Taylor Swift Inspires Cat Adoptions, Deb Wolfe Inspires Dog Tricks!
Deborah Wolfe tells you about Ragdoll cats like Taylor Swift’s 3rd cat, Benjamin Button. Swift’s Eras Tour passed through Houston leaving adopted cats in its wake when a local shelter reduced its adoption fees in honor of Taylor’s love of cats. Deb Wolfe explains why dogs need to how to teach a dog to play fetch properly with a video demonstration of her ‘2 ball drop trick’ on YouTube at Deb Wolfe -Pet Expert. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eM8CmhOpmK. Please send your pet problems, questions, guest & topic suggestions to deb@petliferadio.com.
Listen to Episode #202 Now:
Transcript:
00:00:02.180 --> 00:00:03.980
Announcer: This is Pet Life Radio.
00:00:03.980 --> 00:00:14.120
Announcer: Let's talk pets.
00:00:14.120 --> 00:00:19.220
Deborah Wolfe: Hello, you're listening to Animal Party on Pet Life Radio.
00:00:19.220 --> 00:00:22.200
Deborah Wolfe: It's me, Deborah Wolfe, your host, me, Deb Wolf.
00:00:22.760 --> 00:00:33.460
Deborah Wolfe: And if you've got suggestions, questions, problems, guest suggestions, anything at all you wanna tell me, just send it to deb at petliferadio.com.
00:00:33.460 --> 00:00:37.120
Deborah Wolfe: You can do that in email or text or voice clip.
00:00:37.120 --> 00:00:38.820
Deborah Wolfe: I especially love the voice clips.
00:00:38.820 --> 00:00:42.920
Deborah Wolfe: I'd love to play you on air asking me your question, and then I'll answer it.
00:00:43.480 --> 00:00:52.320
Deborah Wolfe: And if you ask a question that's very difficult that I don't know the answer to, I will find a guest expert to come on the show and give you your answer.
00:00:52.320 --> 00:00:55.160
Deborah Wolfe: So please, please keep them coming.
00:00:55.160 --> 00:00:56.020
Deborah Wolfe: All right, everybody.
00:00:56.020 --> 00:00:57.420
Deborah Wolfe: So let's see.
00:00:57.420 --> 00:01:09.220
Deborah Wolfe: Well, we're definitely gonna talk about Taylor Swift one more time today because she does have three cats and we covered the first cat, we covered the second cat, and now we are on the third cat.
00:01:09.220 --> 00:01:10.860
Deborah Wolfe: That's right, Benjamin Button.
00:01:11.500 --> 00:01:15.020
Deborah Wolfe: So we'll be talking about Benjamin Button a little bit later.
00:01:15.020 --> 00:01:21.260
Deborah Wolfe: Her other cats are Scottish Boulds, but Benjamin Button is a ragdoll.
00:01:21.260 --> 00:01:22.740
Deborah Wolfe: And that's a different kind of cat.
00:01:22.740 --> 00:01:24.520
Deborah Wolfe: We're gonna talk about that.
00:01:24.520 --> 00:01:35.040
Deborah Wolfe: So we talked about how Scottish Boulds have a genetic defect and they can have special needs and sometimes soreness and pain as they get older.
00:01:35.040 --> 00:01:53.580
Deborah Wolfe: And I wanted Taylor to know that if she needs to talk about her cat or she has any questions at all, she should please contact me, because I'd love to help her with how to make that cat, her first cat, Meredith Grey, has kind of become a little less interactive and a little less social, it seems, how to make her life a little more comfortable.
00:01:53.580 --> 00:01:55.240
Deborah Wolfe: So I'd love to talk with her about that.
00:01:55.240 --> 00:02:01.900
Deborah Wolfe: But in the meantime, later on in the show, we're gonna talk about the ragdoll, Benjamin Button.
00:02:01.900 --> 00:02:03.680
Deborah Wolfe: And why is he so chill?
00:02:03.680 --> 00:02:05.180
Deborah Wolfe: Well, because he's a ragdoll.
00:02:05.180 --> 00:02:06.140
Deborah Wolfe: That's why.
00:02:06.140 --> 00:02:07.520
Deborah Wolfe: We'll cover that a little bit later.
00:02:07.960 --> 00:02:10.980
Deborah Wolfe: Sometimes people think all cats are the same, right?
00:02:10.980 --> 00:02:14.540
Deborah Wolfe: You get a cat, it's kind of like a pretty vase or a painting.
00:02:14.540 --> 00:02:15.580
Deborah Wolfe: Feed it once in a while.
00:02:15.580 --> 00:02:18.460
Deborah Wolfe: If you go away, just get someone to check on it once in a while.
00:02:18.460 --> 00:02:20.320
Deborah Wolfe: That's not really the deal.
00:02:20.320 --> 00:02:21.720
Deborah Wolfe: Cats are not furniture.
00:02:21.720 --> 00:02:24.580
Deborah Wolfe: They're not pieces of art, even though they're beautiful.
00:02:24.580 --> 00:02:26.340
Deborah Wolfe: They do need to interact.
00:02:26.340 --> 00:02:28.120
Deborah Wolfe: They need attention.
00:02:28.120 --> 00:02:29.280
Deborah Wolfe: They need exercise.
00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:30.560
Deborah Wolfe: They need entertainment.
00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:31.820
Deborah Wolfe: They need life.
00:02:31.820 --> 00:02:35.280
Deborah Wolfe: They're meant to be doing a lot in their lives if they were in nature.
00:02:35.500 --> 00:02:45.480
Deborah Wolfe: So if you can find them to an apartment or a house, you got to make up for it with stimulation, with things that are like hunting, chasing, games that are like that.
00:02:45.480 --> 00:02:51.020
Deborah Wolfe: My favorite cat expert, Dusty Rainbolt, used to say, cats don't want a playmate.
00:02:51.020 --> 00:02:53.340
Deborah Wolfe: They want a prey mate.
00:02:53.340 --> 00:02:55.020
Deborah Wolfe: And I think that's really good to remember.
00:02:55.020 --> 00:03:01.920
Deborah Wolfe: When you're playing with your cat, your toy or whatever you're using, because don't use your hand, is prey.
