44. The Magic of Broadway Pets and Dancing Dogs for the Holidays

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00:00:05:07 - 00:00:23:22
Music
A jin- jingle bells, jingle Bells hails a large and bright Kristen and Chris bring joy to life. Cats in stockings, dogs and sleighs, pets add life for the holidays. From meows to woofs

00:00:23:24 - 00:00:24:27
Music
And little squeaks.

00:00:24:27 - 00:00:42:13
Music
We’ll deck the halls with guests unique. Let's sing to you in a furry crew. It's a jolly good time just for you.

00:00:42:15 - 00:00:58:01
Kristen
Oh boy. That intro haha. Well, welcome to a very special holiday edition of the Pets at Live podcast. I'm your host, Kristen Levine, and I'm here with my always jolly co-host, the one and only Chris Bonifati. Hi, Chris.

00:00:58:06 - 00:01:20:24
Chris
I'm so excited! Ho ho ho! Happy holidays and all I want for Christmas is an incredible episode of Pets Add Life. And lucky for me and everybody listening, we've got this awesome episode lined up full of song, dance and holiday cheer to put you all into the spirit of the holidays.

00:01:20:26 - 00:01:38:14
Kristen
Yes, and the good news is, the song and dance will not be coming from Chris and I. We're actually bring you. We're actually going to bring you the magic of Broadway and the wonder of dancing dogs right to your ears and eyes. If you're watching this show, with two really awesome guests.

00:01:38:16 - 00:01:50:29
Chris
Yeah. First we're going to hear from Bill baloney, who is the dog trainer for Broadway. And you get to say that because you ask anybody in the industry and it's just him it we're talking.

00:01:51:05 - 00:01:51:22
Kristen
It's nobody.

00:01:51:22 - 00:02:01:19
Chris
I'm Annie, we're talking Toto from The Wizard of Oz. If you have seen a dog performing in New York, you have seen one of Bill's dogs.

00:02:01:22 - 00:02:27:00
Kristen
Yeah, I'm excited to talk to him. And as if that isn't festive enough, we've also we're also going to be joined by Roni Soggy. She's the international dog dancing sensation, and America's Got Talent 2024 runner up. So she's going to be with us, hopefully with her incredible border collie rhythm. She's been dazzling audiences with, her performances that are just they're they're really perfect for this holiday magic show.

00:02:27:02 - 00:02:50:00
Chris
They absolutely are. We were watching some of her videos and all I have to say is Tiger and I, we don't got it like that. We do not. We just we. You don't want to see that. So luckily, like Kristen said, you don't have to deal with with with Prince and tiger dancing. But maybe Ronnie can inspire us to add some rhythm to our holiday season.

00:02:50:03 - 00:03:02:03
Kristen
Yeah, absolutely. We're going to leave the dancing to rhythm for now, but there's plenty of holiday joy to go around. So grab your pets, get a warm cup of cocoa, and, settle in for this festive episode.

00:03:02:07 - 00:03:18:26
Chris
And that's right. Whether you're trimming the tree, wrapping your presents, snuggling with your furry friend, drinking some cocoa, sharing stories or laughter, or maybe a few happy tears, we are here for you. Happy holidays! From the whole Pets Add Life team,

00:03:18:28 - 00:03:23:22
Voice Over
Kristen and Chris present story time.

00:03:23:24 - 00:03:48:21
Kristen
Okay Chris, so I have a really heartwarming story for this show today and as you might imagine, so I and I think we've talked about this before, you've heard of home for the holidays? It's it's an adoption campaign that happens every year. This is actually the 25th year. And, started in 1999. It was created by the Helen Woodward Animal Center.

00:03:48:24 - 00:04:01:00
Kristen
And, they have they have over the past 25 years, they have placed, let's see, 20 million pets since the beginning of this campaign.

00:04:01:00 - 00:04:01:11
Chris
That's a big.

