John Nowak, a staff photographer for Warner Bros. Discovery, has a unique job: capturing the personalities of 142 rescue dogs for the Puppy Bowl. This year's event, airing on February 9th, features pups from 80 shelters across 40 states and two countries.
Nowak's goal is to showcase the dogs' athleticism and personalities. He spent four days photographing the pups at an arena in upstate New York, where the Puppy Bowl was filmed. He says it's not as easy as it looks to get a 4-month-old puppy to cooperate for a photo shoot.
"Sometimes they are so amped up after being on the field that they don't want to stay still at all," Nowak said. "They just want to jump around, and it's hard to photograph an animal that's constantly moving in a tiny locker room."
Despite the challenges, Nowak and his team have developed techniques to help the pups focus. They use treats, peanut butter, music, and even cuddling to calm them down. And they've never had a dog they couldn't photograph.
"We're more worried about, I think, making them more comfortable than anything," Nowak said. "So we load them up with as much treats as they can get and we give them as much love as the whole team will give them."
The Puppy Bowl is not just about cute puppies; it's about raising awareness for pet adoption. This year, Warner Bros. Discovery is partnering with Best Friends Animal Society to cover adoption fees for pets at Best Friends Lifesaving Centers nationwide from February 5th to 12th.
So tune in to the Puppy Bowl on February 9th at 2 p.m. ET on Animal Planet, Discovery, TBS, and truTV. You'll see adorable pups competing for the Lombarky Trophy and MVP, while also learning about the importance of pet adoption.