00:03:01.920 --> 00:03:03.520
Deborah Wolfe: And they want to hunt it and catch it.
00:03:03.980 --> 00:03:07.740
Deborah Wolfe: And after they've done that for a while, they want to eat and then they want to sleep.
00:03:07.740 --> 00:03:13.900
Deborah Wolfe: So that's how you can entertain a cat and keep it active and keep it healthy and not obese.
00:03:13.900 --> 00:03:15.840
Deborah Wolfe: But not all cats are the same.
00:03:15.840 --> 00:03:23.900
Deborah Wolfe: If you get an Abyssinian and you are expecting a layabout cat that just wants to be pet, you're going to be disappointed.
00:03:23.900 --> 00:03:32.740
Deborah Wolfe: Now, if you get a Persian or a ragdoll and you wanted a cat that would do obstacles and learn tricks, you're going to be disappointed, most likely.
00:03:33.340 --> 00:03:34.740
Deborah Wolfe: Now, it does vary.
00:03:34.740 --> 00:03:46.040
Deborah Wolfe: I mean, there are individuals who are very outgoing in the ragdoll family and there are individuals in the Abyssinian world who are a little bit mellow, but in general, cat breeds do matter.
00:03:46.040 --> 00:03:47.380
Deborah Wolfe: It's genetics.
00:03:47.380 --> 00:03:56.760
Deborah Wolfe: So Abyssinians are going to be able to climb things and they're going to be able to learn tricks like jumping through hoops and doing obstacles fast, and they're going to love learning it.
00:03:56.760 --> 00:04:01.440
Deborah Wolfe: And ragdolls, well, they're going to love meeting new people and getting cuddles from everybody.
00:04:02.040 --> 00:04:06.620
Deborah Wolfe: So you kind of have to pick the cat you want according to your lifestyle.
00:04:06.620 --> 00:04:10.500
Deborah Wolfe: And what about all those cats that are just something?
00:04:10.500 --> 00:04:16.140
Deborah Wolfe: You know, Taylor Swift was on Jimmy Fallon, and she ran through a whole list of cat breeds.
00:04:16.140 --> 00:04:18.500
Deborah Wolfe: She started with, I think, her own cats.
00:04:18.500 --> 00:04:24.640
Deborah Wolfe: I think she started with the Scottish Fold and the Ragdoll, and then she went into the Siamese and the Burmese and all the cats.
00:04:24.640 --> 00:04:28.140
Deborah Wolfe: And then she kind of ran out of names, and she said, Black Cat.
00:04:29.780 --> 00:04:34.920
Deborah Wolfe: Okay, so most of us out here do not have some fancy cat with some ancient lineage.
00:04:34.920 --> 00:04:38.920
Deborah Wolfe: We have what you could call a Black Cat or an Orange Cat or a Tabby Cat.
00:04:38.920 --> 00:04:41.820
Deborah Wolfe: Okay, so most of those are domestic short hairs.
00:04:41.820 --> 00:04:43.180
Deborah Wolfe: That's their breed.
00:04:43.180 --> 00:04:45.220
Deborah Wolfe: Some of them are domestic long hairs, right?
00:04:45.220 --> 00:04:46.460
Deborah Wolfe: Depending on the coat.
00:04:46.460 --> 00:04:51.160
Deborah Wolfe: But most of those are American domestic short hairs, if that's what you've got.
00:04:51.160 --> 00:04:58.800
Deborah Wolfe: And an American domestic short hair could be mostly Abyssinian, could be partly Siamese, could be Persian.
00:04:58.800 --> 00:04:59.980
Deborah Wolfe: You don't know.
00:04:59.980 --> 00:05:06.220
Deborah Wolfe: But you can look at your cat, look at the kitten, look at the rescue situation, look at it and see what you think.
00:05:06.220 --> 00:05:11.740
Deborah Wolfe: Have a cat breed book right there with you and see, okay, who does this cat most look like?
00:05:11.740 --> 00:05:21.740
Deborah Wolfe: Because if it's got the long lines and the athletic body and build of one of the athletic cats, you can pretty much count on him being pretty active.
00:05:21.740 --> 00:05:32.220
Deborah Wolfe: If it's got a rounder, fatter body, more like the Persians and the pinched face, more like those cats, then probably it's going to be a little less active.
00:05:32.580 --> 00:05:34.180
Deborah Wolfe: You can see what you get.
00:05:34.180 --> 00:05:34.520
Deborah Wolfe: Dr.
00:05:34.520 --> 00:05:38.900
Deborah Wolfe: Corrin, the expert on dogs, says with muds, what you see is what you get.
00:05:38.900 --> 00:05:49.820
Deborah Wolfe: If you look at a dog and he's got a round mouth like a retriever, and he's got floppy ears like a retriever, and he's got webbed feet on his toes, skin between each toe to make it easier to swim with.
00:05:49.820 --> 00:05:55.020
Deborah Wolfe: Well, even if he maybe has rot weather markings, what you've got is mostly a retriever.
00:05:55.020 --> 00:05:56.840
Deborah Wolfe: You've got a retriever cross.
00:05:56.840 --> 00:06:07.100
Deborah Wolfe: If you look at a dog and he's got none of those traits, but he has a big square head and jowls, well, you probably have a mastiff cross, right?
00:06:07.100 --> 00:06:16.060
Deborah Wolfe: And he says, in general, most often, the thing that most jumps out of you, out at you when you look at the dog, is what he is, right?
00:06:16.400 --> 00:06:23.740
Deborah Wolfe: If he looks like a border collie, but he's a little bit too tall, he's a border collie cross, and he's going to behave like a border collie cross.
00:06:23.740 --> 00:06:31.320
Deborah Wolfe: So part of it is looking at what they actually look like, their colors, their markings, their size, their build, but some of it is their behavior.
00:06:31.320 --> 00:06:37.940
Deborah Wolfe: So if you throw the ball into the pond, and the dog jumps in and brings it back to you, you probably have a retriever cross.
00:06:37.940 --> 00:06:42.620
Deborah Wolfe: If you throw the ball in the pond, and he looks like you're nuts, and why did you throw that?
