The Startling Amount Of Dog Waste That Has To Be Cleaned Up At Every Puppy Bowl

Every year, thousands of dog lovers all over the country look forward to the Puppy Bowl competition on Super Bowl Sunday. Dozens of puppies show off their tug of war, fumbling, and sometimes pancaking skills before the coveted Lombarky Trophy gets awarded at the event. But we all know what puppies leave behind on grass, and someone has to clean it up. Referred to as the poop patrol, these "someones" consist of Puppy Bowl volunteers. With so many puppies around, they have to remove a great deal of waste throughout the game.

Just how much is "a great deal"? According to a volunteer (via GQ), the patrol picked up about 20 bags on game day one year. This number dates back to 2015, when 85 pups roamed the field, but the amount varies between events. Since its debut in 2005, the Puppy Bowl has featured more than 1,500 shelter dogs. The 2025 game boasted the most canines ever, with 142 rescue pups awaiting adoption.

In the player lineup, you can see some of the best behaved dog breeds, like Labrador retriever mixes and Pekingese. You'll also spot many of the cutest small dog breeds in the world on the field, along with other lovable pups like the pug, the Boston terrier, a three-legged Doberman pinscher, and dozens more. Of course, more puppies means more waste.

If you think back to Puppy Bowls you've watched in the past, you might say to yourself, "But I've never seen a puppy poop during the game." That's because, unlike the Super Bowl, the Puppy Bowl does not air live. The production team begins filming several months before the program premiers. When a dog relieves themself on the field, the game essentially pauses, a poop patrol volunteer quickly cleans it up, and then play resumes. This process repeats until the game draws to a close. As a result, most – if not all – of the cleanup scenes get excluded from the final cut.

How often does a puppy poop during Puppy Bowl? Admit it; the question crossed your mind. Similar to the Super Bowl, each Puppy Bowl typically lasts for about three hours, and as you'd imagine, the poop patrol stays pretty busy during that time. According to a BuzzFeed news reporter who attended the 2018 Puppy Bowl filming, the puppies poop on the field about every 5 minutes. With many large breeds in Team Ruff's and Team Fluff's starting lineup, the poop patrol likely collected a few more than 20 dog poop bags for the 2025 event.