Dogs playing on the field during Puppy Bowl IX.

Prefer your gridiron combatants to be of the four-legged variety?

Animal Planet has you covered with its ninth annual airing of the cutest TV show of the year: the Puppy Bowl!

[Related: Watch Puppy Bowl IX on Super Bowl Sunday with Yahoo!'s IntoNow]

Once again, dozens of energetic pups will be set loose on a fake football field to romp around aimlessly for our amusement. This year’s edition features a squad of hedgehog cheerleaders and the usual kitten halftime show. But the real stars are, of course, the puppies. Get to know the starting lineup with these puppy profiles:

Biscuit was rescued from Dead Dog Beach, a place where unwanted and abused dogs are dumped. The 12-week old Puerto Rican Sato is ready to rise to the occasion at this year's Puppy Bowl.

Aurora is a 10-week old Siberian Husky-Retriever mix. She loves her toys and, like most pups, loves to play, play, play! Don't let her fluffy fur fool you. Aurora is ready to win at Puppy Bowl IX.

This Labrador Retriever-Australian Shepherd mix is named Chestnut. The 9-week old puppy loves to snuggle.

Elias comes to this year's Puppy Bowl oozing charm and star power. The 12-week old Pit Bull was born in a Los Angeles animal shelter.

Slipper-stealing Sally, a 12-week old Dachshund-Basset Hound mix, hopes for a dazzling performance in the Puppy Bowl.

[Related: Watch a video of the Puppy Bowl pooches predicting the Super Bowl winner]

Marta, a Schnauzer-Beagle mix, may be small but loves to wrestle with bigger dogs.

Puppy Bowl IX airs on Sunday at 3 PM on Animal Planet. The event is replayed throughout the afternoon and evening.



