The Ravens won’t compete in Super Bowl LIX as many had hoped, but Marylanders can still root for a local: Abigail, a Labrador retriever mix, is competing in Puppy Bowl XXI.

The Puppy Bowl features adoptable furry friends at play on two teams, Team Ruff and Team Fluff, from rescues and shelters across the country.

Abigail is from Operation Paws for Homes, a rescue that serves the Maryland, southern Pennsylvania and Northern Virginia region, on Team Fluff. She’s one of two OPH dogs chosen for Puppy Bowl.

The rescue nominates multiple dogs every year, said Irene Skricki, a Baltimore resident and volunteer and foster for OPH. OPH received Abigail, her mom and her four other siblings from MidSouth Animal Welfare Foundation on Aug. 16, just ahead of the Puppy Bowl nomination deadline.

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Skricki, who briefly fostered Abigail and her siblings, set up a photo studio in her basement — and said photographing Abigail was a “hasty, hasty process.”

“It’s very challenging to get good pictures of squirmy puppies, and I had such a short time,” she said.

Irene Skricki, who briefly fostered Abigail and her siblings, nominated the pup for the big game.
Irene Skricki, who briefly fostered Abigail and her siblings, nominated the pup for the big game. (Courtesy of Irene Skricki)

She said she noted in the nomination packet that Abigail was the bounciest of her litter, but wasn’t certain she’d get in. Skricki said she nominates all eligible puppies at the rescue — which ranges from about 10-15 puppies per year.

“They’re all adorable, but she was the most energetic of them. So, I think they got the right puppy,” Skricki said.

The rescue learned in early September that Abigail was chosen to be a part of Puppy Bowl.

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Skricki described filming for the Puppy Bowl as “carefully controlled puppy chaos.”

Abigail participated in the filming before being adopted on Oct. 14 by a Harford County family.

The family, who decided to name the puppy Lottie, said they were shocked but eventually excited when they learned their pet was participating.

Doug Testerman said he’s seen Puppy Bowl before, as his parents would watch it before the Super Bowl. Now, with his wife Shannon Testerman and their two children, Brynlee and Caleb, he has a dog to root for. And it’s a member of their family.

Abigail—now known as Lottie—with her adoptive family.
Abigail — now known as Lottie — with her adoptive family. (Courtesy of the Testerman family)

“We had to actually keep that a secret for a couple of weeks before they announced it. Once we could share it with family and friends, we got super excited,” Doug Testerman said. “We’re kind of hoping that she gets the MVP of the Puppy Bowl.”

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The family had two dogs in the past but hadn’t planned on getting another.

“Lottie kind of changed our mind,” Shannon Testerman said.

Their 11-year-old daughter Brynlee found the puppy on Pet Finder, Doug Testerman said. After doing some research, the family decided to consider adopting the dog.

“From the moment we met her, she was so joyful and so playful and so energetic and such a snuggler, and that was definitely something that we were looking for in a dog,” Shannon Testerman said.

OPH is hosting two Puppy Bowl watch parties this year: one at Hysteria Taphouse in Pasadena and the other in Richmond, Virginia. The Testerman family, including Lottie, plan to attend the Pasadena watch party. The family will be wearing custom T-shirts with Lottie’s face on them.

The Puppy Bowl officially kicks off on Feb. 9 at 2 p.m. on Animal Planet, Discovery, Discovery+, MAX, TBS and truTV, with a preshow starting at 1 p.m.