00:06:42.620 --> 00:06:43.600
Deborah Wolfe: I'm not going in there.
00:06:43.600 --> 00:06:45.140
Deborah Wolfe: Throw it on the land, please.
00:06:45.140 --> 00:06:46.700
Deborah Wolfe: You don't have a retriever.
00:06:46.740 --> 00:06:48.620
Deborah Wolfe: So, most likely.
00:06:48.620 --> 00:06:52.680
Deborah Wolfe: Now, there's some exceptions, like for example, standard poodles.
00:06:52.680 --> 00:06:53.580
Deborah Wolfe: Oh my goodness.
00:06:53.580 --> 00:06:55.280
Deborah Wolfe: Now, they are retrievers.
00:06:55.280 --> 00:06:57.240
Deborah Wolfe: They are cold water retrievers.
00:06:57.240 --> 00:07:03.340
Deborah Wolfe: That big foo foo hairdo is actually, has a historical significance that's practical.
00:07:03.340 --> 00:07:09.840
Deborah Wolfe: They used to shave the dog where he needed to swim, like around the ankles and elbows and things that need to move.
00:07:09.840 --> 00:07:16.100
Deborah Wolfe: And they'd leave them really furry on the areas that don't need to move for insulation in the coldest waters.
00:07:16.500 --> 00:07:21.820
Deborah Wolfe: It's a poodle is a German hunting dog, not a French model like people think.
00:07:21.820 --> 00:07:25.560
Deborah Wolfe: But anyway, so the poodle should be a retriever.
00:07:25.560 --> 00:07:31.360
Deborah Wolfe: He should jump right in the water, except for some reason, not all poodles like water.
00:07:31.360 --> 00:07:37.960
Deborah Wolfe: Now, in my experience here at Camp Good Dog, the boarding kennel, we have a big spring fed pond for the dogs to swim in.
00:07:37.960 --> 00:07:51.340
Deborah Wolfe: And I have noticed that even the poodles who do not like the water have no hesitation if there's something in there like a duck, a great blue heron, any bird at all, right?
00:07:51.340 --> 00:07:53.420
Deborah Wolfe: Any bird at all, and they are in the water.
00:07:53.420 --> 00:07:55.220
Deborah Wolfe: So that's a water dog.
00:07:55.220 --> 00:07:56.140
Deborah Wolfe: That's a retriever.
00:07:56.140 --> 00:08:02.800
Deborah Wolfe: It's just had a little confused breeding when they bred at different sizes and for different tasks along the way.
00:08:02.800 --> 00:08:06.740
Deborah Wolfe: So not all of them have continued to be bred for retrieving skills.
00:08:06.740 --> 00:08:10.840
Deborah Wolfe: Whereas if you look at a Labrador or Golden Retriever, they've always been bred for those skills.
00:08:10.840 --> 00:08:13.320
Deborah Wolfe: Okay, so here's something interesting about those skills.
00:08:13.960 --> 00:08:28.240
Deborah Wolfe: Because a Golden Retriever, a Labrador, a Nova Scotia Duck, Tolar, all those retrievers, because their main job was to grab, well, flush it out in some cases, chase the, you know, get, make it so the hunter can see the bird.
00:08:28.240 --> 00:08:33.080
Deborah Wolfe: And then when the wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, don't chase it themselves.
00:08:33.080 --> 00:08:37.940
Deborah Wolfe: Wait till the hunter kills it and then go grab it and bring it back.
00:08:37.940 --> 00:08:39.920
Deborah Wolfe: Drop it at the hunter's feet.
00:08:39.920 --> 00:08:40.860
Deborah Wolfe: That's the job, right?
00:08:41.300 --> 00:08:48.420
Deborah Wolfe: And it doesn't matter if the duck or the grouse or whatever it is, is wounded and flailing and fighting or dead.
00:08:48.420 --> 00:08:49.480
Deborah Wolfe: It doesn't matter.
00:08:49.480 --> 00:08:52.880
Deborah Wolfe: The dog is not supposed to eat it and he's not supposed to mess with it.
00:08:52.880 --> 00:09:00.360
Deborah Wolfe: And he's supposed to gently, without harming any of it, carry it back to the hunter so the hunter can have a nice tidy meal.
00:09:00.360 --> 00:09:07.520
Deborah Wolfe: Okay, so in order to do that, they had to breed only the dogs who had the most docile nature in terms of hunting.
00:09:07.520 --> 00:09:09.400
Deborah Wolfe: The least kill instinct, right?
00:09:09.400 --> 00:09:10.300
Deborah Wolfe: They don't kill anything.
00:09:10.640 --> 00:09:11.860
Deborah Wolfe: Not even a wounded, dying bird.
00:09:11.860 --> 00:09:13.100
Deborah Wolfe: Not even a dead bird.
00:09:13.100 --> 00:09:13.680
Deborah Wolfe: They won't eat it.
00:09:13.680 --> 00:09:16.580
Deborah Wolfe: They will bring it back reliably and drop it at his feet.
00:09:16.580 --> 00:09:19.080
Deborah Wolfe: So because of that, they can't really hunt.
00:09:19.080 --> 00:09:20.340
Deborah Wolfe: They're not very good at it.
00:09:20.340 --> 00:09:21.220
Deborah Wolfe: Not at all.
00:09:21.220 --> 00:09:24.900
Deborah Wolfe: Some of them are pretty good at ratting, but they're really not good at hunting.
00:09:24.900 --> 00:09:27.760
Deborah Wolfe: And so what do they rely on for food?
00:09:27.760 --> 00:09:29.540
Deborah Wolfe: Anything they find.
00:09:29.540 --> 00:09:38.380
Deborah Wolfe: And that's why so often you meet an owner who has a lab or a gold and they say, I don't know, she just won't stop eating.
00:09:38.700 --> 00:09:41.100
Deborah Wolfe: She eats everything she finds at the park.
00:09:41.100 --> 00:09:42.480
Deborah Wolfe: She goes around the garbage can.
00:09:42.480 --> 00:09:44.220
Deborah Wolfe: She looks at the pizza boxes.
