Latest news with #TeamFluff
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Minnesota dog named 'Most Valuable Puppy' in 2025 Puppy Bowl
A Minnesota dog named Foxtrot was awarded the "Most Valuable Puppy" award on Sunday in this year's Puppy Bowl. The collie is from Pet Haven of Minnesota, a nonprofit rescue that's based in Minneapolis. The pup helped secure Team Fluff's 68-66 nailbiter against Team Ruff. The organization celebrated Foxtrot's performance in a Facebook post, saying they are "BEYOND psyched." Foxtrot showed off some fancy footwork during Sunday's contest, showing off his offensive skills. Foxtrot wasn't the only pup representing Minnesota on Sunday, as Potato competed on Team Fluff alongside Foxtrot in the win. Potato is also from Pet Haven of Minnesota. The annual event is broadcast on Animal Planet, featuring animal rescues across the United States. According to Pet Haven's website, the organization has helped rescue, rehabilitate and re-home dogs and cats since it was founded in 1952. You can check out more info here.
CBS News
10-02-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Foxtrot, rescue dog from Pet Haven in Minnesota, wins MVP of Puppy Bowl XXI
MINNEAPOLIS — While many watched the Chiefs and the Eagles battle in the Super Bowl, Minnesota had its own contenders in another bowl on Sunday. Foxtrot, a 16-week-old pup, wowed fans with speed and agility in the 21st annual Puppy Bowl. He even scored a touchdown and earned "Most Valuable Puppy" honors. Foxtrot's efforts helped lead Team Ruff in a close match with the opposing team, Team Fluff. He represented Pet Haven, a Minnesota rescue nonprofit, which said it was "BEYOND psyched" about the award. "This Collie boy played hard and it paid off!" Pet Haven said in a Facebook post. Foxtrot wasn't the only pup to participate in the bowl; Pet Haven's Potato played for Team Fluff, which ultimately won the game. Pet Haven is based in Minneapolis.
USA Today
09-02-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Who won Puppy Bowl 2025? Highlights from the fluffiest competition before Super Bowl
Who won Puppy Bowl 2025? Highlights from the fluffiest competition before Super Bowl Show Caption Hide Caption Watch Puppy Bowl drama: Dog Smoosh cries after a ruff call Puppy Bowl XXI referee Dan Schachner had to wipe away dog tears after Smoosh got emotional in Sunday's big game. The Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet, the cutest show before the kickoff of Super Bowl 59, lived up to the undeniable hype as the fluffiest game of the year. Its main purpose is to raise awareness and encourage the adoption of dogs from shelters and rescues. The 21st annual Puppy Bowl was filled with playful energy, featuring 142 puppy athletes, including 11 dogs with special needs. These adorable pups came from 80 shelters and rescues across 40 states and two countries. Representing Team Ruff and Team Fluff, they joyfully raced toward the end zone, all in search of their forever homes, with the Lombarky Trophy toy being an exciting bonus. Many of the puppies had fitting names for the big game, such as Saquon Barkley, the Australian Shepherd-Bernese Mountain Dog, and a pair of Pomeranian siblings named Jason and Travis, after the Kelce brothers. Dee-Bone Samuel, a poodle mix, has already added a trophy toy to their collection after being named this year's Popularity Playoffs champion. The big question remains: Which team won? Was it Team Fluff, featuring the adorable Labrador retriever mix, Abigail, and Smoosh the Pekingese? Or was it Team Ruff, led by Mr. Pickles the pug mix and Demure the Cairn Terrier, who claimed back-to-back Puppy Bowls? Here are the highlights as the action unfolds. Who won Puppy Bowl XXI? Winner will be updated when the Puppy Bowl concludes.
USA Today
09-02-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Who are the star dogs of Puppy Bowl 2025? Rocky, Smoosh, Mr. Pickles take the field
Who are the star dogs of Puppy Bowl 2025? Rocky, Smoosh, Mr. Pickles take the field Show Caption Hide Caption 'Puppy Bowl' controversy: Rocky gets penalty for giving too much love Who throws a flag for excessive licking in the Puppy Bowl? Watch as referee Dan Schachner gets smothered with love from special needs dog Rocky. It takes pure animal magnetism to shine amid the bright lights of Super Bowl Sunday. But Rocky, an American pit bull terrier born with front limb deformities, is one of the star dogs running away with "Puppy Bowl XXI," Animal Planet's pre-Super Bowl dogfest. The football-themed annual dog adoption showcase, featuring 142 rescue puppies (including 11 with special needs), returns for its 21st edition before Super Bowl 59. Former NFL referee Dan Schachner, who has ruled as Puppy Bowl human "Rufferee" with bad dog puns and mock penalty flags since 2012, assures USA TODAY that Rocky is gonna fly now. The doe-eyed pride of Maryland's Pets with Disabilities shelter uses stealth speed to score for Team Ruff against perennial rival Team Fluff. 'Rocky has those expressive eyes and the heart of a champion," Schachner says. "But talk about surprises. He has that burst of explosive speed. You wouldn't know it until you see it.' Here's a look at the standout performers from "Puppy Bowl XXI," a three-hour special simulcast on Animal Planet, Discovery, Discovery+, Max, TBS, and truTV (2 p.m. EST/11 a.m. PST). Puppy Bowl 2025 Meet Mr. Pickles, Sprinkle, Julep and more. Find out how to watch How special-needs dog Rocky got penalized for licking in the Puppy Bowl Schachner is crouched on the field coaxing an overly chilled-out Great Pyrenees-boxer mix Mercury into action when Rocky jumps him with a swift, slobbery surprise love attack. 