00:04:01:11 - 00:04:23:07
Kristen
Number. That's that's an incredible number. And I just thought I'd hop over to their website to see where they're at for this year. And there are 4000 animal shelters across the U.S that are participating in the home for the holidays campaign. And so far, they have found homes for 419,119 pets.

00:04:23:08 - 00:04:23:26
Chris
Wow.

00:04:24:01 - 00:04:45:12
Kristen
So I think that's pretty awesome. And it goes all the way through the end of the year. And there's lots of ways you can get involved. Obviously, you can adopt a pet, which would be wonderful if you're able to do that. And if you do, they encourage you to share your story and your photos on social media with the hashtag I chose to rescue.

00:04:45:14 - 00:05:04:15
Kristen
You can also make donations to the home for the holidays, event. And they, as you might imagine, they do get the vast majority of their dollars donated during the season. So, if you can't adopt, you can donate. And of course, you can also volunteer for your local shelter. This is a busy time for shelters.

00:05:04:15 - 00:05:15:24
Kristen
Lots of people are adopting. So, yeah, you can get involved in home for the holidays, whether you're ready to adopt or not, but I just thought I'd start us off with some really great news. Almost half a million pets have been adopted.

00:05:15:27 - 00:05:45:21
Chris
That's amazing. And I'm going to go ahead. I'm going to piggy back the good news, but in a different lane, in a different light. Okay. So, a a, sustainable packaging company just ran a study in Europe about, some pet parents purchasing decisions. And what they found is that 69% of European pet owners say that the sustainability of the packaging is a key factor when selecting pet food.

00:05:45:24 - 00:06:01:05
Chris
So 20% of owners reported purchasing healthier food for their cats. The same went for for dogs around the same number. But the lead driving factor is packaging, which is incredible.

00:06:01:07 - 00:06:03:05
Kristen
Really.

00:06:03:08 - 00:06:33:17
Chris
I've always said that we're not going to find sustainability in the pet industry until it becomes a defining factor. When people vote with their dollars and it seems like that's finally happening. I've noticed it here in the United States. The change in packaging in tigers, dry food from that really thick, you know, open it up with a pair of scissors, kind of stick to almost like real, cardboard, like compostable paper based, thing.

00:06:33:19 - 00:07:04:14
Chris
And while I'll say that wasn't necessarily the deciding factor, it is nice knowing that each bag I buy is going to be compostable. So sustainability is is absolutely driving forward. In the United States, it's reported that 76% of pet owners consider, whether their product is sustainable when choosing pet food. And consumers, generally speaking, are trusting claims about the recyclability.

00:07:04:16 - 00:07:24:18
Chris
And less plastic and less packaging. So, you know, this is great work. I know the Pet Sustainability Pet Sustainability Coalition here in the United States is making a big push to have some of the larger brands consider sustainability, and those brands are going to get on board when they see some of this research about consumer habits.

00:07:24:20 - 00:07:44:20
Chris
Because at the end of the day, it comes down to that bottom line in the pet industry for a lot of these things. That's true. So, so some great, great uplifting news. And if you are out there and you're one of those people home for the holidays, you're adopting a new pet. I hope that sustainability crosses your mind when you're making those first decisions on what?

00:07:44:20 - 00:07:48:06
Chris
You're going to get that new animal hooked on.

00:07:48:09 - 00:07:51:04
Kristen
Yeah, that's a great update, Chris. Thanks for that.

00:07:51:07 - 00:07:56:00
Voice Over
Beyond the Leash exploring the untold stories of pet passion and professionalism.

00:07:56:03 - 00:08:22:00
Kristen
We are beyond thrilled to welcome Bill baloney, our legendary animal trainer, behaviorist, and Tony Award honoree. Now, Bill's journey began when he was just 20 years old, tasked with finding and training a dog to play Sandy in the original production of Annie. Now, what made this role revolutionary was that it required an animal actor to perform live night after night, under the bright lights of Broadway, something that had never been done before.

