Meet the Puppy Bowl’s Cuteness Coach

Who makes it off the bench?

Schade says all shelter puppies are potential candidates, but there are some considerations.

“We do consider size [of the puppy], because the field is much smaller than it looks,” Schade says. “As far as temperament, we never know how the puppy will perform until they’re on the field, because it’s such a unique scenario they’ve never been exposed to before.”

Schade admits there have been times in the past when the Puppy Bowl crew thought a certain pup was going to be a ringer, only for them to take on the role of spectator and sploot comfortably on the field. On the other hand, there’s also the puppy everyone assumes will be a bench warmer, until he receives the right encouragement and becomes the star of the game.

The curious kittens at halftime

In addition to the puppy performances, Schade is in charge of the fabulous felines who appear in the Kitty Halftime Show. The program features adoptable kittens playing with balls of yarn, laser pointers and an assortment of toys. 

But they’re wily, says Schade. They give her different challenges than their puppy counterparts.   

“The kittens are literal escape artists and we have volunteers placed all around the venue,” Schade says, noting the cats’ curious nature often leads to them wanting to explore the entire building, beyond the stadium. 

The biggest winners: Those who find a home

The best part of the Puppy Bowl? Knowing the cuteness benefits a good cause by shining the light on shelter dogs and cats. 

All of the players in the Puppy Bowl are adoptable. Just visit the Discovery website to find the shelter location of the puppy you’re interested in. Keep in mind that since the show is prerecorded in October, many of the fur babies have already been adopted, but that shouldn’t deter you. Their respective shelters will have information on the many other dogs and cats seeking their forever homes. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), 3.1 million dogs and 3.2 million cats enter U.S. animal shelters each year.

“One of the beautiful things the Puppy Bowl does is help erase the stigma surrounding rescue dogs,” Schade says, noting Puppy Bowl has a 100 percent adoption rate.

This year, the Puppy Bowl features the largest cast to date with 131 puppy players from 73 shelters and rescues across 36 states and territories. Two of those shelters are Baltimore Ravens’ Ronnie Stanley’s rescue foundation, based in Maryland, which trains dogs to assist people with special needs, and Best Friends Animal Society, headquartered in Utah.

A lifelong love of dogs

Cajoling dogs is nothing new for Schade, who grew up with pets. In the early 2000s, while working in a corporate sales job, she decided it was time to look for a more fulfilling career. “I wanted a job I felt passionate about and had this lightning bolt moment where I decided to be a dog trainer,” Schade says. She attended training seminars and took part in an apprenticeship. 

After establishing herself as a private dog trainer, Schade went on to create a puppy training DVD, publish a nonfiction book, Bonding With Your Dog, and opened a pet supply store. In 2018, she published her first work of fiction, Life on the Leash, and found her passion.

Most recently, she’s authored six works of fiction, all featuring dogs, and two nonfiction dog training books.

“I’ve gotten the ideas for many of my stories through my work as a dog trainer,” Schade says. “In all of my novels, I always try to do a tiny little bit of gentle dog education in between the fun and romance.” 

After completing this year’s Puppy Bowl, Schade is hard at work on her next novel, but the memories of her week spent with puppies remains with her throughout the year. 

“I always say the Puppy Bowl is the highlight of my year,” Schade says. “I get to snuggle with every single puppy you see on screen; it’s the best job ever.