Thirty-six mischievous mutts are here to put the "tail" in "tailgate." Animal Planet is airing its 15th annual "Puppy Bowl" game on Super Bowl Sunday (Feb. 3, 3 EST/12 PST), featuring a fetching lineup of 93 puppies from 51 shelters in the U.S., Costa Rica and Puerto Rico. USA TODAY has the first look at the three dozen starting players, which include a Corgi, a Shar Pei, a Labrador Retriever, a St. Bernard and various mixed breeds. Three special-needs dogs will also be "competing" – or rather, chasing squeak toys and each other – including Bumble, a hearing-impaired Lab-Chow Chow mix, and Will, a three-legged Old English Sheepdog, both pictured in the gallery. Most if not all of the pooches you'll see on TV were adopted last fall, when the special was taped, from shelters such as Muddy Paws Rescue in New York – which is teaming with Olympic silver medalist Gus Kenworthy for a special segment airing on game day – and Vanderpump Dogs in Los Angeles, founded by "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Lisa Vanderpump. Longtime "ruffaree" Dan Schachner is back for his eighth "Puppy Bowl," which features porcupine and capybara "mascots," and a kitten halftime show. A pre-game show airs at 2 EST/11 PST, with canine "correspondents" Rodt Weiler, James Hound and Sheena Inu.<doc-sep>Products in this story are independently selected and featured editorially. If you make a purchase using these links we may earn commission. This year all of the pup participants — the biggest group yet — got a doggy DNA test Sloths! Penguins! and All the Other Adorable Additions to Expect at Puppy Bowl 2019 Puppy Bowl is celebrating its 15th year of fluff on the field – and to celebrate, they’re bringing an unprecedented amount of cuteness to the competition. Like games past, the 2019 Puppy Bowl will feature dozens of adorable, adoptable baby dogs from shelters all across North America. Get push notifications with news, features and more. The puppies will be divided into Team Ruff and Team Fluff to compete for the the Chewy.com “Lombarky” trophy at Geico stadium. The dog with the most touchdowns will receive the Most Valuable Puppy (MVP) award, but really all the canines are winners: The Puppy Bowl has a 100 percent adoption rate for all of their pooch participants. “Rufferee” Dan Schachner will once again call the shots on the field, along with his trusty co-ref Shirley the rescue sloth. The Puppy Bowl is bringing back all the fan favorites for Puppy Bowl XV, but aficionados will also get to enjoy array of new features this year. F:PHOTOMediaFactory ActionsRequests DropBox48578#disocveryCheckers_Kitsy_Rowdy_Kaleb Jr.jpg Shirley the rescue sloth is planning to bring along backup —a group of lovable baby sloths from Costa Rica’s Toucan Rescue Ranch sanctuary — to help her make calls. Capybaras, baby porcupines and baby kangaroos are all slated to appear on the sidelines as well this year. puppy-bowl-2000x1333 Credit: Animal Planet All of the puppy players have undergone a Wisdom Panel doggy DNA test in order to inform viewers about which breeds comprise each cute pooch. And 2019’s match will be the biggest yet, with more dogs than ever before – all of which are new to the game. Some of the players have traveled from Puerto Rico to participate, while othes were able to make the big game thanks to a little celebrity help from animal lovers including Lisa Vanderpump and Gus Kenworthy.<doc-sep>If watching the Super Bowl isn't really your thing, but puppies are ... well, Animal Planet has just the thing for you. On Sunday prior to the big game, the 15th annual Puppy Bowl will air on Animal Planet and make the world forget that in just a few short hours, two NFL teams will be playing in Super Bowl 53 (OK, not likely). The Puppy Bowl is essentially two teams of adorable, adoptable puppies facing off inside a makeshift stadium for the coveted title of Puppy Bowl champion. PHOTOS: Meet the cutest starting lineups for Puppy Bowl 2019 This year's Puppy Bowl features 93 puppies from 53 different shelters from across the U.S., Costa