One local puppy is about to become famous. Marshall, a seven-month-old deaf Boston Terrier who was recently adopted by Chris and Christina Lee, is set to make his national television debut on February 7 when he competes in Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl.
The couple have long had a soft spot in their hearts for deaf dogs, having founded Deaf Dogs Rock in 2012. The nonprofit promotes the care and well-being of deaf dogs through the education of the public regarding the adoption, care and training of deaf dogs. It also provides financial support for the shelter, medical and transportation needs of deaf dogs. To date, it has financially assisted more than 870 deaf dogs and helped 3,500 dogs find forever homes.
Chris explains that Marshall’s story is fairly common among deaf dogs, having been adopted by a woman who thought he would make a good pet for her elderly mother. Unfortunately, the mother found herself overwhelmed by Marshall’s energy and her inability to cope with his deafness.
The Lee family adopted him after sponsoring his medical care while he was being sheltered by one of Deaf Dogs Rock’s partner organizations, Green Dogs Unleashed in Charlottesville.
“They had an adopted family that fell through,” Chris says. “We were thinking we weren’t quite sure if we were ready for a dog, but he was so cute. We really wanted another Boston, so the timing felt right and we decided to add Marshall to our family.”
An official from the Charlottesville organization works with Animal Planet every year to submit a handful of puppies for consideration for the Puppy Bowl. “Biographies are included. Animal Planet is typically looking for variety. They go through and pick the puppies they want to participate,” Chris explains.
Filming lasted for three days in October in New York City. Because of travel restrictions, Chris and Christina were not able to be with Marshall throughout the experience. Instead, they handed him off to one of their partner organizations in the city, which sheltered him during the filming.
“We’re just as excited to see the Puppy Bowl as anyone. Because we couldn’t be there for the filming, we don’t actually know how featured he is. They film a lot of footage over three days because there is a total of 70 dogs involved, but only 16 are included in what they call the starting lineup,” Chris says. “Considering how much energy Marshall has and how much he likes to play with toys, I have a feeling he’s pretty active in the Puppy Bowl.”
Puppies are divided into two teams―the Fluffs and the Ruffs―during the game, which takes place inside a stadium and includes color commentary. Marshall, a member of the Fluffs, is included in the starting lineup.
When dogs resonate well on screen, Animal Planet does follow-up filming to show their adoption stories. Because Marshall came across well, a film crew was sent to Charlottesville to get footage of him at Green Dogs Unleashed and a hospital where one of his keepers is a nurse.
“They got to see him interacting with people, so it was pretty neat,” Chris says.
Even before Marshall came into their lives, Chris and Christina were huge fans of the Puppy Bowl.
“The event is all in a lot of fun with how the puppies interact and play. I really like that they have a heavy focus on rescue animals and special needs animals. It goes a long way in showing that they’re just as adoptable as any dog. They shoot down the stereotypes that could be in place from times gone by,” Chris notes.
Obviously shooting down stereotypes about deaf dogs is near and dear to the Lee family’s hearts considering the mission of their organization.
“We spend so much time talking with owners who have just discovered their dog is deaf or their dog has just gone deaf. We remind them that it is a dog first. The deafness doesn’t define the dog. We don’t feel it is a disability. It’s just a characteristic of the dog. They aren’t harder to train. They’re just a little different to train,” Chris says.
The annual Puppy Bowl is a play on the Super Bowl, which will happen on the same day.
Chris says that although he would like to have a watch party, COVID-19 restrictions mean that he, his wife and their six dogs will be watching Marshall’s big day from home.
To watch Marshall compete in Puppy Bowl XVII, tune into Animal Planet or the Discovery+ app at 2 p.m. this Sunday.
Prior to the game, the public is invited to vote for the “Most Pup-ular” dog as part of this year’s “Pupularity Playoffs” by visiting this link.
Currently, Marshall is in the final round of voting for the contest. The winning puppy will be announced during the Puppy Bowl pregame show ahead of the game at 1 p.m.
About the Author:
Aila Boyd is an educator and journalist who resides in Roanoke. She holds an MFA in Writing from Lindenwood University.