'I didn't see it coming. I didn't even have any dog snacks in my pocket," Schachner says. Schachner orders the 'excessive licking' penalty without knowing the rule offender's identity. The drool is part of the gig working the Puppy Bowl, which is taped in October on a miniature astroturfed football stadium erected in an upstate New York studio. 'I've been pooped on, stomped on, dogs have ripped my socks off and unlaced my shoes,' Schachner says. 'That's what happens when you're the only human on a field of puppies. But it's all love.' There's no crying in football… except for Smoosh Smoosh, the Puppy Bowl's first-ever Pekingese, provides one of the true emotional moments. Schachner playfully lectures Smooth for pulling the blue bandanna off his Team Fluff teammate, Alice. Smoosh visibly tears up in his arms, requiring dabbing with the penalty flag. 'We've had dogs whine for treats, but actual tears of sadness? That was a first,' says Schachner, who jokingly nixes the observation that Smoosh (from Florida Little Dog Rescue) was crying happy tears from the human hug. 'Smoosh was upset as an athlete. She lost focus, and touchdowns were being scored all around her.' Yes, the Puppy Bowl keeps the score. Touchdowns are tallied each time a dog player carries a chew toy into the end zone. Last year's gaudy final tally? Team Ruff defeated Team Fluff, 72-69, to paw the esteemed Lombarky Trophy. 'We get these monstrous scores because there's a lot of offense and not much defense,' Schachner says. Mr. Pickles is so Pug-nacious that Puppy Bowl trainer Victoria Schade adopted him Author and lead dog trainer Victoria Schade had somehow resisted adopting a Puppy Bowl pooch until this year ‒ her 17th on the job ‒ when true love and timing coincided. The taping came months after Schade had lost her family's beloved senior dog. Five-month-old pug Mr. Pickles (from the Texas rescue shelter Dallas Dog) stole her heart, on and off the field. 'I fell in love,' Schade says. 'It wasn't just any dog, but this dog. He's perfection, the best dude." Many, if not most, of the Puppy Bowl canines are adopted in the months between production and airtime. Schade has renamed her new family member Boris, who gets along swimmingly with her other senior dog at home. As Mr. Pickles, the pug makes his Puppy Bowl presence known, especially during an epic on-field toy tug-of-war. 'It's more like a tug of love; he's a great tugger,' Schade says. 'He has some great moments out there. I'm a very proud mom." Who stars in the Puppy Bowl? The Puppy Bowl features rescue kittens during the Kitty Halftime Show (for obvious reasons, the cats take the field when the dogs are off getting their locker room pup talk). The event also features a lineup of pun-tastic names with power personalities. They include: ◾ Dee-Bone Samuel: The poodle mix's real name is Tobias, but he gamely takes the stage name to honor NFL star Deebo Samuel. ◾ Shih Tzu Bark Kent vs. Dachshund Lex Woofer: The pooches named after the DC Comics archrivals tussle again in the end zone. Spoiler alert: Bark Kent is penalized for overzealous grabbing of Lex Woofer's collar. Crime doesn't pay. ◾ Jolene: The pit bull mix requires a wheelchair to get around. "But she really moves around the field," says Schachner. ◾ Trio: The three-legged Boston Terrier bounds with the speed of a jackrabbit. "He's got these incredibly strong legs,' Schachner says. 'When he jumps, the vertical distance is amazing.'
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
2025 Puppy Bowl: Where to watch Team Ruff vs. Team Fluff go paw to paw for the Lombarky trophy today
It's time for Super Bowl LIX! But if you aren't interested in the Jalen Hurts vs. Patrick Mahomes showdown, you may want to check out the slightly fluffier clash happening this afternoon: the 2025 Puppy Bowl. That's right, for all the animal lovers out there, Team Ruff and Team Fluff are about to go head-to-adorable-head in Puppy Bowl XXI! For the last two decades, the Puppy Bowl has provided a fluffy alternative option for the football-averse come Game Day. The heartwarming tournament encourages viewers to consider adopting a dog from an animal shelter or rescue. This year's Puppy Bowl will see 142 puppies from 80 shelters and rescues across 40 states and two countries compete for the Lombark-y trophy. This game will also see the first-ever Puppy Combine pregame show, where 10 pups will participate in practice drills for the top spot in the Puppy Bowl draft. And don't forget about the Kitty Halftime Show! The 2025 Puppy Bowl will air on Sunday, Feb. 9 starting at 2 p.m. ET — so tuning in won't actually interfere with watching the Chiefs vs. Eagles Super Bowl. Here's everything you need to know about how to watch Puppy Bowl XXI! Puppy Bowl XXI will begin on Feb. 9 at 2 p.m. ET. The bowl will last approximately three hours, ending with plenty of time to catch Super Bowl 59 on FOX (or free on Tubi) at 6:30 p.m. ET. A Puppy Bowl pregame show will also air at 1 p.m. on Sunday on Animal Planet. The Puppy Bowl will be broadcast on Animal Planet, Discovery, TBS and truTV — you'll also be able to stream it on Max and Discovery+. This year's adorable list of competitors in the 2025 Puppy Bowl includes Chow Chow and Chihuahua mix Lin-Manuel Furanda, a three-legged Doberman Pinscher named Maxx, a Lab puppy called Meatball, Paws Allen and so many more precious competitors. For the full Puppy Bowl lineup, check out Puppy Bowl XXI photo gallery. Unfortunately, no. The Puppy Bowl is prerecorded, and by the time you watch the game on Super Bowl Sunday, many of the precious players will have already been adopted. But that shouldn't stop you from heading to your local animal shelter to find your own PAW-vis Kelce to adopt.
