Pirate’s story began in rural Virginia, in one of the shelters AWLA works with to transfer animals who might not be adopted locally. At two months old, he made the journey to Alexandria where his big smile, playful spirit and outgoing nature set him apart from the pack. Even then we knew he had the right stuff to become a Puppy Bowl Champion. Photo courtesy of Shelley Castle Photography.
Woof Matey!
Too young to find a family to call his own yet, Pirate spent his first month in the care of a foster family, taking part in all kinds of pre-Puppy Bowl adventures. He felt right at home on a Potomac Riverboat Company Canine Cruise, where he had the opportunity to wow his Puppy Bowl friends – people and dogs alike – with his smile and charm. True to his name, Pirate became first mate with everyone he met, on land and at sea. Photo courtesy of Shelley Castle Photography.
Training is More Than “Sit”
To prepare for Puppy Bowl XV, Pirate had the help of his foster family. He needed to be in tip-top shape, so he’d follow his youngest foster on his bike where ever he went. Those little bikes sure are fast, but thankfully, Pirate was growing bigger by the day! When he wasn’t practicing his running, pouncing, chewing and playing, Pirate also practiced posing for the camera, a skill he still uses to this day. Pirate’s foster family helped him achieve his full champion potential! Photo courtesy of Pirate’s Awesome Fosters.
Let the Games Begin
After two months of training, with lots of breaks for belly rubs, Pirate was headed to the Puppy Bowl! He traveled all the way to New York City where he joined Team Ruff to compete for the Chewy.com Lombarky Trophy. Even after a full day of making new puppy friends, Pirate still had his signature spunk for game time; if there’s a “Best Team Spirit” award, we think Pirate would definitely be in the running.
Touchdown!
In October, Pirate scored big when he met his new best friend! Since then, Pirate has continued to grow and is learning all about bow ties, haircuts and, most recently, snow. He goes by Min-Guk now and you can follow his puppy antics on his Instragram @min_guk_ee. Pirate encourages others to visit his first “home team” at the AWLA to find their future canine companions (or even feline friends)!
Tune in on Sunday, February 3rd, at 3:00pm ET/12:00pm PT on Animal Planet to watch Pirate in action at Puppy Bowl XV.
Go Team Ruff!