CLICK HERE if you are having a problem viewing the media on a mobile device
Prince Harry, apparently still reeling from his sudden change of fortunes, declined to pick a clear winner in Sunday’s Super Bowl game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs, but most of his cohorts were more forthcoming with their predictions.
Welcome to Supper Bowl II, where we asked five dogs at Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation to predict which team will fetch the Lombardi Trophy. The clear winner, if you squint a bit, was the 49ers, which the dogs earmarked to win their sixth championship ring.
The rules were simple. We labeled two bowls with 49er and Chief stickers, then led the dogs into the arena, one at a time. The first bowl each dog went to was the winner of that round. Eating the food in the bowl became secondary, when it turned out the dogs were still full from breakfast and not so inclined to gobble.
All the dogs went to the 49ers bowl first, concrete evidence that Niners fans have nothing to worry about from Patrick Mahomes and the Chief’s vaunted offense. If you want even more evidence, this is the second Supper Bowl we’ve staged and so far, the dogs have a perfect record of picking a winner.
No, it wasn’t scientific. It wasn’t even very dramatic by psychic standards, and there may or may not have been slightly more hot dogs in the Niners bowl, but the dogs had their say.
All the dogs that participated in the gridiron prognostications are available for adoption at ARF’s headquarters, 2890 Mitchell Dr., Walnut Creek. Here’s a rundown on the canine clairvoyants and their soothsaying magic.
Walnut Creek, CA - JANUARY 29: Taffy, a 9-year-old Catahoula Leopard dog mix prepares to choose a Super Bowl LIV winner, by picking which dog bowl one labeled San Francisco 49ers and one Kansas City Chiefs to eat from first, at Tony La Russa's (ARF) Animal Rescue Foundation in Walnut Creek, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. The Bay Area News Group partnered with ARF in this unscientific survey with five dogs, available for adoption, participating, with 4 dogs picking the 49ers and one dog choosing not to pick either team. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
Walnut Creek, CA - JANUARY 29: Taffy, a 9-year-old Catahoula Leopard dog mix picks her Super Bowl LIV winner, by choosing which dog bowl one labeled San Francisco 49ers and one Kansas City Chiefs to eat from first, at Tony La Russa's (ARF) Animal Rescue Foundation in Walnut Creek, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. The Bay Area News Group partnered with ARF in this unscientific survey with five dogs, available for adoption, participating, with 4 dogs picking the 49ers and one dog choosing not to pick either team. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
Walnut Creek, CA - JANUARY 29: Prince Harry, a 1-year-old Siberian Husky mix plays with a decorative paper football during his turn at a pick the Super Bowl LIV winner survey, by choosing which dog bowl one labeled San Francisco 49ers and one Kansas City Chiefs to eat from first, at Tony La Russa's (ARF) Animal Rescue Foundation in Walnut Creek, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. The Bay Area News Group partnered with ARF in this unscientific survey with five dogs, available for adoption, participating, with 4 dogs picking the 49ers and one dog choosing not to pick either team. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
Walnut Creek, CA - JANUARY 29: Prince Harry, a 1-year-old Siberian Husky mix plays with a decorative paper football during his turn at a pick the Super Bowl LIV winner survey, by choosing which dog bowl one labeled San Francisco 49ers and one Kansas City Chiefs to eat from first, at Tony La Russa's (ARF) Animal Rescue Foundation in Walnut Creek, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. The Bay Area News Group partnered with ARF in this unscientific survey with five dogs, available for adoption, participating, with 4 dogs picking the 49ers and one dog choosing not to pick either team. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
Walnut Creek, CA - JANUARY 29: Kiwi, a 1-year-old Labrador and unknown hound mix takes his turn during a pick the Super Bowl LIV winner survey, by choosing which dog bowl one labeled San Francisco 49ers and one Kansas City Chiefs to eat from first, at Tony La Russa's (ARF) Animal Rescue Foundation in Walnut Creek, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. The Bay Area News Group partnered with ARF in this unscientific survey with five dogs, available for adoption, participating, with 4 dogs picking the 49ers and one dog choosing not to pick either team. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
Walnut Creek, CA - JANUARY 29: Lily, a 1 1/2-year-old Australian Kelpie mix takes her turn during a pick the Super Bowl LIV winner survey, by choosing which dog bowl one labeled San Francisco 49ers and one Kansas City Chiefs to eat from first, at Tony La Russa's (ARF) Animal Rescue Foundation in Walnut Creek, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. The Bay Area News Group partnered with ARF in this unscientific survey with five dogs, available for adoption, participating, with 4 dogs picking the 49ers and one dog choosing not to pick either team. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