00:09:44.220 --> 00:09:47.700
Deborah Wolfe: She eats every scrap that was ever eaten by anybody.
00:09:47.700 --> 00:09:49.580
Deborah Wolfe: Any food is her food.
00:09:49.580 --> 00:09:54.100
Deborah Wolfe: Well, otherwise, they would have to be hunters.
00:09:54.100 --> 00:09:56.980
Deborah Wolfe: You're either going to be a scavenger or a hunter in the dog world.
00:09:56.980 --> 00:09:59.420
Deborah Wolfe: So that's the reason they're like that.
00:09:59.420 --> 00:10:10.640
Deborah Wolfe: But it also comes with some great features, like the absolutely gentle mouth, the mouth that's so strong, but doesn't want to bite, doesn't want to nip, doesn't want to do damage.
00:10:10.640 --> 00:10:12.120
Deborah Wolfe: And so they make great pets.
00:10:12.120 --> 00:10:17.420
Deborah Wolfe: So if you're a beginner owner and you're looking for a dog that's easy, go for a retriever.
00:10:17.420 --> 00:10:18.440
Deborah Wolfe: I always say that.
00:10:18.440 --> 00:10:20.720
Deborah Wolfe: Or a retriever cross, even better.
00:10:20.720 --> 00:10:27.520
Deborah Wolfe: You get the hybrid vigor where you're less likely to have some kind of genetic disease that sometimes breeds have.
00:10:27.520 --> 00:10:30.820
Deborah Wolfe: And you get just a terrific dog.
00:10:30.820 --> 00:10:34.640
Deborah Wolfe: So go to the shelter, have a ball with you, bounce it a bunch of times.
00:10:34.740 --> 00:10:37.540
Deborah Wolfe: If the dog isn't interested, he's not a retriever.
00:10:37.540 --> 00:10:41.380
Deborah Wolfe: When you take it on your sample walk, see if he wants to drop the ball and take the ball.
00:10:41.380 --> 00:10:43.600
Deborah Wolfe: And sometimes dogs are hogs, right?
00:10:43.600 --> 00:10:45.300
Deborah Wolfe: They keep the ball, they won't drop it.
00:10:45.300 --> 00:10:47.040
Deborah Wolfe: That doesn't mean he's not a retriever.
00:10:47.040 --> 00:10:48.680
Deborah Wolfe: It just means he hasn't learned.
00:10:48.680 --> 00:10:56.100
Deborah Wolfe: So if he's interested in the ball and he picks it up right away and he'll go find it right away and he comes almost back to you, OK, that's a retriever.
00:10:56.100 --> 00:10:58.240
Deborah Wolfe: He just needs a refresher course.
00:10:58.240 --> 00:10:59.020
Deborah Wolfe: And you know what?
00:10:59.020 --> 00:11:02.920
Deborah Wolfe: Maybe I'll talk about the two ball drop trick later in the show.
00:11:03.600 --> 00:11:12.520
Deborah Wolfe: So if you're listening and you have a dog who likes to fetch a little and then no more or doesn't fetch it all, he just grabs the ball and plays, keep away with you.
00:11:12.520 --> 00:11:16.860
Deborah Wolfe: Stay tuned to the end of the show because I will tell you the two ball drop trick.
00:11:16.860 --> 00:11:18.160
Deborah Wolfe: It's magic.
00:11:18.160 --> 00:11:19.760
Deborah Wolfe: And I demonstrated on YouTube.
00:11:19.760 --> 00:11:24.040
Deborah Wolfe: If you want to go to my YouTube channel, Deb Wolfe Pet Expert on YouTube.
00:11:24.040 --> 00:11:26.080
Deborah Wolfe: I demonstrate all kinds of things there.
00:11:26.080 --> 00:11:32.600
Deborah Wolfe: How to train cats to sit, shake paw, climb over obstacles, how to train dogs to do just about everything.
00:11:32.600 --> 00:11:35.140
Deborah Wolfe: So, including the two ball drop trick.
00:11:35.140 --> 00:11:36.680
Deborah Wolfe: All right, everybody.
00:11:36.680 --> 00:11:38.700
Deborah Wolfe: We're going to go to break and we're going to come back.
00:11:38.700 --> 00:11:43.580
Deborah Wolfe: And it's time for Benjamin Button, Taylor Swift's cat, third cat.
00:11:43.580 --> 00:11:45.140
Deborah Wolfe: Let's talk about that.
00:11:45.140 --> 00:11:46.400
Deborah Wolfe: Stay tuned.
00:11:50.760 --> 00:11:54.880
Deborah Wolfe: This is Deborah Wolfe, host of Animal Party on Pet Life Radio.
00:11:55.360 --> 00:11:58.380
Deborah Wolfe: You know the expression, cats have nine lives.
00:11:58.380 --> 00:12:00.700
Deborah Wolfe: Well, what if you can give them one more?
00:12:00.700 --> 00:12:06.000
Deborah Wolfe: The Give Them 10 Movement is on a mission, to help give cats an extra life.
00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:06.820
Deborah Wolfe: How?
00:12:06.820 --> 00:12:08.620
Deborah Wolfe: With spay and neuter.
00:12:08.620 --> 00:12:13.780
Deborah Wolfe: Spaying or neutering your cat helps them live a longer, healthier life.
00:12:13.780 --> 00:12:17.220
Deborah Wolfe: And it helps control free roaming cat populations too.
00:12:17.220 --> 00:12:24.060
Deborah Wolfe: Learn more about the benefits of spay and neuter and meet Scooter, the neutered cat, at givethemten.org.
00:12:24.060 --> 00:12:28.240
Deborah Wolfe: That's GiveThem T-E-N dot org.
00:12:30.500 --> 00:12:32.880
Announcer: Let's talk pets on petliferadio.com.
00:12:43.794 --> 00:12:48.454
Deborah Wolfe: Hello, you're back on Animal Party, Pet Life Radio.
00:12:48.454 --> 00:12:51.674
Deborah Wolfe: And we're gonna talk about Benjamin Button.
00:12:51.674 --> 00:12:53.394
Deborah Wolfe: Benjamin Button.
