Puppy Bowl 2025: Your Complete Guide To The Start Time, Channels, And Star-Studded Puppy Lineup
Get ready for the most adorable sporting event of the year! As of today, December 22, 2025, all official details for the Puppy Bowl 2025 (formally known as Puppy Bowl XXI) have been confirmed, promising a three-hour spectacle of tail wags, tumbles, and touchdowns. This annual event is a feel-good tradition that serves as the perfect pre-game warm-up for the Super Bowl, but more importantly, it's a massive platform for promoting pet adoption across the country.
The 21st installment of the beloved rescue animal event is set to feature more puppies, more shelters, and more heart-melting moments than ever before. If you're planning your Super Bowl Sunday, scheduling around this furry football frenzy is a must, especially if you want to see if the defending champions, Team Ruff, can hold onto the coveted Lombarky trophy.
The Official Puppy Bowl 2025 Start Time and Viewing Schedule
The first and most important piece of information for fans is knowing exactly when the cuteness overload begins. The Puppy Bowl XXI is an extended, three-hour television event, so be sure to tune in early to catch the pre-game action and the full player lineup.
Puppy Bowl XXI: Date, Time, and Duration
- Official Date: Sunday, February 9, 2025
- Start Time (Eastern Time): 2:00 PM ET
- Start Time (Pacific Time): 11:00 AM PT
- Start Time (Central Time): 1:00 PM CT
- Duration: The Puppy Bowl 2025 is a three-hour special event.
The event is strategically scheduled to conclude just before the Super Bowl LIX kick-off, ensuring you have plenty of time to transition from watching adorable puppies chase toys to watching professional athletes chase a championship ring.
Where to Watch Puppy Bowl 2025: Channels and Streaming
For the first time, the Puppy Bowl will be simulcast across a wide array of channels, making it easier than ever to tune in. This multi-channel broadcast ensures that nearly everyone with a cable subscription or a major streaming service can access the game.
- Primary Cable Channel: Animal Planet
- Simulcast Cable Channels: Discovery, TBS, and truTV
- Streaming Services: Max (formerly HBO Max) and Discovery Plus
- Live TV Streaming Options: Viewers without cable can also stream the event via services like Hulu with Live TV or Sling TV, which typically carry the broadcast channels.
Watching the Puppy Bowl 2025 is a fantastic way to support the cause, as the program's entire mission is to shine a spotlight on animal shelters and the importance of pet adoption.
Meet the Teams, the Referee, and the Celebrity Lineup
The Puppy Bowl is more than just cute dogs—it’s a full-fledged, professionally produced sporting event, complete with teams, a seasoned referee, and a star-studded cast of human and animal participants. This year, the event is making history with the largest-ever roster of adoptable animals.
The Adorable Roster: Team Fluff vs. Team Ruff
The annual showdown pits two teams against each other in a battle for the "Lombarky" trophy. The rules are simple: the puppies score by dragging a toy across the goal line. The real victory, however, is finding forever homes for all the participants.
- Total Participants: A record 142 rescue puppies are scheduled to compete in Puppy Bowl XXI.
- Shelters Represented: The puppies come from 80 different animal shelters and rescue organizations across the United States.
- Team Fluff: These competitors wear blue bandanas. They are looking to reclaim the title after a tough loss last year.
- Team Ruff: These puppies wear orange bandanas and are the defending champions, having won the 2024 Puppy Bowl XX with a score of 72-69.
The competition is fierce, but the camaraderie is unmatched. Every puppy on the field is a winner, as the exposure they receive exponentially increases their chances of being adopted.
The Human Stars of Puppy Bowl XXI
While the puppies are the main attraction, a few key human figures keep the game running smoothly and provide the play-by-play commentary.
The Official "Rufferee": Dan Schachner
The game would be pure chaos without the guidance of the official "rufferee," Dan Schachner. 2025 marks his impressive 14th year officiating the event. Schachner is known for his witty calls and his ability to manage the adorable anarchy on the field, often penalizing for infractions like "illegal use of the paws" or "unnecessary ruff-ness."
Announcers and Special Guests
Providing play-by-play commentary to make sense of the puppy piles and toy-tugging action are seasoned sports broadcasters. For Puppy Bowl XXI, the broadcasting team is set to include Steve Levy and Taylor Rooks. Additionally, the event is known for its "Pup Close and Personal" segments, which feature celebrity pet owners.
- Broadcasters: Steve Levy and Taylor Rooks
- Special Appearance: Dan Smyers of the three-time Grammy Award-winning duo Dan + Shay will be featured in one of the "Pup Close and Personal" segments, sharing his love for rescue animals.
- The Kitty Halftime Show: No Puppy Bowl is complete without the famous Kitty Halftime Show, which features adoptable kittens playing in a mini-stadium, ensuring cats get their moment in the spotlight too.
Why Puppy Bowl 2025 Matters: The Mission of Adoption
Beyond the entertainment, the Puppy Bowl is an integral part of the animal rescue community's calendar. The entire event is a massive, three-hour public service announcement dedicated to the cause of pet adoption from reputable shelters and rescues.
More Than Just a Game: A Call to Action
Every single puppy, kitten, and other animal featured during the broadcast is available for adoption. The show highlights the crucial work done by local shelters and rescue organizations, many of which are non-profit and rely heavily on donations and volunteers.
- Raising Awareness: The event is the original and longest-running call-to-adoption television event.
- Rescue Focus: By showcasing animals from 80 different shelters, the program demonstrates the diversity of dogs available for adoption, including various breeds, mixes, and ages.
- The "Most Pupular" Award: An audience-voted award, the "Most Pupular" title, is given to one standout puppy, driving engagement and drawing further attention to the individual animals and their stories.
If you're considering adding a dog to your family, watching the Puppy Bowl 2025 is a great place to start your research. The show often provides information on how to contact the featured shelters and rescues, allowing viewers to connect directly with organizations near them.
A Look Back: Who Won Puppy Bowl 2024?
For those keeping score, the reigning champions are Team Ruff. In a thrilling 20th anniversary game, Team Ruff defeated Team Fluff with a final score of 72-69, securing the Lombarky trophy. The MVP (Most Valuable Puppy) for that game was Moosh.
This history sets the stage for Puppy Bowl XXI, where Team Fluff will undoubtedly be looking for revenge. Whether you're rooting for the underdogs in blue or the defending champs in orange, the real excitement lies in the unpredictable, charming, and utterly chaotic nature of the world's most lovable game.
Mark your calendars for Sunday, February 9, 2025, at 2:00 PM ET, and prepare for three hours of pure, unadulterated puppy joy. It’s the one Super Bowl pre-game event where everyone wins, especially the rescue animals.
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