While tens of millions of people are expected to tune in to the Super Bowl on Feb. 9, another bowl is expected to bring in several million viewers at the same time: the Puppy Bowl.
In 2024, the Puppy Bowl pulled in 12.6 million viewers on Animal Planet, TBS, Discovery and truTV. This year, Team Ruff and Team Fluff will compete for the "Lombarky" Trophy at 2 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, Feb. 9 on Animal Planet with Puppy Bowl XXI.
The Puppy Bowl has been running since 2005, the puppies featured in the Puppy Bowl are from shelters. The program is designed to raise awareness about adopting pets from shelters and rescuing abandoned animals.
Puppies are divided into two teams, Teams "Ruff" and "Fluff", each identifiable by a different colored bandana worn throughout the event. The 21st anniversary features 142 puppy players from 80 shelters and rescues across 40 states — and two countries.
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Each starter is currently competing in the "Pupularity Playoffs" which will award the "Most Pupular" puppy.
Before the big game, fans can tune in to the brand-new Puppy Bowl XXI Kickoff, airing at 1 PM ET/10 AM PT on Animal Planet. This pre-game show introduces a fresh feature: the Puppy Combine. Ten adorable pups will engage in practice drills, showing off their moves in a series of fun challenges.
Here's the 2025 starting puppy lineup from Team Ruff and Team Fluff (Descriptions provided by Animal Planet):
2025 Puppy Bowl: Team Fluff vs. Team Ruff
Abigail
Team Fluff — Labrador Retriever Mix — Alexandria, Virginia
Smoosh
Team Fluff — Pekingese — St. Cloud, Florida
Paws Allen
Team Fluff — Labrador Retriever Mix — Buffalo, New York
Kiki
Team Fluff — Chihuahua Mix — St. Cloud, Florida
Charlotte
Team Fluff — American Cocker Spaniel — St. Louis
Carl
Team Fluff — Bulldog Mix — New York
Alice
Team Fluff — Chihuahua Mix — St. Cloud, Florida
Whoopie
Team Fluff — Great Pyrenees Mix — Nashville
Trio
Team Ruff — Boston Terrier — New York
Maxx
Team Ruff — Doberman Pinscher — Las Vegas
Foxtrot
Team Ruff — Collie — Minneapolis
Mr. Pickles
Team Ruff — Pug Mix — Dallas
Enrique
Team Ruff — Miniature Pinscher Mix — New York
Demure
Team Ruff — Cairn Terrier — Troy, Virginia
Dee-Bone Samuel
Team Ruff — Poodle Mix — Sacramento, California
Beethoven
Team Ruff — Great Pyrenees Mix — New York
Team Fluff
Abigail — Labrador Retriever Mix — Alexandria, Virginia
Smoosh — Pekingese — St. Cloud, Florida
Paws Allen — Labrador Retriever Mix — Buffalo, New York
Kiki — Chihuahua Mix — St. Cloud, Florida
Charlotte — American Cocker Spaniel — St. Louis
Carl — Bulldog Mix — New York
Alice — Chihuahua Mix — St. Cloud, Florida
Whoopie — Great Pyrenees Mix — Nashville
Team Ruff
Trio — Boston Terrier — New York
Maxx — Doberman Pinscher — Las Vegas
Foxtrot — Collie — Minneapolis
Mr. Pickles — Pug Mix — Dallas
Enrique — Miniature Pinscher Mix — New York
Demure — Cairn Terrier — Troy, Virginia
Dee-Bone Samuel — Poodle Mix — Sacramento, California
Beethoven — Great Pyrenees Mix — New York