00:12:53.394 --> 00:13:04.234
Deborah Wolfe: Okay, so he was part of a program, and I love this, because even though, you know, Taylor Swift could order cats from wherever, she could pay whatever, she could even have a cat clone, she could do whatever she wants, right?
00:13:04.234 --> 00:13:08.714
Deborah Wolfe: But instead, this cat, it's a rescue cat, yay.
00:13:08.714 --> 00:13:18.874
Deborah Wolfe: Not only that, but when Taylor traveled through Texas, the shelters there made a special promotion where you could get a cat, I believe it was half price, or maybe even free.
00:13:18.874 --> 00:13:24.074
Deborah Wolfe: So her effect on the animal world is starting to be really felt.
00:13:24.074 --> 00:13:27.034
Deborah Wolfe: It's more than just a celebrity who happens to like cats.
00:13:27.034 --> 00:13:29.734
Deborah Wolfe: She's actually helping with cat rescue now.
00:13:29.734 --> 00:13:39.394
Deborah Wolfe: She's modeled it, and then when she went to this area, they made cat rescue front and center in the media and part of her media tour, it's awesome.
00:13:39.994 --> 00:13:44.314
Deborah Wolfe: So, well done, Taylor, thank you for the help with the cat rescue.
00:13:44.314 --> 00:13:45.954
Deborah Wolfe: Okay, so here we go.
00:13:45.954 --> 00:13:47.294
Deborah Wolfe: Benjamin Button.
00:13:47.294 --> 00:13:58.814
Deborah Wolfe: And Benjamin Button is a ragdoll, and he was part of a program where they put cats in entertainment, in commercials and things like that, cats that needed homes, hoping people would adopt them.
00:13:58.814 --> 00:14:04.154
Deborah Wolfe: And so Taylor was quoted as saying he was just a cute kitten who didn't have a home.
00:14:04.154 --> 00:14:09.954
Deborah Wolfe: He was part of a program that tries to get cute kittens adopted by putting them in commercials and stuff, was what she said.
00:14:09.954 --> 00:14:14.174
Deborah Wolfe: And she said, they handed me this tiny kitten and he just started purring.
00:14:14.174 --> 00:14:20.114
Deborah Wolfe: And you're my mom and we're going to live together, is how he looked at her.
00:14:20.114 --> 00:14:22.454
Deborah Wolfe: And then she said, I fell in love.
00:14:22.454 --> 00:14:25.874
Deborah Wolfe: So that was in 2019.
00:14:25.874 --> 00:14:35.894
Deborah Wolfe: And she put him in a TikTok video where she was lip syncing her song 22 in 2021, saying that Benjamin's 22.
00:14:36.814 --> 00:14:38.534
Deborah Wolfe: So it's so interesting.
00:14:38.534 --> 00:14:38.914
Deborah Wolfe: All right.
00:14:38.914 --> 00:14:45.654
Deborah Wolfe: So let's talk about ragdolls because ragdolls, well, for one thing, they're adorable, adorable, adorable cats.
00:14:45.654 --> 00:14:48.034
Deborah Wolfe: They're big and they're beautiful.
00:14:48.034 --> 00:14:50.814
Deborah Wolfe: They don't reach their full size, which is 15 pounds.
00:14:50.814 --> 00:14:52.714
Deborah Wolfe: So most cats are around 10 or 12.
00:14:52.714 --> 00:14:54.214
Deborah Wolfe: So 15 is pretty big.
00:14:54.214 --> 00:14:58.834
Deborah Wolfe: It's not 18 or 20 like a Maine Coon, but it is big.
00:14:58.834 --> 00:15:03.254
Deborah Wolfe: So 15 pounds on average, but they don't get there till they're four years of age.
00:15:03.254 --> 00:15:07.314
Deborah Wolfe: So you might think you have a little cat and it keeps growing.
00:15:07.314 --> 00:15:09.014
Deborah Wolfe: They're really easygoing.
00:15:09.014 --> 00:15:10.354
Deborah Wolfe: They're social.
00:15:10.354 --> 00:15:12.314
Deborah Wolfe: They'll befriend almost anyone.
00:15:12.314 --> 00:15:18.794
Deborah Wolfe: And you better prepare your lab for a lot of cuddling because that's what they're all about.
00:15:18.794 --> 00:15:23.454
Deborah Wolfe: They're like big floppy mops that just want to be pet.
00:15:23.454 --> 00:15:25.334
Deborah Wolfe: They just want their bellies rubbed.
00:15:25.334 --> 00:15:27.414
Deborah Wolfe: They don't need a lot of exercise.
00:15:27.414 --> 00:15:28.934
Deborah Wolfe: They're not that rambunctious.
00:15:28.934 --> 00:15:37.234
Deborah Wolfe: They're not the kind to knock stuff off counters, which actually was one of the breeds that she ended with when Taylor Swift was being interviewed in this comedy show.
00:15:37.234 --> 00:15:38.894
Deborah Wolfe: And she ran through all the breeds she knows.
00:15:38.894 --> 00:15:43.274
Deborah Wolfe: The last breed she mentioned was cats who knock pens off tables.
00:15:43.274 --> 00:15:46.294
Deborah Wolfe: So yeah, no, they don't do that very much.
00:15:46.294 --> 00:15:48.134
Deborah Wolfe: But they need their cuddle time.
00:15:48.134 --> 00:15:54.014
Deborah Wolfe: So if you're a person who travels all the time and you're away for long periods, that would make this cat very sad.
00:15:54.014 --> 00:15:54.754
Deborah Wolfe: Okay?
00:15:54.754 --> 00:15:56.334
Deborah Wolfe: They need people visiting them.
00:15:56.334 --> 00:15:59.434
Deborah Wolfe: They need touch a lot.
00:15:59.434 --> 00:16:01.674
Deborah Wolfe: So they crave families.
00:16:01.674 --> 00:16:03.154
Deborah Wolfe: They crave human attention.
00:16:03.594 --> 00:16:06.334
Deborah Wolfe: Their affection level is extremely high.
00:16:06.334 --> 00:16:07.774
Deborah Wolfe: They're kid friendly.
00:16:07.774 --> 00:16:09.514
Deborah Wolfe: They're pet friendly.