00:08:22:03 - 00:08:51:15
Kristen
So since then, Bill has transformed the way that animals are featured in theater, television and film, working exclusively with rescued animals and developing groundbreaking, breaking, humane training techniques. Bill's career includes iconic productions from The Ferryman and Peter Pan, live to The Leftovers and Disney's Frenemies. And offstage, Bill is an advocate for animal welfare, providing a retirement home for his performing stars on his farm in Connecticut.

00:08:51:15 - 00:08:53:19
Kristen
Welcome, Bill.

00:08:53:21 - 00:08:56:15
Bill
Thank you. Great to be here.

00:08:56:18 - 00:09:15:19
Kristen
We are so honored to to have you. And, you know, we have so many questions. But let me just start off with this one. You know, looking back at that first that first opportunity you had to train a dog for Broadway, what were the biggest challenges facing you?

00:09:15:21 - 00:09:19:24
Bill
Outside of the fact that I didn't want to be a dog trainer.

00:09:19:26 - 00:09:23:13
Roni
Yeah. Besides that.

00:09:23:15 - 00:09:23:24
Chris
I mean.

00:09:23:24 - 00:09:51:11
Bill
As the story goes, I was, working as an apprentice, building scenery in the theater, the Goodspeed Opera House, where Annie was originally done, and they couldn't afford a dog trainer. And everybody on the paid staff threatened to quit. So the producer needed someone he could trick into getting the dog. And the producer knew I wanted to be an actor, so he called me in his office and offered me a part in the show if I would find and train a dog for it.

00:09:51:13 - 00:10:12:23
Bill
Which I readily agreed to at 19 years old. And he gave me $35 to buy the dog and train it for the show. And I went to the shelter and I found the original Sandy. But so it was I didn't go into it with a plan. It was, what have I gotten myself into? And I just went back to my childhood.

00:10:12:26 - 00:10:31:04
Bill
I'm an only child. I grew up on a farm. My companions were my dog, my cat, and my rabbit until I went to kindergarten, you know, so I. And I remember having a very fun childhood. So I must have learned how to play their games as opposed to insisting to play human games because they were never unleashed.

00:10:31:04 - 00:10:53:19
Bill
They were never in cages or pens. I mean, pictures of me in the front yard with these animals just hanging out. So I thought if I could create a situation where the animals. Sandy thought the stage was his home and the actors were his family, and this was fun, maybe he would stay there. And so those are the things I applied.

00:10:53:21 - 00:11:13:26
Chris
Yeah. I mean, you've obviously got a natural knack for this, and it's it's not just dogs. You train all sorts of animals. So my question is, what is the most, challenging animal you worked with? Or maybe peculiar animal? And, what are some of the approaches you take with animals who may not respond to training as naturally as a dog?

00:11:13:28 - 00:11:31:06
Bill
You know, I look at the, I study what their natural instincts are, and then you meet the animal. Because every animal, every human has a personality. And then I try to take what would please them and make them feel comfortable and turn that into the training program. So. But I would say cats are the most difficult.

00:11:31:06 - 00:11:48:07
Bill
I mean, although they're domesticated, they don't want really a whole lot of people things. So whereas, you know, birds and sheep and other farm animals are pretty food motivated and will do a lot of things for food.

00:11:48:10 - 00:11:50:10
Roni
Yeah.

00:11:50:12 - 00:12:10:05
Kristen
Well, one of my favorite parts of your story is, is that you've been a lifelong advocate for rescue animals, and many of your star performers came from shelters. So could you share maybe one of the most heartwarming success stories of an animal that you've rescued and trained for a role?

00:12:10:07 - 00:12:40:10
Bill
I mean, I've probably trained 250 to 300 dogs in my career who have been rescues, the most famous of which was the original Sandy. And, you know, you never forget your first. But what was unique about him was that he's the longest running animal on Broadway. He did 2333 performances of the show. Wow. Which meant that every night he showed up and wanted to have a good time.

