Being the Ref for thePuppy Bowlmay seem like all fun and games but getting puppies to bet by the rules - in the most adorable way possible - comes with some interesting challenges . When you have more than 130 puppy there is a lot more happening behind the scenes than you realize .
I had the incredible chance to confab with Dan Schachner , the iconic ref of the Puppy Bowl , and it was eye - opening . Dan shared insight and story that you simply ca n’t get from just watching the biz on TV . Here ’s your insider look at life of the referee himself .
1. Anything Can Score a Touchdown
Literally , anything can be used as a football to tally a touchdown . According to the person who calls the plays , “ Any small conceivable toy that could fit in a puppy ’s mouth is thrown onto the flying field , and that reckon as a football game . ” And he does mean anything — from toy , to his yucky sword lily , to pieces of the field !
In Puppy Bowl XVIII , " I got notify that I should close down the field because ' Archer is up to no good . ' He had jaw up the goal posts [ … ] It had this sorting of foam thing around it . He had pluck that up and had that running toward a touchdown , so he used part of the football game field as a football game ! "
premature players like Archer , in Puppy Bowl XVIII , have proven that even a piece of a chewed up goalpost can be used to score in the large biz .
2. There Are More Puppies Than Ever
This year , Animal Planet is break the puppy cadence with a phonograph record - shattering 131 pups cause their grand entryway into the Puppy Bowl ! Imagine the setting : a bustling bowl fill to the brim with fluffy shadow , floppy ears , and more puppy manus than you may count . It ’s like a puppy party of epic proportions , where every wag , woof , and tumble is more lovely than the last .
Related:9 Tail - Wagging reason You Ca n’t lose the Puppy Bowl
3. Some Adoptable Puppies Are Still Looking for Homes
Puppy Bowl boasts a 100 % acceptation rate , eventually . But hold your horse — it does n’t entail all the pups find their forever homes properly off the bat . Dan explain , “ We have actually a few dozen [ from Puppy Bowl XX ] that are still not adopted . So the great unwashed retrieve , oh , what ’s the compass point of attempt to espouse the puppy bowl hound ? They ’re all last by the prison term it ’s on . But that ’s not on-key . There areadoptable dogs . I can say this for a fact . ”
4. He’s Super Into Rescue and Fostering Himself
If you have n’t turned investigator on the Puppy Bowl ’s Ref , you might not know this : he ’s a crowing - meter hero in the saving and foster earthly concern himself ! Yep , when he ’s not calling fouls and touchdowns in the furriest biz of the year , he ’s out there being a champion for pups in need , leave them a impermanent habitation and a whole pot of honey .
" We ’ve been fostering for 10 year , so dogs have been in and out of my house , and [ during ] that clock time we [ have ] fostered over 40 dogs . I ’m lofty to declare that I have them all adopted . I ’ve learned a net ton , and talk about multifariousness ; we have magnanimous and small and all types . "
Related:11 Tail - Wagging Reasons to Foster a Dog
5. Puppy Bowl Has the Cutest Draft Process
While I was diving into the archives of preceding Puppy Bowl gloriole , a wonder bubbled up within me : How do they foot which puppies get to jump into the limelight ? And OMG the answer is endearing .
“ There ’s the Puppy Bowl draft that really require us asking for a pic of the pup in question . Next to them is a soda pop can , a 12 - apothecaries' ounce soda can , so we get position as to how large they are . And that is their photo submission . ” I opine we can all agree that we need wallpaper of all these entry submissions , please .
The design of this adorableness ? Perspective , “ We ’re looking for as wide a kitchen range as possible to showcase all the amazing adoptable dogs out there . Often people go to shelters , and they do n’t realise what salmagundi [ of dog ] there are up for adoption . ”
As high as 25 - 30 % of dogs find inshelters are purebred , so whether you ’re looking for a assorted strain or purebred puppy , they ’ve got ‘em .
6. The Entourage is HUGE
When filming happens , even though the consultation is n’t there , that does n’t mean there are n’t a lot of people on set . “ This class , we had a record - setting 131 dogs participate . A lot of those dog have 1 - 2 people assigned to them . ” Add that to a 100 - person bunch , and that ’s a lot of mass and pups ! "
Related : Puppy Bowl Winners & MVPs : Champions of Cute
7. Puppy Bowl is Filmed in a Hockey Arena
Who would ’ve thunk it ? The Puppy Bowl stretch out in a hockey stadium . And here I was , too magnetize by the puppy topsy-turvyness to even wonder about the film location . Dan aim us to his social where he posted a time - lapse of the process : " It shows the incredible operation of how they transubstantiate . It ’s , I mean , it ’s a straight - up hockey arena , like you’re able to see where the chalk is pose down and these Brobdingnagian fan stands . But you live , in this time lapse , you ’ll watch the gang come in and convert it into the Puppy Bowl stadium . It ’s really unbelievable . So it ’s a huge infinite . And in this case , it ’s even more appropriate because it ’s our gravid year ever . ”
A post share by Puppybowl Referee ( @danschachner )
8. The Ref is the Last Human Standing
The Ref is the last man left-hand standing , as literally everything on the show has been choose over by dogs . " It ’s possible we ’re all fearful and paranoid about being replaced by puppies . " From former human coaches ( including Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg ) to poulet cheerleaders and more , the staff of Puppy Bowl has been transforming … into puppies .