Rica and Puerto Rico. Two of the puppers in this year's starting lineup of 36 have special needs. Keep an eye out for Bumble, who is hearing-impaired and a member of Team Fluff, and Will, a three-legged cutie, also representing Team Fluff. This is set to be the cutest, least competitive bowl game matchup of all time. Here's everything you need to know about of the 2019 Puppy Bowl, including how to watch live on TV and where find the stream online plus a full lineup of the dogs. When is the Puppy Bowl 2019? The Puppy Bowl will air on the same day as Super Bowl 53, Feb. 3, beginning at 3 p.m. ET on Animal Planet. If you can't wait until 3 p.m. for some puppy action, pregame coverage begins at 2 p.m. ET, featuring puppy correspondents Rodt Weiler, James Hound and Sheena Inu. What TV channel is the Puppy Bowl on? Tune into the Animal Planet to see Team Ruff and Team Fluff face off in the cutest game in sports. Dog-lovers can also rewatch the game starting at 6 p.m., when the Super Bowl is on, but good luck changing the channel if there are other humans around. MORE: Everything you need to know about Super Bowl 53 How to live stream the Puppy Bowl A live stream of the Puppy Bowl is available via Animal Planet GO. Is there a halftime show? You've got to be kitten me. Of course there's a halftime show. In fact, the Puppy Bowl halftime show may give Maroon 5 a run for their money. The mid-game entertainment will feature kittens playing with lights, laser pens, balls of yarn and other toys. List of dogs featured in the Puppy Bowl 2019 Here is this year's starting lineup of doggos. You can check out their pictures here. Who ya got — Team Fluff or Team Ruff?<doc-sep>» RELATED: Georgia Aquarium releases Super Bowl hype video full of adorable animals Along with Shirley the sloth, Animal Planet's pre-filmed showdown features baby sloths from Costa Rica's Toucan Rescue Ranch sanctuary. You'll also find cheerleading baby kangaroos, porcupines and capybaras on the sidelines and a halftime show curated especially for kitten lovers everywhere, according to the network. In a 2015 Reddit AMA, Schachner told readers the event is shot about three months in advance and takes two days to film. More than 15 cameras are used. » RELATED: Atlanta bans pet stores from selling cats and dogs "What you see on TV is only the best of the best," Puppy Bowl camera operator Cory Popp told the A.V. Club in 2015. "Because they're puppies, they're not trained, they're just doing whatever they want to do. It's just hoping for the best." Catch Puppy Bowl 2019 on Animal Planet at 3 p.m. this Sunday, Feb. 3 . A pre-game show will begin at 11 a.m., but you can also stream it right now at AnimalPlanet.com. For those without cable, streaming providers carrying the channel include Hulu Live, DirecTV NOW, PlayStation Vue or Philo. Puppy Bowl XV’s starting lineup of champs: Team Fluff Ziggy (Boston Terrier/SATO from AHeinz57 Pet Rescue & Transport, Iowa) Astro (Labrador Retriever/Siberian Husky from Animal Friends Humane Society, Ohio) Flora (American Staffordshire Terrier/Boxer from Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland, Maine) Dawn (Beagle/Dachshund from Citizens for Animal Protection, Texas) Brady (Chihuahua/Russell Terrier from Dog Star Rescue, Connecticut) Marisol (Miniature Poodle-Catahoula from Territorio de Zaguates, Costa Rica) Ace (Chihuahua/Cocker Spaniel from Virginia Beach SPCA, Virginia) Remington (Beagle from Bonnie's Animal Rescue Kingdom from New Jersey) Scooter (Cocker Spaniel-Chihuahua from from Virginia Beach SPCA, Virginia) Brooklyn (Neapolitan Mastiff/American Staffordshire Terrier from AHeinz57 Pet Rescue & Transport, Iowa) Bumble (Lab/Chow Chow from Double J Dog Ranch, Idaho) Clara (Corgi from Florida Little Dog Rescue, Florida) Gallagher (Saint Bernard from Pet Rescue & Transport, Iowa) Lola (Shar Pei from Florida Little Dog Rescue, Florida) Melody (Maltese from Memphis Humane Society, Tennessee) Foles (American Staffordshire Terrier-Akita from Providence Animal Center, Pennsylvania) Maisey (Labrador Retriever