The View has gone to the dogs! The daytime talk show traded in politics for puppies this morning in honor of Alyssa Farah Griffin‘s birthday when they hosted a slew of shelter dogs to ring in her 34th year.

Griffin, who chose to highlight “adoptable shelter dogs in need of a home” in the final segment of today’s episode, had each of her co-hosts carry one puppy out onto The View stage as she shared the dog’s name, age and characteristics.

Whoopi Goldberg was first, appearing onstage with an adorable fourth-month-old puppy named Kali. Sara Haines and Sunny Hostin were next, each carrying out a two-month-old puppy, then came Joy Behar, who had a two-month-old named Georgia clutched in her arms.

“What is this…mix?” Behar, who looked a little less comfortable holding a dog than her co-hosts, asked as the little puppy blinked out at the crowd.

“We think that — um, actually unclear,” Griffin replied. “But very cute and mild-mannered.”

Behar, who was clutching the top half of the dog as its tiny tail and legs hung below, remarked, “She’s — he — it’s a girl,” before Griffin chimed in to clarify, “Yes, Georgia, it’s a girl.”

Pretending to struggle under the dog’s weight, Behar quipped, “She’s about 50 pounds!”

Griffin laughed it off, joking, “She’s good for lifting!” And with that, Behar swiftly moved over to a bench on the side of the stage, where she joined her co-hosts and their furry guest stars of the day.

When the show returned from commercial break, Behar was officially relieved of dog duty. As the co-hosts — plus producer Brian Teta and Griffin’s husband, Justin Griffin — gathered around a table with the puppies, Behar’s arms were empty.

Georgia, the dog she’d carried out before, was being held by Justin, while Behar gripped the one non-living dog on display that day: a cake shaped like Alyssa’s beloved pet, Herbie.

The View airs weekdays at 11/10c on ABC. For more information on how to adopt a puppy featured on today’s episode, head to the Bideawee website.