" Those cheerleader have been put back by pup ; it ’s all puppy cheerleaders . We would have a photographer , call the puparazzi , taking pictures of athlete as they joined the field . Those , of course , have remain to be there , and that has expanded . They are now hanging out in the parking lot prior to the show , where they can tailgate ( yes , paronomasia destine ) . The cameramen are dogs in the ascendence elbow room . There are dogs in the overhead blimp — we used to have a hamster in the sausage balloon appear down at the action and arrest the flip - side persuasion of it . Now there ’s a hound up there . "
Jokingly ( and perhaps a spot serious ! ) Dan said , " You guys , it ’s just a matter of metre before these heel know how to speak … and I ’ll be gracefully pressure out of my position and exchange by frump , and effective ! Because that means that there will be one more adoptable frank to showcase . "
9. He Even Has a Puppy Assistant Ref
This year Dan Schachner has an Assistant Ref , and no surprise , his assistant is a puppy ! She ’s a super downy poodle mix , and she ’s about two months old . He say , " My assistant ’s name is Whistle , and we ’ve got her in scarlet stripes . And she ’s helping me follow the action on the discipline . "
The adorable whelp assistant is eyeing his Ref Whistle already . If she masters the art of manner of speaking , consider his job formally in the paws of puppy business leader . The Puppy Bowl will transmute into an all - pup affair , with the last man on two legs playfully nudged out of the limelight .
10. He Gets a Pretty Good Workout, Too
Think it ’s just the pup getting their cardio in ? Nope , the Ref is racking up those gradation too ! Dan observe himself in an unexpected physical exercise regime , dash around the Puppy Bowl . Before the tin whistle blow on his first secret plan , small did he know he ’d be signing up for the furriest fitness challenge of his life .
It ’s not just a secret plan ; it ’s a whelp - led workout extravaganza ! harmonize to Schachner , he was surprised by “ just how physically taxing it is . I mean , you ’re the only human in a ocean of hundreds of dog . And there ’s a band of ups and pile . "
11. Oh, the Pee Pads!
And Dan ’s not the only one get a workout . With 131 puppies , the peeing pads are getting stretched to their limits as well . “ A typical puppy bowl uses about 1,500 pee pad . This class , we ’ve produce about 1,500–2,000 water pads . " spill about a mountain of pee ! Just imagine being on that unclouded - up team — armed with nothing but gloves , disinfectant , and determination , brave the lovely yet parlous pee pad landscape . It ’s the unsung submarine ’s journey of the Puppy Bowl , folks .
12. Every Touchdown is Celebrated, No Matter the Team
Puppy Bowl throws the steady Super Bowl playbook right out the windowpane ! Here , every tiny touchdown is a cause for celebration , regardless of the squad the scampering scorekeeper is rollick . It ’s an all - cheer , no - scoff geographical zone where the only rivalry is who can be the cutest MVP !
Schachner excitedly explain , " Excessive celebration is a win . That ’s like something we want to happen . So every touchdown is celebrate . I usually pick up the glob , [ get ] a little cute cuddle , and give them a small belly rub ! "
13. He Loves Puppies, But Senior Dogs Also Have His Heart
It ’s no secret from take in the Puppy Bowl that Dan is head teacher - over - heel for puppies . But he holds a top-notch easygoing spot for the wise and whiskered senior dogs , too ! He explained , " I had a beautiful special needs dog key out Mugsy who was a senior wiener , and elder are my favorite fosters . I entail , I love having a puppy , but senior are amazing because they may come with some problem , but they ’ve also total to you with some life experience . "
The Puppy Bowl Ref shared that one of the reasons he adores senior is " they know what they get laid . They know what they want . They ’re often house train , and they ’re more gelidity . "
14. Puppy Bowl 2024 Is Going to be the Biggest Year Ever
While there ’s start to be a record - breaking number of puppies , they ’re also going to have a few giant puppies to do it . “ This twelvemonth , we have our biggest [ puppy ] ever , " Dan says . " Look out for him ; his name is Levi . He ’s a Great Dane and 73 lbf. , and that ’s a 73 - British pound , three - month - old weenie . Just to give you perspective , he ’s going to be huge . "
Of of course , the tiny cuties will also be around , " On the smaller side of the spectrum , a wiener named Sweetpea , who is our smallest wienerwurst , at 1.7 pounds . ”
How and Where to Watch the Puppy Bowl
Mark your calendar and fructify those reminders for Puppy Bowl XX , hitting the CRT screen on Sunday , February 11 , 2024 , at 2 PM ET/11 AM PT ! Gear up for a tail - wagging , 3 - hour endurance contest of prettiness that ’s going to take over not one , not two , but three channels : Animal Planet , Discovery , and TBS . And for the cable - carver among us , fear not ! you may dive into the puppy topsy-turvydom via cyclosis on Discovery+ or Max . It ’s a puppy - stravaganza you wo n’t want to miss !
