Puppy Bowl XX: Who’s competing on Team Ruff and Team Fluff?
The 2024 Super Bowl may be the most anticipated match of the season, but Puppy Bowl XX will be the most adorable. What’s better than a championship sports competition that helps shelters find homes for rescued puppies?
For the 20th anniversary of the Puppy Bowl, fans will be able to see Team Fluff compete against Team Ruff with more than 131 dogs participating from 73 shelters across the country. To commemorate the 20th ceremony, four former canine contestants will be inducted into the Puppy Bowl Hall of Fame.
Fans will be able to watch the three-hour event on Animal Planet and Discovery+ on 11 February, scheduled from 2pm to 5pm ET.
Who will take home the coveted Lombarky Trophy, and how can you welcome home one of the puppies? Here’s everything you need to know about adopting a Puppy Bowl puppy.
Who is competing in this year’s Puppy Bowl?
This year, 131 dogs are being welcomed from 73 shelters across 36 states. The competition will feature the smallest pup and the biggest. Sweat Pea is a 1.7-pound Cavalier King Charles Spaniel-Poodle mix and the smallest of the bunch, while Levi - a Great Dane - weighs in at 70 pounds.
On Team Fluff is Harvey - a pug from Pug Nation LA - who is “just happy to be here” and “loves a good scratch behind the ear,” Animal Planet said. However, Harvey favours a good nap, which could hurt him in the competition. Meanwhile, Team Ruff has Sonny - a “Chihuahua and Miniature Schnauzer mix” hailing from New York - who’s ready to be a team player. According to Animal Planet, Sonny “never lets his teammates down as he is an exceptionally bright defensive player.”
Sixteen puppies will also compete for the “Most Popular” title in the Pupularity Playoffs. A few adoptable kittens will also be featured during the Arm & Hammer Slide Kitty Halftime Show.
How do you adopt the puppies?
More information about the contestants’ breeds will be provided during the event, as well as how to contact each shelter where dogs are available on the Animal Planet website.
For example, Bark Purdy - the Chihuahua mix on Team Ruff - is available to adopt from Sacramento SPCA in Sacramento, California. Team Fluff’s Shar Pei named Cronut comes from Chesapeake’s Shar-Pei Rescue of Virginia, while Vanessa - a Yorkshire Terrier - is from Brandywine Valley SPCA in Pennsylvania.
Those who would like to adopt one of the contestants should go to AnimalPlanet.com or Discovery.com for relevant shelter information. As of now, the website has provided details for 16 puppies and will add more as competition day approaches.
What can viewers expect from this year’s Puppy Bowl and how can they watch?
According to USA Today, six of the Puppy Bowl contestants have special needs, including a Pug Terrier with cerebellar hypoplasia named Riddle and a Papillon with two hind legs named Mr Bean.
For the 13th year running, Dan Schachner will serve as the “ruffaree”. Last year, Team Fluff took home the Lombarky Trophy, beating Team Ruff 87 to 83. The “Most Valuable Player” award was handed to Pickle the Pomeranian.
Puppy Bowl XX will air on 11 February 2024 at 2pm ET on Animal Planet, Discovery, TBS, truTV, Max, and Discovery+. The pre-game show will start at 1pm ET.
