Deuce does NY: Our journey across the country to Dog Bowl II

Anyone who's watched Puppy Bowl in the last 15 years knows that it's the pinnacle of dog publicity. When Animal Planet decided in 2018 to extend their programming to promote older dogs with Dog Bowl I, it was a big win for our senior dog community.

In the fall of 2018, we were salivating at the chance to participate in Dog Bowl II (airing 2019). So we filled out our application, and waited patiently. Then out of the blue came one of the best e-mails we've ever received:

"Congratulations! We would like to invite DEUCE to attend Puppy Bowl Presents: The Dog Bowl II!"

Since then, everything has been a bit of a blur:

• Selecting the right Forever Loved dog, who could travel across the country
• Filing paperwork with the airlines (there was no way we were going to put an FLPS senior dog on a plane, unless he was with his people in coach!)
• Booking travel to NYC
• Coordinating daily transportation in and around the city with Deuce!
• Keeping everything a secret for more than two months! (filming took place in mid-October)
• Planning our social media efforts throughout January
• Reaching out to local media to help spread the word

How we traveled from Phoenix to New York

It was a long plane ride from Sky Harbor to JFK, but Deuce handled it like a champ. After landing, we took the Long Island Railroad straight into Manhattan.

When Deuce walked out of Penn Station and saw the city for the first time, he was in awe. We walked from Madison Square Garden up to Times Square.

Deuce's sightseeing continued, as he saw Central Park, Grant's Tomb, and even some NY pizza places:

He was such a good boy that we gave in, and gave him a little New York cheesecake, too:

Dog Bowl II: Oldies vs. Goldies

Deuce's big day finally came, and he was great on the field with this teammates. We were very proud of our senior boy! What an energetic 11-year-old!

A special thank you to all who made this trip possible

As someone who lived in NYC for 10 years, and of course as a dog lover, this trip was a once-in-a-lifetime dream come true for me. I'd like to thank the people and organizations who made it possible:

• Animal Planet, for supporting senior dogs! And for inviting us to participate, for doing the right thing, and for always being friendly and communicative with all our questions.
• Jennifer, Deuce's foster mom. She has been caring for Deuce for over 6 months, and has been extremely supportive through this entire Dog Bowl journey.
• The Forever Loved board, for supporting this crazy idea.
• And of course Mr. Deuce. The ultimate travel companion, who braved planes, trains, automobiles, and more in his jaunt to the Big Apple. He is an absolutely incredible dog, with so much to give.

-Drew Eastmead, Director of CommunicationsForever Loved Pet Sanctuary

Tune in this Saturday evening

Check your TV provider's local listings for the airtime of Dog Bowl II, and set your DVR in advance! (Note: Cox, DirecTV, Dish, Playstation Vue, etc. may be airing Dog Bowl at different times)

Use hashtag #DogBowlDeuce