00:12:40:13 - 00:13:07:12
Bill
So to me, that's a kind of a a testament to the fact he was happy at what we were doing. So those are my favorites. In the last ten years, my wife and I have developed a new musical based on the book. Because of Winn-Dixie, and we wanted to prove to the theater world that a dog could actually star in a show.

00:13:07:15 - 00:13:34:20
Bill
It. And we've done four out of town tryouts. And the dog, his name is bowtie. He's a rescue. He's a big doodle. But he started with Dixie. He had 123 cues, and it took four trainers to execute it. But he also was in Peter Pan live. He was the dog in a series called High Maintenance. He was recently on, Bumpus, the, the NBC show.

00:13:34:20 - 00:13:51:02
Bill
He played Joe Pesci's dog. So he's had a great television career. And it's recognizable. And that's the thing is, when the recognizable, I could say, well, you could have adopted him before I do. And it sort of drives that, you know, there are wonderful animals waiting to be adopted that that point home.

00:13:51:04 - 00:14:21:19
Chris
So you were talking a lot about, building relationships. And clearly you have a keen mind for building relationships with these animals. And it being Christmas time, we have a lot of people listening who may be welcoming a new animal into their home. So my question to you is, do you have any advice for people who, may be listening and thinking, wow, that sounds like a really awesome, holistic way to, train and develop a relationship with an animal.

00:14:21:21 - 00:14:45:24
Bill
Actually, I it, I worry sometimes when animals are presented as gifts, you know, because animals are scenting beings, you know, we don't marry someone because we see them and think they're cute and just get into the relationship. But people see dogs and they're puppies and they're cute and they go, oh, isn't that be great?

00:14:45:27 - 00:15:20:11
Bill
And not take into consideration is a puppy right for the family right now? Is the breed right for your lifestyle? Is, you know, when it grows up, who's going to take care of it? Those are the questions that, if they're not answered correctly upfront, are the reasons most animals end up in animal shelters. So, you know, my hope would be that if you have decided to present an animal as a gift, you have talked to the gift and you've really talked about what would be right for your family or for your situation, and then provided the animal that would work.

00:15:20:13 - 00:15:37:09
Bill
Because it's just like me. You know, some trainers may say you could train any animal to do anything. I disagree, you know, I'm sure both of you are talented people. And I could teach you to do tap dance, but if you don't have the personality to do it on stage, you know you're not going to do it.

00:15:37:09 - 00:15:58:00
Bill
And it's the same with my animals. I, I find animals who have the right personality and temperament to be in front of crowds to deal with a lot of people. So, so the Christmas idea of of pets, again, I hope people have done their homework and they've it's a group decision. And not just, here. Isn't this cute?

00:15:58:02 - 00:16:01:26
Bill
Because a lot of those situations don't always work out.

00:16:01:28 - 00:16:22:22
Kristen
Yeah. That's so true. Bill, I started out my career working for an animal shelter, and we used to ban holiday adoptions for that very reason that those bands have been lifted. But, you make an excellent point. I wanted to go back, going back to your career, which spans decades and, and, formats from Broadway to film to television.

00:16:22:24 - 00:16:31:14
Kristen
Have you seen the role of animals in entertainment evolve over the years, and where do you see it going in the future?

00:16:31:16 - 00:17:02:29
Bill
I do see change. In 1977, when Annie opened, you know, there were only two dogs that were rescues that were working in entertainment, Sandy and Benji. And over the years now I know that many, many trainers, many, many shows people are certainly in my profession using more rescue animals. And I think the adoption rate has gone up because of that general, idea that animal rescue animals are okay.

00:17:03:01 - 00:17:34:28
Bill
The other thing is, obviously we're actualizing as a society to be less cruel to animals, and certainly, in my business, in the entertainment business, there's no laws protecting animals. There are no unions protecting animals. So it's up to the individual trainers to advocate for humane treatment on set. And while there's this great group called the American Humane Association who is on set monitoring, they don't have any law enforcement, capability.

