 67 shelters and rescues from across the country. Team Ruff is seeking revenge against Team Fluff after a last-second loss in last year's contest, and the footwork (pawwork?) by one of Ruff's key competitors, Davinci, will be so hot, he seeks to cool off in the in-field water bowl. Problem is, this labradoodle — who has been living at Florida Little Dog Rescue — hogs the bowl for too long and gets a little too soggy in the process. Rufferee Dan Schachner, who is calling his 12th game, has no choice but to remove Davinci from the bowl and flag him for "excessive hydration."
"Wow, it's like picking up a wet sponge," quips Schachner as he assesses the penalty. You can check out the sequence in this first look at Puppy Bowl XIX above.
Animal Planet Rufferee Dan Schachner and Davinci at Puppy Bowl XIX
This exclusive preview also also features a naughty Team Fluff player, Pickle the Pomeranian, who also resides at Florida Little Dog Rescue. Seeking every advantage, Pickle grabs hold of the Team Ruff handkerchief around another pup's neck, and Schachner blows his whistle, signaling an illegal "dog collar tackle." Pickle does not agree with the call and tries to shush Schachner with his paw.
This year's contest can be seen on Super Bowl Sunday at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT on Animal Planet, and will be streamed simultaneously on Discovery+. A 1 p.m. pre-show hypes up the Ruff-Fluff matchup and previews the Kitty Halftime Show. And as is new tradition, the telecast will showcase 11 dogs and three cats that can be adopted during the game. (The puppies on the field will have likely already found homes, given that Puppy Bowl XIX was filmed back in the fall.)
To see who else will be competing to become Most Valuable Pup, scamper into this Puppy Bowl XIX gallery.
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* Watch a French bulldog get penalized for talking smack in Puppy Bowl XVIII
* See photos of 22 puppies competing in Puppy Bowl XIX
* See two adorable penalties handed out in Puppy Bowl XVII
* Puppy Bowl referee Dan Schachner answers burning questions
* See one pup score a double TD
