I’ve been watching the Puppy Bowl since it first debuted on Animal Planet in 2004. And you can bet I’ll be watching it again in 2024.
You may know that this adorable fluff fest is associated, tangentially, with the big football game of the year.
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Even so, you may have lots of questions about it.
Such as:
- What is the Puppy Bowl?
- When is the Puppy Bowl?
- What time does the Puppy Bowl 2024 start?
- How to watch the Puppy Bowl?
- What channel is the Puppy Bowl on?
- What is the Puppy Bowl 2024 lineup?
- What are the teams called on the Puppy Bowl?
- Do the dogs in the Puppy Bowl really get adopted?
- Are there any cats in the Puppy Bowl?
Let me start answering these questions.
What is the Puppy Bowl?
Animal Planet started the Puppy Bowl in 2005. The whole idea behind this televised event is to promote the notion of dog adoption and to get adorable pups into their forever homes.
In 2024, Animal Planet is celebrating the Bowl’s 20th anniversary. According to Animal Planet, this year will be the biggest yet. It featured 131 puppies from 73 shelters and rescues across 36 states and territories.
Also, the pups themselves range from very small to very big. This includes the all-time smallest pup, Sweetpea, at 1.7 lbs and the biggest, Levi the Great Dane at 72 lbs. A 72-pound puppy? Oh my goodness!
When is the Puppy Bowl?
The Puppy Bowl is held on the same day as that big football game whose name the National Football League trademarked 50-plus years ago. So, the date is Sunday, February 11, 2024.
What time does the Puppy Bowl start?
On the East Coast, you can tune into the Puppy Bowl at 2:00 p.m. On the other hand, in Pacific Time, it’s 11 a.m. Animal Planet says that this canine-centered game runs for three hours.
However, there is a pre-game show, because, of course there is. That starts at 1 p.m. Eastern or 10 a.m. Pacific.
Puppy Bowl fans will learn more about each player’s breed mix and other unique traits from the Wisdom Panel™ pet DNA test that could help determine who will have a furry leg-up on the field.
How you can watch the Puppy Bowl
I’ve mentioned a number of times that Animal Planet created this event. However, that’s not the only channel on which you can watch it.
According to Warner Bros. Discovery, Animal Planet’s parent company, you can watch the show on the following channels:
- Animal Planet
- Discovery
- TBS
- truTV
- Max
- discovery+
If you have a Roku TV like I do and use Hulu or YouTube TV for your live broadcasts, you should be able to access at least TBS for free. Well, I can and I hope you can, too.
Finally, that aforementioned Puppy Bowl pregame? It’s on Animal Planet only.
What is the Puppy Bowl lineup?
There are two teams during this Bowl game. They are Team Ruff and Team Fluff.
This year’s starting lineup includes Dash, a Pomeranian/pug, and Maggie, a chow chow/American Staffordshire terrier representing the US Virgin Islands for the first time. They will compete for Team Fluff.
On the other hand, there is Tater, an Australian cattle dog/German shepherd, and Peanut Pretzel, a pug from Los Angeles, on Team Ruff.
Do the dogs in the Puppy Bowl really get adopted?
In the past, Animal Planet says that 100 percent of the animals in the Puppy Bowl do end up getting adopted. It helps that they continue to promote adoption throughout the show.
For example, this year Puppy Bowl’s annual “Adoptable Pup” segments return. They feature puppies — and a few kittens — from 14 shelters and rescues across the country. All will be available for adoption during the game.
Even after the game is over, the folks at Animal Planet continue to support pet adoption. In celebration of Puppy Bowl XX, Warner Bros. Discovery is partnering with Best Friends Animal Society, a leading national animal welfare organization. From February 7-14, the company will match donations to cover adoption fees.
Are there any cats in the Puppy Bowl?
Of course, the Puppy Bowl is primarily about dogs. However, during the half-time show, guess what? You got it — the cats or kittens take over the field.
You can find more info about the dogs, pet adoption and more at the Puppy Bowl website.