00:16:09.514 --> 00:16:14.514
Deborah Wolfe: I hate to say this, but intelligence wise, they're a medium.
00:16:14.514 --> 00:16:20.934
Deborah Wolfe: And I don't want people, well, if you want to text me or email me or complain and say, my ragdoll is very smart, go ahead.
00:16:20.934 --> 00:16:22.634
Deborah Wolfe: Tell me how smart your ragdoll is.
00:16:22.634 --> 00:16:27.034
Deborah Wolfe: In fact, send me a clip of it doing something smart, because I love to disprove this stuff.
00:16:27.034 --> 00:16:33.714
Deborah Wolfe: But in the rankings compared to other cats, I hate to say it, but they're just a medium.
00:16:33.714 --> 00:16:38.394
Deborah Wolfe: It could be worse, it could be low, like their tendency to vocalize is really low.
00:16:38.394 --> 00:16:42.814
Deborah Wolfe: Now, that's a good thing, because most of us don't want cats that talk all the time.
00:16:42.814 --> 00:16:48.834
Deborah Wolfe: If you like a cat who talks all the time, then a Siamese or a Siamese cross is what you want.
00:16:48.834 --> 00:16:53.374
Deborah Wolfe: If you like the sound of a baby, then that's what you want.
00:16:53.374 --> 00:16:58.034
Deborah Wolfe: Okay, so even though they have fluffy hair, they don't shed that much, they don't have a big undercoat.
00:16:58.674 --> 00:17:01.694
Deborah Wolfe: But don't mistake them for hypoallergenic, they aren't.
00:17:01.694 --> 00:17:08.794
Deborah Wolfe: They still have this alive on the dander and all the things that make people who are allergic to cats very affected.
00:17:08.794 --> 00:17:12.754
Deborah Wolfe: So twice a week, you gotta brush them because they do get tangles.
00:17:12.754 --> 00:17:18.794
Deborah Wolfe: And they could use some interactive cat toys, some stimulating toys like puzzles.
00:17:18.794 --> 00:17:33.754
Deborah Wolfe: But basically, if you cuddle them a lot and give them a lot of attention, teach them a few simple commands like come and sit and lap and off and cuddle time, they'll be great cats and you'll love your ragdoll or your ragdoll cross.
00:17:33.754 --> 00:17:36.754
Deborah Wolfe: So that's what I want to say about ragdolls.
00:17:36.754 --> 00:17:47.434
Deborah Wolfe: And I think for the moment, we have finished talking about Meredith Grey and Benjamin Button and Olivia Benson.
00:17:47.434 --> 00:17:59.914
Deborah Wolfe: I think we're going to leave Taylor's cats for another day until she does something else that's so pro-cat that I'll have to mention her on the show because I'm quickly becoming a Swiftie fan now that she's into the cat rescue scene.
00:17:59.914 --> 00:18:01.014
Deborah Wolfe: Can't help it.
00:18:01.014 --> 00:18:02.334
Deborah Wolfe: And I love her music.
00:18:02.334 --> 00:18:10.454
Deborah Wolfe: So everybody out there who's interested in Taylor Swift, what you can do to show your appreciation for Taylor is do something for cats.
00:18:10.454 --> 00:18:11.974
Deborah Wolfe: Because that's her happy place.
00:18:11.974 --> 00:18:13.474
Deborah Wolfe: That's where her heart is.
00:18:13.474 --> 00:18:18.014
Deborah Wolfe: So if you want to do something for cats, get involved in cat rescue.
00:18:18.014 --> 00:18:20.694
Deborah Wolfe: givethem10.org is a great way to start.
00:18:20.694 --> 00:18:21.194
Deborah Wolfe: Check it out.
00:18:21.834 --> 00:18:23.414
Deborah Wolfe: givethem10.org.
00:18:23.414 --> 00:18:24.334
Deborah Wolfe: Check them out.
00:18:24.334 --> 00:18:27.634
Deborah Wolfe: And you can help cats right now, wherever you live.
00:18:27.634 --> 00:18:30.074
Deborah Wolfe: You can get connected to the cat rescues.
00:18:30.074 --> 00:18:32.994
Deborah Wolfe: You don't have to take in a cat, although that would be great.
00:18:32.994 --> 00:18:34.454
Deborah Wolfe: You could foster one.
00:18:34.454 --> 00:18:35.894
Deborah Wolfe: You don't have to do that though.
00:18:35.894 --> 00:18:43.054
Deborah Wolfe: You could just volunteer to stand at a booth or volunteer to drive a cat to the vet sometime or volunteer to do anything at all.
00:18:43.054 --> 00:18:45.374
Deborah Wolfe: Bring them blankets, anything.
00:18:45.374 --> 00:18:48.314
Deborah Wolfe: There's a lot of room to help in the cat world.
00:18:48.794 --> 00:18:51.534
Deborah Wolfe: So, givethem10.org is a great place to start.
00:18:51.534 --> 00:18:56.514
Deborah Wolfe: All right, everybody, we're going to go to break and come back and talk about the two-fold drop trick.
00:18:56.514 --> 00:18:59.214
Deborah Wolfe: Stay tuned on Animal Party, Pet Life Radio.
00:19:20.374 --> 00:19:20.854
Announcer: Thank you.
00:19:20.854 --> 00:19:23.894
Announcer: Thank you for your cats eating experience with the Cat Tree Tray.
00:19:29.254 --> 00:19:31.134
Announcer: For more luxury, go to www.cattreatrey.com.
00:19:32.914 --> 00:19:37.054
Announcer: Bring home a luxury French Bulldog from the world-famous Tom King's Kennel.
00:19:37.054 --> 00:19:40.454
Announcer: Premium French Bulldogs from excellent European bloodlines.
00:19:40.454 --> 00:19:45.074
Announcer: Superior puppy care and lifetime health guarantee for your perfect companion.
00:19:45.114 --> 00:19:48.934
Announcer: Use code TOMKINGSMAGIC for a magical holiday discount.
00:19:48.934 --> 00:19:53.634
Announcer: Visit www.tomkingskennel.com and find your perfect Frenchie today.