00:17:35:01 - 00:17:52:10
Bill
They can't even turn behavior into the law because they've signed a non-disclosure agreement. So I'm I'm feeling better that productions trainers are becoming more open about how this process is done, because the more open we are about it, the more people don't have to worry about the welfare of animals in entertainment.

00:17:52:10 - 00:18:20:03
Chris
Yeah. And that's I mean, that is always going to be a concern is, you know, how are these these animals treated. So I'm, you know, just the curious mind, that I am in your mind. What what what's that look like? You know, what's the what's a day on set look like for a dog when everything is going well and, they're being treated the way that they should be.

00:18:20:05 - 00:18:52:00
Bill
That's a great question, because. And this is the the the fight I've been fighting all my life. Animals in the entertainment industry are considered props. Props are inanimate objects that are handled by actors. So, nine calls out of ten, I get called by prop master, the guys who provide those things saying, we need a dog to do this, and it's it's one thing to provide a prop, it's another thing to provide performance.

00:18:52:00 - 00:19:10:09
Bill
And I'm providing a performance. So when I ask them all, what does the director want or what do we expect or what's the environment? They don't know. So unless you really are persistent and you have good relationships, sometimes you're walking into situations where the prop guy has said, yeah, the dog just has to stand on the street.

00:19:10:12 - 00:19:32:06
Bill
You show up with a golden retriever and he forgets to tell you or doesn't know that there are guns going off and there's a gunfight, you know? And so at that point, the animal trainer has to either step away and say, we can't do this. And so you you're uninformed. So it's but but as I've gotten into the later part of my career, I'm able to not be hired by prop people.

00:19:32:06 - 00:19:52:03
Bill
I'm hired by directors and hired by producers, and it become part of the creative process because I'm providing an on camera performance. So if I could deal with the people who are doing the on camera performances, I can provide a trained animal. If I'm dealing with the people who build the sets, they don't ultimately have the artistic vision that is needed.

00:19:52:06 - 00:20:21:09
Bill
And that's where my career 33 Broadway shows and in a theater situation, everybody's in the same room. Directors, producers, actors, and we all collaborate to the ultimate project. So I'm I've been successful in theater, but the film industry, again, if you're not a union member, and I'll tell you a little story. I mean, I just done season three of And Just Like That, which is the sex and the city sequel, and one of the characters, Charlotte, has a dog and her name is Meryl.

00:20:21:09 - 00:20:32:29
Bill
She plays Richard Burton. We have done nine out of ten episodes on each season, and we're not invited to the wrap party. Why?

00:20:32:29 - 00:20:33:21
Kristen
Wow.

00:20:33:24 - 00:20:53:16
Bill
Because we're not part of the crew. We're not a union member. And so it's just sort of that sort of attitude and trying to say they're living things, guys. So if I need a dressing room, that's quiet dressing room, why do you need a dressing room for the dog so that when it's not on camera, it can rest, it can be calm.

00:20:53:19 - 00:21:11:09
Bill
You put that animal in a public place and it's, you know, waiting for hours, and then you try to put it on set. It's going to be unraveled. The holding area has to be air conditioned or heated. Have to has air conditioning. Why? Because in July and in Manhattan, while we're waiting to go on set, it's 100 degrees out.

00:21:11:09 - 00:21:30:20
Bill
The animals can overheat. I mean, those sort of considerations are the ones that animal trainers in our industry and film and television have to ask for upfront. And if I can tell you, if a production isn't willing to even provide the minimum wage, what we're doing, where we're doing it, and a holding place that's quiet and cool, I don't take the job.

00:21:30:20 - 00:21:39:08
Bill
I, you know, you have to be able to know that it's better to protect the animal than to show up and have the animal harmed.

00:21:39:10 - 00:22:00:06
Kristen
Wow. That's that's an incredible story. Thank goodness for people like you and the trainers that obviously are advocating for the animals. And hopefully, you know, hopefully things will change for the better. I wanted to ask you about your, current projects. And also you have a book out called Broadway Tales. Can you tell us a little bit about that?

