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Puppy Bowl Referee Dan Schachner: ‘Excessive Cuteness Is a Real Penalty!’

Super Bowl 50 featuring the Carolina Panthers versus the Denver Broncos on Sunday, February 7, may be the biggest game of the year, but don’t forget Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl XII, which is the cutest game of the year! Official referee Dan Schachner — along with a few of the starring pups! — sat down with HuffPost Live on Wednesday, February 3, and offered details about the weekend’s adorable event. 

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The puppies will be divided into two groups — Team Ruff and Team Fluff — and Schachner believes that the 12th annual Puppy Bowl will be the best yet. “This year it’s a much more balanced playing field, and we feel like it will be a much fairer game,” assured Schachner.

Even with four Puppy Bowls under his belt, the “rufferee” still can’t handle how lovable the pooches are.

Related: PHOTOS: Celebrities With Their Pets

“Excessive cuteness is a real penalty,” Schachner pointed out. “It normally happens when there is a puppy pileup. Like three or four puppies at once. I have to get down in there and be like, ‘This is too adorable.’” 

When asked about the nitty-gritty details for the show, Schachner was prepared with numbers: “300 plastic poop bags, 1,500 wee-wee pads … 50 cases of water … 50 rolls of paper towels and 90 volunteers are required. That’s just to get them sort of clean and keep things kind of going and somewhat acceptable for game day.”

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Don’t miss Team Ruff and Team Fluff go tail to tail during Puppy Bowl XII on Animal Planet Sunday, February 7, at 3 p.m. EST.

Have a question you’d like to ask a celebrity? Check out who will be appearing on HuffPost Live and submit your question to be asked live on-air!

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