Superbowl Alternative? Watch The Puppy Bowl To See Who Wins the MVP Award!


While many will be watching who wins Sunday’s Big Game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks, many animal lovers will be tuning into the decade-old tradition of watching the 11th Puppy Bowl to see who wins MVP (Most Valuable Puppy).

The cuteness factor is indisputable, and you can still catch the Big Football game and get your puppy fix too. According to NBC Bay Area, By the Numbers: Puppy Bowl 2015 airs on Animal Planet for 12 hours from 3 p.m. to 3 a.m. in two-hour repeated segments. The 3 p.m., 5 p.m., and 7 p.m. shows will feature different MVPs depending on how the live audience votes online.

The pups are rescues that are up for adoption. A total of 85 rescued puppies will be shown during the Bowl, with 55 in the starting lineup. Twelve to 15 pups will be on the field at any one time, playing either for Team Ruff or Team Fluff. They are various breeds and mixes between 12- and 21-weeks-old.

Puppies are rotated so that they don’t wear out. Puppies can play hard with the many footballs, ropes, and chew toys while trying to win for their team, not to mention the hearts of the viewers. And they have nap time too.

You won’t miss any of the action, though, with 17 cameras filming. You’ll see special cams you won’t see in the Super Bowl. What about the water bowl cam filming the hard-playing thirsty puppies drinking through clear bowls? There’s also a slow-motion “too cute” cam filming especially adorable encounters and the kiss cam!

How to score a touchdown? A pup just needs to carry, kick, or throw a toy into the end zone. And they can get creative flinging toys about. The New York Daily News noted that there are penalties, such as for terrorizing the referee, Dan Schachner. Dan observed that puppies are, well, puppies. They climb all over him, tear his socks, and take his whistle. All this adds to the “Awwwww” factor.

There are other highlights, such as a kitty half-time show featuring 21 kittens playing and a cockatoo named Meep who “tweets” moments throughout the game, NJ.com noted. And let’s not forget the five adorable baby Nigerian Dwarf goat cheerleaders on the sidelines.

The Puppy Bowl is no small plate of puppy chow. During last year’s 10th anniversary, 13.5 million viewers tuned in.

The pups, who come from 37 shelter and rescue groups representing 20 states, are usually adopted very quickly. Go to www.animalplanet.com if you are smitten with one of the players to see if they are available for adoption. Even if you want one from this Bowl and he’s taken, there are many other great ones at the many shelters and rescue groups who save these needy lives.

As was noted in the Inquisitr on January 9, puppies show their appreciation and love for being adopted, remembering their foster parent a year after adoption.

“Even if you don’t adopt from the Puppy Bowl line-up, animal shelters throughout the nation have both puppies and adult dogs. And although some puppies have suffered from abuse… they have an amazing ability to seek and give love.

[Photo Courtesy The Patriot News]

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