00:22:00:09 - 00:22:26:13
Bill
Broadway Tales is is a rescue book. It's an autobiography of, all the Broadway shows I've done and the rescue stories connected with each one of them. It's what I. That edition you have up was the first edition, and there were 19 chapters. When I did another six Broadway shows, the publisher allowed me to write six more chapters.

00:22:26:15 - 00:22:47:23
Bill
And the third edition has come out, and, you know, now there are 30 chapters again, because they continue to rescue dogs for these projects. And again, it's a little bit of that backstage story, you know, I mean, it all has a happy ending. The animals are rescued and they succeed. But but it shows how people don't think of animals always in the right light.

00:22:47:23 - 00:23:13:15
Bill
And and the struggles that I have to go to to succeed. There's a chapter where I walked out of a show the first night, because they were treating the animals not well, and the producer called, and fortunately the person said they don't even, like, get around to signing your contract. So the night I walked out and the producer threatened to sue me, I said, first off, we don't have a contract.

00:23:13:17 - 00:23:33:00
Bill
And secondly, I could take this this dispute to the press if you want, and we could try it in the court of public opinion. Or we could say we're splitting because of artistic differences. So Broadway tails, rescue stories inside. Look at animals on Broadway and entertainment. And something I'm particularly proud of.

00:23:33:02 - 00:23:56:15
Chris
Yeah. And, you know, we mentioned it briefly at the top of the show, but you actually provide a bit of a retirement home for some of these rescues and animals that you, work with. So, my question is, how many animals do you have, over there in Connecticut and what's life like, with so many, furry pals running around?

00:23:56:17 - 00:24:20:25
Bill
Well, currently we own 30 dogs. And they all live in the house with us. And they're, they're from dogs and training to the working guys who are paying the mortgage to the group who are older, retired, and, and when I say 30 dogs in my house, I imagine people thinking like, is this a hoarding situation?

00:24:20:28 - 00:24:41:04
Bill
But actually, in 2016, Discovery Channel came to me and asked if they could do a reality show about our lives. And I said yes immediately, and I because I had nothing to hide, you know? And the way they live in our house, our house is designed so that there are areas for all of them to live and coexist and be with us.

00:24:41:04 - 00:25:03:24
Bill
And, you know, and we're on 90 acres where they can bark and make all the noise they want, and nobody's going to complain. So it's, you know, we call it a farm, but it's a house with a lot of dogs. And, again, the show was called from Rags to Riches with Bill baloney. So if you want to see the way we live, just look it up on Amazon Prime and you could watch it.

00:25:03:24 - 00:25:26:02
Bill
So, But yeah, they are, when you adopt an animal and you're an adoption advocate, you have you have to commit to them to give them a forever home. Adopting an animal, exploiting it for money, and then getting rid of it is just as bad as any other type of neglect in my in my eyes.

00:25:26:04 - 00:25:35:24
Bill
So that's why we every dog we adopt, we we give a forever home too. And so yeah, all of them end up here.

00:25:35:26 - 00:26:03:00
Kristen
That's great. That's really great news. So, my, I had to mute myself because my dog was auditioning for you, Bill. She, And I probably speak for Chris when I say that I will never watch another film, television series, or a theater production that has an animal in it. The same again. I will always be thinking about the stories you told and and the incredible effort that goes into caring for those dogs or cats or whatever the animal may be.

00:26:03:00 - 00:26:13:24
Kristen
So I really appreciate you sharing your stories with us. And, and yeah, check out the, the series From Rags to Riches. Or the book Broadway Tales.

00:26:13:24 - 00:26:26:02
Chris
Yeah. Thanks so much for taking the time out of what I'm sure is a busy and hectic schedule. Yes. Bill, this was absolutely. This is. This is what I wanted for Christmas. Awesome. Guest on the podcast. I thank you so much for taking the time.