Walnut Creek, CA - JANUARY 29: Han, a 5-year-old Fox Terrier/Dachshund mix takes his turn during a pick the Super Bowl LIV winner survey, by choosing which dog bowl one labeled San Francisco 49ers and one Kansas City Chiefs to eat from first, at Tony La Russa's (ARF) Animal Rescue Foundation in Walnut Creek, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. The Bay Area News Group partnered with ARF in this unscientific survey with five dogs, available for adoption, participating, with 4 dogs picking the 49ers and one dog choosing not to pick either team. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
Walnut Creek, CA - JANUARY 29: Taffy, a 9-year-old Catahoula Leopard dog mix eats from the San Francisco 49ers bowl during a pick the Super Bowl LIV winner survey at Tony La Russa's (ARF) Animal Rescue Foundation in Walnut Creek, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. The Bay Area News Group partnered with ARF in this unscientific survey with five dogs, available for adoption, participating, with 4 dogs picking the 49ers and one dog choosing not to pick either team. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
Walnut Creek, CA - JANUARY 29: Taffy, a 9-year-old Catahoula Leopard dog mix eats from the Kansas City Chiefs bowl after first picking the San Francisco 49ers to win Super Bowl LIV at Tony La Russa's (ARF) Animal Rescue Foundation in Walnut Creek, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. The Bay Area News Group partnered with ARF in this unscientific survey with five dogs, available for adoption, participating, with 4 dogs picking the 49ers and one dog choosing not to pick either team. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
Walnut Creek, CA - JANUARY 29: Han, a 5-year-old Fox Terrier/Dachshund mix takes his turn during a pick the Super Bowl LIV winner survey, by choosing which dog bowl one labeled San Francisco 49ers and one Kansas City Chiefs to eat from first, at Tony La Russa's (ARF) Animal Rescue Foundation in Walnut Creek, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. The Bay Area News Group partnered with ARF in this unscientific survey with five dogs, available for adoption, participating, with 4 dogs picking the 49ers and one dog choosing not to pick either team. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
Walnut Creek, CA - JANUARY 29: Han, a 5-year-old Fox Terrier/Dachshund mix takes his turn during a pick the Super Bowl LIV winner survey, by choosing which dog bowl one labeled San Francisco 49ers and one Kansas City Chiefs to eat from first, at Tony La Russa's (ARF) Animal Rescue Foundation in Walnut Creek, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. The Bay Area News Group partnered with ARF in this unscientific survey with five dogs, available for adoption, participating, with 4 dogs picking the 49ers and one dog choosing not to pick either team. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
Kiwi, a 1-year-old Labrador and unknown hound mix grabs a decorative paper football during his turn at a pick the Super Bowl LIV winner. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
Walnut Creek, CA - JANUARY 29: Taffy, a 9-year-old Catahoula Leopard dog mix walks in for her turn to pick a Super Bowl LIV winner, by choosing which dog bowl one labeled San Francisco 49ers and one Kansas City Chiefs to eat from first, at Tony La Russa's (ARF) Animal Rescue Foundation in Walnut Creek, Calif., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. The Bay Area News Group partnered with ARF in this unscientific survey with five dogs, available for adoption, participating, with 4 dogs picking the 49ers and one dog choosing not to pick either team. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
Taffy, who is a fan of belly rubs and longs for a permanent home, did her best George Kittle impression, knocking down defenders in her path to head straight for the San Francisco bowl. She then showed how the Niners are going to eat the Chief’s lunch by, well, eating lunch. She finished strong by licking the 49ers bowl clean.
Lily
Age: 1½
Breed: Australian kelpie mix
Lily, it turns out, is more a baseball fan than a football follower. Her first sniff was of the 49er bowl, but then she licked the rim of the Kansas container. The referees were about to throw a flag when Lily returned to the 49ers bowl and took a bite of food. The official conclusion? It’s going to be a close game, but the 49ers win.
Prince Harry
Age: 1
Breed: Siberian husky mix
Without Meghan at his side to help him, bonny Prince Harry couldn’t make up his mind. He ambled down the field knocking defenders to the ground, biting a honeycomb football and then just sniffing at the bowls, although our judges noted he sniffed San Francisco first. The referees called the Prince for a false start, but a second chance didn’t go any better. San Francisco was awarded a point, but Harry obviously prefers rugby.
Han
Age: 5
Breed: Toy fox terrier and dachshund mix
Han moved down the field sidestepping defenders as adroitly as the Niner’s outstanding running back, Raheem Mostert. He sniffed the honeycomb football before making a beeline to the end zone and San Francisco’s food bowl.
Kiwi
Age: 1
Breed: Labrador retriever and unknown type hound mix
Kiwi plowed through the field, scattering defenders and seizing our slightly worse for wear football and bringing it into the end zone for a touchdown. She then celebrated by scarfing down the food in the 49ers bowl. Kiwi then did an end zone dance and shredded the football.