00:19:53.634 --> 00:19:56.194
Announcer: Your pets will be over the moon with sparkly jewelry.
00:19:56.534 --> 00:20:01.434
Announcer: From Over the Moon Jewelry, beautiful handcrafted matching jewelry for you and your pets.
00:20:01.434 --> 00:20:05.854
Announcer: Wire wrapped, beaded contemporary necklaces, bracelets and charms.
00:20:05.854 --> 00:20:07.514
Announcer: Go to overthemoonjewelry.com.
00:20:19.634 --> 00:20:24.074
Announcer: Let's Talk Pets on PetLife Radio.
00:20:24.074 --> 00:20:41.174
Deborah Wolfe: Hello, you're listening to Animal Party on PetLife Radio.
00:20:42.071 --> 00:20:44.951
Deborah Wolfe: We've all seen that person at the park.
00:20:44.951 --> 00:20:47.671
Deborah Wolfe: They throw the ball, and the dog runs and gets it.
00:20:47.671 --> 00:20:51.231
Deborah Wolfe: And the dog runs back, and then the dog goes, you can't catch me.
00:20:51.231 --> 00:20:56.331
Deborah Wolfe: And he dekes, and he moves, and the person lunges, and they miss.
00:20:56.331 --> 00:21:01.251
Deborah Wolfe: And maybe the dog drops it on the ground, and then just as the person goes to pick it up, the dog picks it up.
00:21:01.251 --> 00:21:04.551
Deborah Wolfe: Okay, the dog is playing with you, the game you should be playing with it.
00:21:05.051 --> 00:21:15.991
Deborah Wolfe: The dog is playing keep away and hog, and trying to get you interested in the ball, and the dog is showing you that that's game ball, game ball, game ball, game ball, and you're falling for it.
00:21:15.991 --> 00:21:17.291
Deborah Wolfe: Don't do that.
00:21:17.291 --> 00:21:31.191
Deborah Wolfe: What I like to do with a dog like that is I have at least two balls, maybe even three, and I put them in my pocket, two or three extra balls in my pocket, nice and clean, and he's got his stinky old gobby ball, it's all soggy and wet and foamy and gross.
00:21:31.191 --> 00:21:32.271
Deborah Wolfe: Yeah, that's his.
00:21:32.271 --> 00:21:33.771
Deborah Wolfe: Okay, that really is the game ball.
00:21:34.511 --> 00:21:35.971
Deborah Wolfe: But I can trick him.
00:21:35.971 --> 00:21:42.811
Deborah Wolfe: So what I do is I throw that sticky disgusting ball, or better yet, I hit it with a racket or a chuck it toy, so I don't have to touch it.
00:21:42.811 --> 00:21:51.951
Deborah Wolfe: And off he goes, and he gets it, and he comes running back, and I don't say good dog yet, because that would reward him for half the trick, but I might smile at him and encourage him.
00:21:51.951 --> 00:22:00.931
Deborah Wolfe: And as he gets really close, and I mean really close, couple feet away from me, four feet away from me, I show him that I have another ball.
00:22:00.971 --> 00:22:06.631
Deborah Wolfe: Ta-da, I pull it out of my pocket and I hold it up high, high in the air, and I show him.
00:22:06.631 --> 00:22:08.451
Deborah Wolfe: And he is stunned by this.
00:22:08.451 --> 00:22:10.031
Deborah Wolfe: He doesn't know what to do.
00:22:10.031 --> 00:22:15.351
Deborah Wolfe: Most of the time, he will drop his dirty ball right then and there and start staring at my ball.
00:22:15.351 --> 00:22:22.911
Deborah Wolfe: And then I will pick up his dirty ball, put my nice clean one back in my pocket and throw the dirty ball again and repeat.
00:22:22.911 --> 00:22:32.051
Deborah Wolfe: And I'll start introducing commands like drop, good boy, pick it up, sit, good boy, wait, good boy, okay, go.
00:22:32.051 --> 00:22:36.871
Deborah Wolfe: And then I throw it and do it again and do it again and do it again and do it again.
00:22:36.871 --> 00:22:41.451
Deborah Wolfe: And each time he tries to hold his ball and not give it back to me, I show him the new ball.
00:22:41.451 --> 00:22:46.331
Deborah Wolfe: Now, some dogs are pretty clever about this and they'll say, uh-uh, that's not game ball.
00:22:46.331 --> 00:22:47.891
Deborah Wolfe: My ball is game ball.
00:22:47.891 --> 00:22:49.691
Deborah Wolfe: And they'll start playing with it, right?
00:22:49.691 --> 00:22:55.591
Deborah Wolfe: They'll start dribbling it a little bit, like drop it, pick it up, drop it, pick it up or bounce it a little bit in their mouth.
00:22:55.591 --> 00:22:56.551
Deborah Wolfe: And they're trying to tease you.
00:22:57.011 --> 00:22:59.491
Deborah Wolfe: That's what I want you to do, okay?
00:22:59.491 --> 00:23:02.571
Deborah Wolfe: So he comes back and he's not really willing to drop it.
00:23:02.571 --> 00:23:06.251
Deborah Wolfe: And he's doing all this ne ne ne ne ne ne at you.
00:23:06.251 --> 00:23:13.291
Deborah Wolfe: So take the clean ball and pretend that it is the most fascinating ball you've ever seen.
00:23:13.291 --> 00:23:20.291
Deborah Wolfe: Throw it from one hand to another, bounce it in your hand, rub it on your jacket, play with it a bit.
00:23:20.291 --> 00:23:23.471
Deborah Wolfe: You might put it down, pick it up, put it down, pick it up, do what he does.
00:23:23.511 --> 00:23:33.611
Deborah Wolfe: You watch, he will drop his boring ball and he'll become interested in your interesting ball, your active ball, the ball you seem to want, the best ball, the game ball.
00:23:33.611 --> 00:23:40.411
Deborah Wolfe: That's when you pick up his dirty ball and you quickly put your clean one back in your pocket and you start over.
00:23:40.411 --> 00:23:42.411
Deborah Wolfe: That's the two ball drop trick.
