Michelle Obama to appear in Puppy Bowl with Sunny and Bo

She’s already been on Fallon, Leno, Letterman and Colbert, and now First Lady Michelle Obama will make an appearance in the Puppy Bowl, Animal Planet’s consistently adorable and increasingly popular counter-programming to the Super Bowl.

The network announced this week that Obama hosted a “training camp� at the White House, attended by first dogs Bo and Sunny, 12 first- and second-graders from D.C.’s Harriet Tubman Elementary School and 13 undoubtedly cute shelter puppies.

According to an Animal Planet news release, it was a very busy practice session: “Bo and Sunny lined the pups up for practice on the White House South Lawn to run through tire and tackle drills, hone their ball and chew toy skills, play fetch with the kids and of course take a requisite water break with the First Lady followed by a nap in the grass.�

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The event was organized as part of the first lady’s “Let’s Move!� initiative against childhood obesity, and encouraged frolicking with canine friends as a fun way for youngsters to stay active.

“It was so much fun to see the Puppy Bowl X Team work out at the White House!� said Obama. “As our family has seen with Bo and Sunny, going outside to walk and play with your pet is a perfect way to get moving and have some fun every day.�

Highlights from the so-called training camp will appear during this Sunday’s Puppy Bowl X, which airs from 3 to 5 p.m. ET/PT — but you probably already knew that — and will be repeated throughout the day.

While its ratings are dwarfed by those of the Super Bowl, the Puppy Bowl, which began in 2005, has become a must-watch event for many Americans, with last year’s event grabbing more than 12 million viewers.

ALSO:

Puppy Bowl X starting lineup announced

Hallmark Channel announces first-ever ‘Kitten Bowl’

Puppy Bowl 2012: Relive the canine cuteness

Twitter: @MeredithBlake