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Dak's Road to Puppy Bowl XIV

It all started in August when Wonder Woman, a young Treeing Walker Coonhound and her litter of newborn puppies were transferred to Animal Friends from another shelter. The playful puppies were all given superhero names like their mother … Batman, Supergirl, Ironman, Huntress, Superman and, of course, Aquaman.

When they were just a few days old, a call went out to shelters across the country – Animal Planet was in search of the stars of Puppy Bowl XIV. So, these adorable pups put on their best face and struck a pose for the camera. We sent Aquaman's photo off to Animal Planet and crossed our fingers!


A few weeks later, the great news arrived – Aquaman had been selected to compete in the big game! With just a short amount of time to prepare, Aquaman set his sights on the Lombarky Trophy and the coveted title of MVP (Most Valuable Pup). The filming of the Puppy Bowl was to take place in  New York City in October, so when the time came, Aquaman hit the road and was on his way to the Big Apple.



About 7 hours and a few bathroom breaks later, he had arrived! Aquaman had celebrity-style accommodations for the trip, complete with a breathtaking view of the Manhattan skyline – but the big city wasn’t the least bit overwhelming for this little pup!


Aquaman took in the sights and sounds of the city that never sleeps and made plenty of new friends along the way. After all, just shy of 3 months old, socialization is very important for a young puppy.


And, he was sure to stay out of trouble – you know reputations are very important for a professional athlete.


This handsome little guy needed his rest though. The next day was going to be a big one as he would head to the filming and be one step closer to making his television debut in the biggest sporting event in the canine world!


The next day, Aquaman was up bright and early and made his way downtown for the Puppy Bowl. Once he arrived, he got to meet the other athletes – more than 90 puppies from across the country. The puppy competitors had traveled from as far as Tennessee, Arkansas, Colorado and California. It was a whirlwind of a day as Aquaman posed for photos, filmed Puppy Bowl promotions, got a DNA test (now there’s no doubt, he’s 100 percent Treeing Walker Coonhound!) and enjoyed some valuable socializing with the other puppies and their handlers.


And then it was off to the television set for the game to begin! We don't have any spoilers about who won the big game, but keep an eye out for Aquaman – who has since been adopted and will be called by his new name “Dak” during the telecast – as he struts his stuff up and down the field. Whether he scores the game-winning touchdown or is flagged for unnecessary cuteness, there are plenty of loyal fans back at Animal Friends who are proud that Dak is representing Pittsburgh in Puppy Bowl XIV!


The Puppy Bowl will air on Sunday, Feb. 4 at 3 p.m. on Animal Planet. Tune in to watch as Dak competes to bring the Lombarky trophy and the Most Valuable Pup title to Pittsburgh and Animal Friends!

To celebrate the Puppy Bowl and Dak's world premiere, we're hosting The Ultimate Tail-Gate! This adoption event will run all weekend long with our very own mini Puppy Bowl taking place on Sunday from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

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