Puppy Bowl: Highlights! The Cutest, Fluffiest Moments
Missing out on the Puppy Bowl? Won’t have time to watch until later? Enjoy the highlights from the cutest sporting event of the year.
Did you miss the Puppy Bowl? You don’t have to worry, for two reasons: the first is that it’s ongoing on repeat for the entirety of Super Bowl Sunday, with the highlights posted on YouTube later on. The second is that we’ve got a recap of all the best and cutest moments from the Puppy Bowl right here.
So if you’re unable to watch the tugs, tumbles, and oodles of fluff, enjoy this recap until you can see it in person. It’s so worth it.
Here are the highlights, beginning in the first quarter of the game:
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Parfait disrobing Buttons
Not five minutes into the match, little Parfait, a tiny yorkie-poodle mix, decided she was less interested in playing football and more interested in commenting on her teammate’s sense of style. After gazing at the camera briefly with a highly-mischievous puppy look, Parfait bounded over to fellow Fluff competitor Buttons and, with a few vigorous tugs, completely removed her team bandana. She then shook it vigorously in triumph….before moving on to bigger and better things.
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Everything Lucky does ever
Lucky is the bravest dog and everything she does is perfect. Poor Lucky has three legs due to her rough start on life–after being abandoned under a porch and (fortunately) fostered to a good home, got her leg stuck in her crate, broke it, and had to have it amputated. Her brother, Ricky, who was fostered with her, has encouraged her ever since and helped her not only heal, but charge forward and learn to do all the same things a dog with four legs can do! It took Lucky some encouragement from Ricky to finally get out on the field, but once she did, she was a shining star. Someone please adopt this amazing pupper.
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Rory scores. A lot.
Rory helped net Team Fluff a very early lead in the first quarter by scoring a whopping three times in that short period. Rory is a poodle mix with quite the lion’s mane of fluff, so it’s no surprise he’s able to charge down the field unhindered by any sort of defense from Team Ruff. Plus, his name’s Rory! Not only a Gilmore Girls reference, but certainly a “roaring” name to strike fear into the hearts of the opposition.
Everybody pees at once.
It happens every year, though this time at the Puppy Bowl they deemed it safe to show multiple pups little spills at once. An inevitable mishap when you put a bunch of puppies in a room together, it nonetheless provides Animal Planet ample opportunity both to promote a pet stain removal product and make a terrible pun: “Pet happens.”
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Alexander Hamilpup is penalized for dueling
This Pomeranian-husky mix was sent back ten yards for getting a little bit too “ruff” with another pup. All is well and no one was hurt–we didn’t even get to Number Four of the Ten Duel Commandments. Fortunately, Alexander Hamilpup stayed in the action long after–he’s not throwing away his shot!
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Nikita contends for Most Valuable Pup
Nikita, a Cocker Spaniel/Bichon Friese mix, contended with Rory in the first half for MVP, Most Valuable Pup. She took up the mantle for Team Fluff by not only stealing the ref’s flag (which had been used earlier for Alexander Hamilpup’s duel) but then scored with it, and THEN, after a quick recovery, actually kicking a field goal from a significant distance.
And that wasn’t all! After a brief time-out, Nikita wasted absolutely no time in scoring yet again after running a fast circle around the field, unstoppable by any other pooch, followed by another touchdown just a short time later–bringing her to three touchdowns and a field goal in the first half. Between her and Rory, Team Fluff really commanded the field in the first half. Not only is Nikita a beautiful snowball of a pupper, but she’s got some serious fangs on the field!
Woody digs to freedom
Woody, a Team Ruff player and a Blue Healer/Cattle mix kicked off the second half of the Puppy Bowl by trying to escape. Admittedly, it wasn’t a great escape attempt. I guess the goofy pupper thought he could dig his way out through the…water dish? It didn’t work, at all, and he made a huge mess by splashing water all over his feet, the floor, and his fellow puppies’ feet. Fortunately, the adorable Tucker pulled him back into the game with a solid tug of war.
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Stormy scores with Panda’s bandana
It started with just two dogs, then grew to three, four, five. A five-way fierce battle between pups resulted in Stormy, a Mastiff/Pit Bull/Shar Pei mix with perfect eyes, stealing the bandana right off of Panda, a Puerto Rican terrier mix. Stormy then ran with the bandana all the way to the endzone, scoring a much needed touchdown for Team Ruff. Since both pups are on the same team, we think Panda should get credit for the assist after lending the bandana to Stormy. Teamwork certainly paid off!
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Hope is an adorable superstar
I just gotta talk about Hope, who is (in my opinion) the most lovely dog here. Hope is a lab/hound mix playing for Team Fluff who scored two touchdowns toward the beginning of the second half, pondered laying down for a nap with her stuffed toy, then regained her energy and went in for a third touchdown. She could have scored zero touchdowns and I would want to rub those perfect ears.
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Team Fluff wins at last, 93-38
The game wasn’t even close. After years of being trounced by Team Ruff, Team Fluff took a victory at last, absolutely stomping Team Ruff with touchdown after touchdown and even a healthy share of field goals. Team Captain Tucker accepted the trophy on behalf of her team.
And remember Rory, the spunky little lion-like dog from earlier? Rory was named MVP via audience voting (sorry, Nikita!).
Finally, the best part: the ending of the Puppy Bowl featured a montage of various puppies being picked up and taken home by their new owners, where they will be loved and cherished forever. The adoption stories are by far the best part of each year’s Puppy Bowl, reminding anyone interesting in a furry best friend that adoption is the best route. There’s more information on the Animal Planet website if adopting is up your alley, or you can check out your local shelter.