00:23:42.411 --> 00:23:50.231
Deborah Wolfe: And if you want to see me demonstrate it with a bunch of different dogs, all are not willing to drop the ball at the beginning and by the end, they're doing it automatically.
00:23:50.791 --> 00:23:53.651
Deborah Wolfe: Check out Deb Wolfe Pet Expert on YouTube.
00:23:53.651 --> 00:23:57.151
Deborah Wolfe: So why am I forcing him to play the way I want to play?
00:23:57.151 --> 00:24:19.031
Deborah Wolfe: Because, because the dog who does this, especially if he's young, maybe between age two and eight, two and six, especially if he's a running breed, a sporting breed, a retrieving breed, a herding breed, any of these dogs, so we're talking pointers and German Shepherds and Spaniels and all of those dogs that are super, super fit.
00:24:19.371 --> 00:24:22.571
Deborah Wolfe: They are not benefiting from a game played wrong.
00:24:22.571 --> 00:24:28.671
Deborah Wolfe: What you really want when you only have 20 minutes before work is to have this dog run and run and run and run.
00:24:28.671 --> 00:24:33.251
Deborah Wolfe: So by the time you go home, his tongue's hanging out, he's totally happy and exhausted.
00:24:33.251 --> 00:24:37.091
Deborah Wolfe: He's had his morning workout and he's ready to sleep until you come home from work.
00:24:37.091 --> 00:24:45.211
Deborah Wolfe: What you don't want is a dog who da da da da da da da da dances around, it doesn't get a good workout and spends the whole time teasing you, right?
00:24:45.211 --> 00:24:46.731
Deborah Wolfe: That's not what you want.
00:24:46.731 --> 00:24:53.331
Deborah Wolfe: So in order for our dogs to get the exercise they need, especially the retrievers, they really need good fetch manners.
00:24:54.671 --> 00:24:59.591
Deborah Wolfe: You don't want them, you don't want to have to exercise as much as them, right?
00:24:59.591 --> 00:25:02.611
Deborah Wolfe: They're geared up for a lot more than us.
00:25:02.611 --> 00:25:16.151
Deborah Wolfe: Unless you're training for a marathon or something like that, unless you're an avid jogger and you go every day at the same time in a routine that can be counted on, where your dog can go, unless that's the case, you really need fetch and you need it good.
00:25:16.251 --> 00:25:23.531
Deborah Wolfe: You need them to bring it, drop it, wait, not bark at you incessantly, not try and steal it back from you, not run and play keep away.
00:25:23.531 --> 00:25:24.491
Deborah Wolfe: No, no, no, no.
00:25:24.491 --> 00:25:27.671
Deborah Wolfe: You need the dog to fetch, bring, drop, retreat.
00:25:27.671 --> 00:25:33.791
Deborah Wolfe: And the truth is, once they learn it, they like that way better than keep away and hog and all these other games.
00:25:33.791 --> 00:25:35.891
Deborah Wolfe: They really, really love fetch.
00:25:35.891 --> 00:25:38.591
Deborah Wolfe: But you just got to take the time to teach it to them.
00:25:38.591 --> 00:25:41.971
Deborah Wolfe: All right, everybody, that's our show for today.
00:25:41.971 --> 00:25:43.931
Deborah Wolfe: I just want to let you know where you can find me.
00:25:44.451 --> 00:25:48.391
Deborah Wolfe: Animal Party is on petliferadio.com where you can subscribe.
00:25:48.391 --> 00:25:55.351
Deborah Wolfe: But you can also find this show on iTunes and Spotify and everywhere podcasts play.
00:25:55.351 --> 00:25:58.631
Deborah Wolfe: I'd love it if you subscribe so you don't miss a show.
00:25:58.631 --> 00:26:05.811
Deborah Wolfe: But also on social media, you can find my training demos with real cats and real dogs, naughty ones.
00:26:05.811 --> 00:26:09.971
Deborah Wolfe: You can check that out at Deb Wolfe Pet Expert on YouTube.
00:26:09.971 --> 00:26:16.871
Deborah Wolfe: And for pet laughs and great social media posts, you can see Deb Wolfe Pet Expert on Facebook.
00:26:16.871 --> 00:26:22.551
Deborah Wolfe: Here at Animal Party, I welcome your pet questions, comments and guest suggestions.
00:26:22.551 --> 00:26:25.151
Deborah Wolfe: Especially if you have a pet problem.
00:26:25.151 --> 00:26:27.051
Deborah Wolfe: I'm begging you like a beagle.
00:26:27.071 --> 00:26:35.871
Deborah Wolfe: Please send me a voice clip message or text message to deb at petliferadio.com and I'll answer your question on the air.
00:26:35.871 --> 00:26:45.851
Deborah Wolfe: I can even, if you send me your contact information, we will try to arrange to speak with you off air, record it, and solve your problem together.
00:26:45.851 --> 00:26:52.811
Deborah Wolfe: If you're a first time listener, you can scroll through the older shows and find the topic or expert guest that really speaks to you.
00:26:52.811 --> 00:27:01.511
Deborah Wolfe: Maybe it's dog breed bands or the royal family pets, or pets in war zones, or how to train your cat to use a litter box.
00:27:01.511 --> 00:27:04.311
Deborah Wolfe: Whatever it is, you can find it on one of my old shows.
00:27:04.311 --> 00:27:07.751
Deborah Wolfe: And they're all there at petliferadio.com.
00:27:07.751 --> 00:27:18.471
Deborah Wolfe: So I hope you'll tune in wherever you listen to podcasts, to Animal Party on Pet Life Radio, and from me to Deb Wolfe and Animal Party, be good to your animals.
00:27:18.471 --> 00:27:20.591
Deborah Wolfe: Oh, and my lap is okay.
00:27:20.591 --> 00:27:25.211
Deborah Wolfe: Thanks to the listener who told me the other day, I'm gonna add one more thing.
00:27:25.211 --> 00:27:26.591
Deborah Wolfe: All right, everybody.
00:27:26.591 --> 00:27:28.711
Deborah Wolfe: Ciao, meow.
00:27:28.771 --> 00:27:34.671
Announcer: Let's Talk Pets, every week, on demand, only on petliferadio.com.