“Full-of-Life” Old Dogs Learn a New Trick from Young Dogs’ Puppy Bowl
Two local Sugar Face dachshunds, Sherman and Annie, may out-cute Puppy Bowl rompers as they show their skills on the football field at the Second Annual Dog Bowl on Animal Planet.
Aged 14 and 12, the doxies represent Sugar Faces Senior Dog Rescue of Southern Maryland.
Impressed with the rescue’s mission — to match abandoned senior dogs to loving families and provide a lifetime of encouragement and support — the network asked the rescue to audition.
“We sent photos and videos for two dogs, and both ended up getting picked,” said Melissa Carnes of Sugar Faces.
Sherman and Annie traveled to New York City to film the challenge.
“They were champs,” Carnes reported. “Everyone at Animal Planet treated them like a king and queen during their visit to the studio.”
More than 60 dogs will compete in the Dog Bowl, which airs February 2 at 8pm, with canines ranging from two to 15 years old. The popular 15-year-old Puppy Bowl, which airs after Dog Bowl, features younger dogs looking for forever homes.
“We wanted to shine a light on these older but still amazing and full-of-life dogs that sometimes get overlooked for the puppies,” said Nicole VanderPloeg with Animal Planet.
Sherman, rescued from Tri County Animal Shelter in Hughesville, is no stranger to fame. He took home the titles Best Senior and Best in Show at the Washington Metro Dachtoberfest.
The hometown stars are not up for adoption as they found a permanent home with their original rescuer.
“If one person who sees Sherman and Annie on Dog Bowl stops at the cage of a senior when they are at the shelter and says that’s the one, then our participation in this amazing opportunity will yield the results we dream to have,” said Carnes.