00:26:26:02 - 00:26:47:08
Bill
Today I'm going to plug two more projects. We're doing two Broadway plays. The revival of Gypsy, starring Audra McDonald, is open with our dogs in it, and a new play called Left on 10th with Julianna margulies and Peter Gallagher, directed by David Ephron. So we have two shows running in New York City. If you come to Broadway, come and see these great pieces.

00:26:47:11 - 00:27:01:07
Chris
That's that's awesome. So, yeah, if you're in New York City for the holidays or New Year's, I go ahead and check out what I'm sure will be these amazing productions, especially if Bill is involved because like he said, he's willing to walk people. He's willing to walk.

00:27:01:07 - 00:27:02:13
Roni
So that's right. Yeah.

00:27:02:18 - 00:27:06:02
Chris
Thanks again so much, Bill, and happy holidays.

00:27:06:04 - 00:27:08:11
Bill
Thank you to.

00:27:08:13 - 00:27:12:27
Kristen
Wow. He was a great interview. Great job. Run our producer for booking him.

00:27:12:27 - 00:27:28:10
Chris
Yeah what a big guest. And hey I got a little note here from Bill on his way out. He is, he wants everybody to go ahead, follow him on Instagram. He's going to be tagged in the show notes and all the reels and stuff. And he even said, hey, if we didn't get to some of your questions, he loves talking about this stuff.

00:27:28:15 - 00:27:36:10
Chris
So go ahead and shoot him a DM. If you don't, you're burning Broadway questions. He asked for it so you don't have to feel bad.

00:27:36:12 - 00:27:44:08
Kristen
All right, well, continuing with our star studded cast for today's show guests, you're going to love this next one.

00:27:44:11 - 00:28:12:08
Chris
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, we're all about song and dance here. And who knew that there are dogs out there who are better dancers than Chris? We're going to hear all about this, amazing performer. Straight from her own mouth. And I've watched some of the videos. I guess I can't wait to pick, Ronnie's brain. So, without further ado, let's go ahead and jump into this one.

00:28:12:10 - 00:28:50:03
Chris
We are so excited to welcome our next guest, Ronnie Siggy, an internationally acclaimed dog trainer, performer, and founder of the Katana Dog Dancing School. Alongside her incredible border collie rhythm, Ronnie has captivated audiences worldwide, most recently as the 2024 runner up on America's Got Talent. I told you, we're getting star power this episode. Ronnie's unique blend of dance training and artistry transforms traditional dog routines into breathtaking duets, creating an emotional connection that has to be seen to believed.

00:28:50:03 - 00:29:12:18
Chris
And I've seen the videos, folks, we're not lying. With international accolades, including the second vice champion at the OEC Championships in 2022 and top placements in 2021 and 2023, Ronnie has become a trailblazer in the world of canine freestyle. Ronnie, thank you so much for joining the Pets Add Life podcast.

00:29:12:20 - 00:29:15:03
Roni
Thank you for having me here. I'm so happy.

00:29:15:06 - 00:29:39:19
Chris
Yeah, of course, it's an absolute pleasure. And so to jump right in your journey from professional dance to dog training and ultimately dog dancing is obviously, incredibly unique. So how did you first, discover this new school of dance, this new, art? And, what made you realize that this was your calling? Not just for yourself, but also for your dog rhythm?

00:29:39:27 - 00:29:41:15
Chris
Yeah.

00:29:41:17 - 00:30:07:28
Roni
So. And in 2017, I was studying to be a dog trainer and to train dogs to be service dogs and therapy dogs. And one of the days when I was in the school for dog training, I encountered a video on YouTube. That video name was, Sandra and the the European Championship dog dance. And the first thing I was like, what do you mean?

00:30:07:28 - 00:30:34:00
Roni
There's the European Championship for a dog? Then how did I not know that before? Like, I grew up with dogs. I grew up dancing. How did I not know that I could dance with my dog before? It doesn't make sense. And immediately I was okay. I watched the video, I started crying, it got me so emotional, like it was so intense to watch the relationship, the bond between the handler and the dog.

