Plot Synopsis

Each year since 2018 on the night before the Super Bowl, Animal Planet has debuted THE DOG BOWL, a spinoff of the long-running PUPPY BOWL. THE DOG BOWL is a one-hour special for adult and senior dogs living in rescues and shelters. THE DOG BOWL works in tandem with shelter and rescue partners to create two amazing team rosters -- Team Goldies and Team Oldies -- as they matchup for their own furry football competition to score touchdowns under the nets to win the Lombarky trophy. Additionally, 100% of the dogs that have participated in THE DOG BOWL have been adopted to loving families.

The inaugural DOG BOWL -- which premiered on Saturday, February 3, 2018 at 8pm ET/PT on Animal Planet -- featured host Jill Rappaport and in-depth profiles of individual dog players, including NFL player Eric Decker and Jessie James Decker who run Deckers Dogs, a non-profit that trains rescue dogs to be to be service dogs for disabled vets; NFL player and animal advocate Logan Ryan; Tia Torres from PIT BULLS & PARLOEES; and Steve Greig aka @Wolfgang2242 on Instagram who has dedicated his life to caring for and helping to rescue senior dogs in need. THE DOG BOWL also features celebrity dogs from Instagram, including, among other celebs, Mannie the Frenchie (@mannie_the_frenchie), Chloe Kardoggian (@chloekardoggian), EllaBean (@ellabeanthedog), Rufus the Pug (@realrufuspug), and Hamilton the Pug (@hamiltonpug) who show support and cheer for players. The Dog Bowl Half Time "Pet-a-Palooza" adoption event takes place at Little Shelter in Long Island, NY.

Returning for its second year, DOG BOWL II premiered on Saturday, February 2, 2019 at 8pm ET/PT on Animal Planet. The paw-tastic football competition for adult and senior dogs living in rescues and shelters is hosted by Jill Rappaport. These fuzzballs are oftentimes overlooked by younger pups, but here at THE DOG BOWL audiences can see these 63 dapper dogs and the amazing spirit they can bring to any loving family. Throughout the program, audiences see the "Dogs Life" in-depth profiles that shed light on a few of the amazing organizations and dogs as they prep for their road to DOG BOWL II, including profiles on Ronnie Stanley, an offensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens, who is working with Maryland's largest animal shelter, The Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS), to hold a 'Dog Bowl Combine Day' tryout with three prospective dog players at the shelter to see who will make the cut to play in DOG BOWL II; Cadence from Nowzad, Afghanistan's only official animal sanctuary founded by Former British Marine Pen Farthing; Iggy, who took a special flight to DOG BOWL II thanks to Pilots N Paws; and Marnie, the world's most famous rescue dog with 2.1 million followers on Instagram known for her signature head tilt and hanging tongue, who is working paw in paw with California-based Paw Works to select which of their senior dogs will be playing in DOG BOWL II. This year's Dog Bowl halftime show takes a special look at DC Humane Alliance's 'Barktoberfest' featuring senior wiener dog races and Jill Rappaport reporting on amazing dog adoption stories. THE DOG BOWL also features several social media senior celebrity dogs who made their presence known during the game including Mervin the Chihuahua (@mervinthechihuahua), Marnie the Dog (@marniethedog), Kimchi Kardoggian (@the_kardoggians), and Ella Bean (@ellabeanthedog). DOG BOWL II also includes several special needs dogs including Sutty a (three-legged Pomeranian / Border Collie mix), Anneliese (a three-legged Beagle mix), Wilma (a partially blind Chihuahua), Captain Will (a one-eyed Chihuahua / Shih Tzu mix), Mr. Bojangles (a Poodle/Shih Tzu mic who is also our first wheelchair player!), Elijah (a straight-legged German Shepherd), Gizmo (a partially blind Papillon mix), and Audrey (a deaf Australian Shepherd / Border Collie mix).
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DOG BOWL III premiered on Saturday, February 1, 2020 at 8pm ET/PT on Animal Planet. Team Oldies and Team Goldies return to THE DOG BOWL with a new lineup of adorable, adoptable canines; as they compete for the Lombarky Trophy, a teenager helps senior dogs stand out; the love story between senior canine and senior citizen. Animal advocate Jill Rappaport hosts for the third consecutive year.

This year's starting lineup for DOG BOWL includes dogs who are also competing for the individual MVP (Most Valuable Pooch) Award which fans will be able to choose in a LIVE vote on Twitter during the game. In addition to this, for the very first time in DOG BOWL history, the bravest of these 65 silver-muzzled players is awarded with the Super Senior Award! Furthermore, past DOG BOWL star players is invited back for the very first DOG BOWL Hall of Fame where viewers see an update on where these debonair dogs ended up and the families that they were lucky enough to be inducted into.

Throughout the program, audiences see the "Dogs Life" features that shed light on a few of the amazing organizations and dogs as they prep for their road to DOG BOWL. They'll see profiles on 13-year old Darius Brown visiting Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge as a part of his mission to help dogs dress to impress by creating bowties for rescue dogs and donating them to shelters to draw in adopters; Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary, a rescue haven for super seniors in Mt. Juliet, TN, which covers lifetime medical expenses for each dog while matching them with their forever homes; Tony award winner Bill Berloni, who has trained rescue dogs on Broadway for years and who is currently working with his latest protegee, Little Ricky, a Chihuahua who is set to play 'Bruiser' in Legally Blonde: The Musical; and country music superstar, Emmylou Harris, who co-founded Crossroads Campus, a safe haven for adoptable dogs in Nashville, TN that also provides at-risk youth a chance to work directly with rescue dogs.

Midway through the game, DOG BOWL audiences will see an unforgettable halftime show with Jill Rappaport reporting on amazing dog adoption stories from Connecticut's Adopt-a-Dog's fall Adopt-a-thon. This fun-filled festival for pets and people includes a 'Wags to Riches' grooming contest. Additionally, this year's DOG BOWL features six special needs dogs including Bear (a blind and hearing impaired Australian Shepherd / American Staffordshire Terrier mix), Lulu (a hearing impaired Border Collie mix), Tia (a Labrador Retriever mix with three legs), Daisy (a Shih Tzu mix who wears prosthetics on her front legs), Lady Jane aka Janey (a Shih Tzu mix with limited vision and hearing impaired), and Mack (a blind Cocker Spaniel).