How to watch the Puppy Bowl 2023

Puppy Bowl 2023 poster
(Image credit: Discovery)

It's time for the big game. For many that probably means the Super Bowl, but for those who care more about retrievers than receivers that probably means the Puppy Bowl. In what has become a Super Bowl Sunday tradition, Puppy Bowl 2023 is back, with adorable, adoptable pooches taking the field.

Puppy Bowl XIX, as this year's event is also known as, is set to feature more than 100 dogs from rescue shelters across the country playing a faux football game — though if you want to have a rooting interest, your choices are Team Fluff and Team Ruff.

How can you watch the Puppy Bowl to cheer on these good dogs? Here's everything you need to know.

What date is the Puppy Bowl?

Puppy Bowl 2023 takes place on Super Bowl Sunday, February 12. The official Puppy Bowl game begins at 2 pm ET/11 am PT, though there is also a pre-game show that viewers can tune into at 1 pm ET/10 am PT.

What channel is the Puppy Bowl on?

The Puppy Bowl has been a staple of Animal Planet for many years now, and the 2023 edition is once again airing on the specialty cable network. However, Animal Planet is not your only option for watching the Puppy Bowl this year, as both Discovery and TBS networks are set to air Puppy Bowl 2023.

There are also streaming options for watching the Puppy Bowl, with the special event available on Discovery Plus and HBO Max.

How to watch the Puppy Bowl 2023

With the Puppy Bowl airing on Animal Planet, Discovery and TBS, most viewers who have a traditional cable pay-TV set up are going to have access to those channels already, just check your local listings. The three cable channels are also available on live TV streaming services for those who have made the move to those type of services, including FuboTV, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV.

 If you cut the cord, you can still watch the Puppy Bowl if you are a subscriber to either Discovery Plus or HBO Max. Both streaming platforms have ad-supported and ad-free options to choose from. 

These options cover US viewers, but if you are outside the US and want to watch the Puppy Bowl, the most likely way to do that is if Discovery Plus is available in your region. If not that, an ExpressVPN is a good option.

If you want to learn more about the Puppy Bowl, including how you can possibly adopt any of the participating dogs, visit the Puppy Bowl website

Michael Balderston

Michael Balderston is a DC-based entertainment and assistant managing editor for What to Watch, who has previously written about the TV and movies with TV Technology, Awards Circuit and regional publications. Spending most of his time watching new movies at the theater or classics on TCM, some of Michael's favorite movies include Casablanca, Moulin Rouge!, Silence of the Lambs, Children of Men, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest and Star Wars. On the TV side he enjoys Only Murders in the Building, Yellowstone, The Boys, Game of Thrones and is always up for a Seinfeld rerun. Follow on Letterboxd.