Meet The Two NYC Rescue Dogs Who Stole Hearts At The 2026 Puppy Bowl

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The Super Bowl may be over, but NYC still has a couple of very good dogs riding a national high. 🐶💙

Meet Miso and Cookie—two rescue pups from Muddy Paws Rescue who repped New York City at the 2026 Puppy Bowl, stealing hearts, screen time, and a few unofficial MVP titles along the way.

Out of 150 puppies from 72 shelters across the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, two came straight from NYC’s foster network—and yes, that feels like a win for the five boroughs!

From NYC fosters to Puppy Bowl stars 🏈🐾

Muddy Paws Rescue has been part of the Puppy Bowl since 2019 (despite only being founded in 2016), but 2026 was a particularly proud year.

Instead of puppies waiting in kennels, Miso and Cookie trained, traveled, and filmed alongside their actual adopters, turning the whole experience into a once-in-a-lifetime family memory.

“It was so fun seeing what goes on behind the scenes,” said Emma Kim, Miso’s adopter. “Miso and his sister Cookie made wonderful memories together while filming in upstate New York—and we’ll never forget it.”

The production itself was a full-on operation: medical exams weeks in advance, careful prep to protect every pup on set.

The scouting report (very serious stuff)

Miso, an American Cattle Dog–Beagle mix, suited up for Team Ruff, bringing what Puppy Bowl previews lovingly called “spunky playmaker energy.”

She even earned a pre-game Tail Waggin’ Tuesday feature for her focus, sweetness, and nonstop curiosity.

Cookie, meanwhile, brought big personality energy to the field.

Though she ended up more comfortable on the sidelines than under the bright lights (relatable), she still got her moment as a cheerleader, proving once and for all that there are many ways to shine.

“One perk was the Wisdom Panel DNA test,” said Alice Moon, Cookie’s adopter. “We finally found out our fur babies are Australian Cattle Dog–Beagle mixes—and we were holding our breath waiting for the reveal on TV.”

The Puppy Bowl isn’t just cute chaos—it’s one of the largest adoption awareness platforms in the country, and the exposure is huge for rescues like Muddy Paws.

According to the organization, the national spotlight helps bring in new fosters, adopters, and donors, while showing exactly what rescue dogs are capable of when given a chance.

“We are so proud of Cookie, Miso, and our senior representative Moonie,” Muddy Paws shared. “They showed what it means to be part of the Muddy Paws Pack—forever our MVPs.”