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Super Bowl Sunday is about a lot more than just football — there’s the catchy commercials (and the teaser trailers for said commercials), the halftime show, and loads of go-to game day snacks. But there’s another big game happening this weekend, and it’s not the Los Angeles Rams facing off against the Cincinnati Bengals. February 13 is all about Team Ruff versus Team Fluff, aka the annual Puppy Bowl.
The Puppy Bowl returns again for 2022 with two teams of shelter and rescue dogs competing against each other to see which canine team will reign supreme and nab the “Lombarky” Trophy. The furry competitors will also be joined by very human hosts, Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart, who will also serve as “coaches” to the puppies on the sidelines.
So if you want to catch these rough and tumble pups play inside the model stadium and see who will win MVP (Most Valuable Puppy), these are all the ways you can watch Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl XVIII online, and even how you can stream the adorable event for free.
When is the Puppy Bowl 2022?
Puppy Bowl XVIII airs on February 13 with a pre-show featuring furry hosts at 1 p.m. ET. The big “game” then kicks off at 2 p.m. ET and runs for three hours before the real Super Bowl starts. As previously mentioned, this year’s human hosts will be Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg, returning for the second year in a row.
The puppies come from 67 shelters across 33 states, with 118 dogs total playing with sports-themed toys and trying to score “goals” for their team. Unfortunately, this year’s Kitten Bowl counter program on the Hallmark channel has been cancelled, but you can still watch the popular Kitty Half-Time Show, which features kittens playing for 30 minutes with laser pens, balls of yarn, and other toys.
How to Watch Puppy Bowl 2022 on TV
The Puppy Bowl is airing on Animal Planet, as it has for the past 18 years, so if you have a cable package (like this one from DIRECTV or Verizon Fios), you’ll be able to watch Puppy Bowl XVIII live on TV.
Puppy Bowl 2022 Live Stream: How to Watch the Puppy BowlOnline
Looking for a Puppy Bowl live stream? There are a few ways to watch the 2022 Puppy Bowl online without cable.
1. Watch the Puppy Bowl on Discovery+
Discovery+ is the official streaming home of the Puppy Bowl and pre-show. You can stream the Puppy Bowl live online with the ad-supported version at just $4.99 per month, and the ad-free version is only $6.99. This is a relative bargain compared to other streaming competitors.
The streamer covers content from every channel under their umbrella, including HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Animal Planet, OWN, Discovery, Discovery+ Originals, and more. You’ll also be able to watch new episodes of shows shortly after they air, and stream a 24/7 video feed of any channel.
2. Watch the Puppy Bowl on Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV plan includes access to watch 75+ live TV channels online, alongside the entire Hulu library of shows and movies. The Hulu + Live TV plan includes Animal Planet, so you can watch the Puppy Bowl online when you sign up and subscribe.
A Hulu + Live TV subscription is $69.99/month, which gets you access to all of Hulu’s original programming plus live streaming on the Puppy Bowl from any device. You can use this Hulu deal to live stream Puppy Bowl XVIII from your TV using the Hulu app.
3. Watch the Puppy Bowl on fuboTV
For both Puppy Bowl coverage and real Super Bowl post-game coverage on channels like ESPN, NFL Network, and NBC, you’re going to want to nab a free trial to fuboTV to watch the Puppy Bowl live on Animal Planet. fuboTV is a great live TV services if you want to cut the cord for good, and you’ll get dozens of live network and cable channels.
A fuboTV subscription starts at just $64.99/month, and you can easily stream from your phone, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV and more.
4. Watch the Puppy Bowl on Philo
If you’re too busy watching game day coverage to catch the festivities, another way to watch the Puppy Bowl on-demand is through Philo. What we like: you can actually use Philo’s cloud DVR to record the Puppy Bowl when it replays on Animal Planet, and then stream the Puppy Bowl on-demand from your TV, phone, tablet or computer.
The streamer also gives you over 60 channels to watch, including Animal Planet, for only $25/month.
How to Watch Puppy Bowl 2022 Online Free
Don’t want to pay for cable, but not quite ready to cut the cord completely for streaming services? There are still a few ways you can watch the Puppy Bowl online free.
fuboTV currently offers a 7-day free trial so you can watch the Puppy Bowl online free. Time your week-long free trial to Super Bowl Sunday so you can have fuboTV to live stream the both the Super Bowl and the Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet free.
Philo also has a 7-day free trial offer that you can use to watch the Puppy Bowl again online free.
Discovery+ also offers a week-long free trial, so you can stream the Puppy Bowl live online and see if rest of the streamer’s offerings are right for you.