from Jersey Girls Animal Rescue, New Jersey) Smudge (American Staffordshire Terrier-Standard Bulldog from Animal Friends Humane Society, Ohio) Will (Old English Sheepdog-Doodle from Doodle Rock Rescue, Texas) Team Ruff Bee (Chihuahua/Pekingese from The Sato Project, Puerto Rico) Shy Boy (Lhasa Apso/Miniature Poodle from SPCALA, California) Pirate (English Springer Spaniel/McNab from Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, Virginia) Whitney (Siberian Husky from Big Fluffy Dogs, Tennessee) Violet (Chihuahua/Miniature Poodle from Vanderpump Dogs, California) Sierra (American Staffordshire Terrier/Chow Chow from Muddy Paws, New York) Hank (Labradoodle from Green Dogs Unleashed, Pennsylvania) Pistachio (Maltese from Every Dog Counts Rescue, Indiana) Bugsy (Sato/Greyhound from The Sato Project, Puerto Rico) Scotch (Chihuahua/Shih Tzu from Paw Works, California) Moses (American Staffordshire Terrier/Chow Chow from Big Fluffy Dogs, Tennessee) Alexander (Great Pyrenees from Big Fluffy Dogs, Tennessee) George (Chihuahua/Miniature Poodle from Nevada SPCA, Nevada) Bella (Shih Tzu/Chihuahua from The Sato Project, Puerto Rico) Harry (Shih Tzu/Chihuahua from The Sato Project, Puerto Rico) Flo (Chihuahua/Maltese from Helen Woodward Animal Center, California) Emmitt (Australian Cattle Dog/Boykin Spaniel from Planned Pethood, Florida) If you tune in and see a puppy you may want to adopt, "go to AnimalPlanet.com and look up the puppy profile, which will connect you with the shelter or rescue center that has them!" Schachner said. But you have to act quickly.<doc-sep>
Amanda Edwards/Getty Images The wait is over. The Animal Planet's annual Puppy Bowl is back and ready to showcase dozens of cuddly and cute puppies available for adoption from shelters all across North America. Puppy Bowl XV will feature two teams competing for the "Lombarky Trophy": Team Fluff and Team Ruff. The hardware, presented by Chewy.com, will go to the winning team, while the Most Valuable Puppy award will go to the pooch with the most touchdowns. All of this puppy-powered action will take place at Geico Stadium on Super Bowl Sunday. Puppy Bowl XIV Schedule Date: Sunday, Feb. 3 Time: 3 p.m. ET Watch: Animal Planet Video Play Button Videos you might like Puppy Bowl XIV Starting Lineup Team Fluff Ziggy—Boston Terrier/SATO Astro—Labrador Retriever/Siberian Husky Flora—American Staffordshire Terrier/Boxer Dawn—Beagle/Dachshund Brady—Chihuahua/Russell Terrier Marisol—Miniature Poodle-Catahoula Ace—Chihuahua/Cocker Spaniel Remington—Beagle Scooter—Cocker Spaniel-Chihuahua Brooklyn—Neapolitan Mastiff/American Staffordshire Terrier Bumble—Lab/Chow Chow Clara—Corgi Gallagher—Saint Bernard Lola—Shar Pei Melody—Maltese Foles—American Staffordshire Terrier-Akita Maisey—Labrador Retriever Smudge—American Staffordshire Terrier-Standard Bulldog Will—Old English Sheepdog-Doodle Team Ruff Bee—Chihuahua/Pekingese Shy Boy—Lhasa Apso/Miniature Poodle Pirate—English Springer Spaniel/McNab Whitney—Siberian Husky Violet—Chihuahua/Miniature Poodle Sierra—American Staffordshire Terrier/Chow Chow Hank—Labradoodle Pistachio—Maltese Bugsy—Sato/Greyhound Scotch—Chihuahua/Shih Tzu Moses—American Staffordshire Terrier/Chow Chow Alexander—Great Pyrenees George—Chihuahua/Miniature Poodle Bella—Shih Tzu/Chihuahua Harry—Shih Tzu/Chihuahua Flo—Chihuahua/Maltese Emmitt—Australian Cattle Dog/Boykin Spaniel Amanda Edwards/Getty Images For a closer look at the starting lineup, or to see which puppy is the cutest, check out the photo gallery. Flo is a standout, but feel free to chime in. Puppies are the main draw for this event, but they won't be the only animals in the game. Shirley the sloth will be there, as will be a capybara supporting Team Fluff and three baby porcupines supporting Team Ruff. Kangaroo lovers will get their fill, too, as baby kangaroos will be cheerleaders on the sidelines. And for cat lovers, the halftime show will feature kittens doing feline things on the field. So, tune in to see which team will bark, chew and run its way to this year's Lombarky.