00:30:34:03 - 00:30:55:18
Roni
And I just had to do it. And then I just started like, trying to figure out how to do it. I was taking online courses, online lessons and, and flying to Europe to try and find out what, what I need to do to actually dance with my dog. And from that point, the journey started.

00:30:55:20 - 00:31:22:18
Kristen
But the rest is history. So, so speaking of figuring out how to do it, you know that Chris and I were watching some of the videos before, and the, the, the the routines that you're doing, the rhythm are so fluid, like they feel like a true duet. And I was just wondering, what's your approach to choreographing these performances and how do you train rhythm to move so naturally with you?

00:31:22:20 - 00:31:43:07
Roni
So I think first of all, the most important thing for me is that the dog will have fun, you know? I mean, yeah, we're doing something that is meant to be a way to bond with your dog and to try and find something in common and create a common language with your dog. So if the dog's not having enough fun, you're going to see it also when you're dancing with him.

00:31:43:09 - 00:32:07:01
Roni
And it's really important to, to tricks that he enjoys doing and choosing the moves that he feel comfortable about and not trying to push him to do something that he's not ready to do. You know, because it's really important that he's enjoying the process. Because the dog is not enjoying is not a good performer. Also, and we have to consider that when we're building up a choreography.

00:32:07:04 - 00:32:31:03
Roni
And then the second part of actually creating it with the music and flow, I think that's my talent, actually, you know, because, it comes it's just like, I'm not thinking, oh, maybe here this week become like this and then this will work. Just I hear it in music. I know the dog and I have a vision. And then it's about bringing that vision to life.

00:32:31:06 - 00:32:45:06
Chris
Yeah, absolutely. And, you know, you say that your mission is to create the feeling of two humans dancing together. But obviously a dog is not a human. So how.

00:32:45:09 - 00:32:55:09
Chris
So how do you achieve such a seamless, partnership between you and rhythm? And, and that sense, when you're watching it, that they're two equal performers?

00:32:55:12 - 00:33:20:25
Roni
I think it's, first of all, about knowing the style of movement of your dog, you know, because each dog is moving differently. Each dog has its own, rhythm inside of him. And each dog, either faster or slower or prancing more, or maybe going a bit slower when he's walking. Or if you have a small dog, he's like more bouncy most of the time.

00:33:20:28 - 00:33:46:02
Roni
And it's about understanding what the style of movement of your dog in trying to adjust your movement to it so that it looks like it's really, harmonic together. And then once you're doing that, it's about showing the best qualities of your dog. So if your dog is a great jumper, is showing him jumping, and if your dog is really good in this stunt work, show that he can make that distance work.

00:33:46:05 - 00:33:58:05
Roni
And after you finish choreographing for the dog, take a look at yourself. Make sure that you're happy with how you're looking. You know the choreography and you know it's just about teamwork.

00:33:58:07 - 00:34:03:01
Kristen
Wow. You make it sound like anybody can learn to dance with their dog.

00:34:03:03 - 00:34:12:10
Roni
Anybody can learn to dance with you. They got to hear that, to listen. That's the whole point of going dance. Anyone can do it. Yeah.

00:34:12:12 - 00:34:31:07
Kristen
And I have another question. As you were explaining, you know, the process of the training and making sure the dog is happy and and the practice. But then you're in all these competitions and on stage and you had lights, camera, action. How do you prepare rhythm for that environment?

00:34:31:09 - 00:34:53:26
Roni
I think there is not really like a way to prepare a dog for that. You know, it's you can take a dog out, you can socialize and then you can try to training in, nervous environments and you can try to, work on his, stamina, like mental stamina and also like, physical stamina. And you can do your best.

00:34:53:29 - 00:35:13:26
Roni
But at the end of the day, if freedom would have shown me that he's not really comfortable on that stage, he wouldn't be there. I would never do that to a dog, not to him and not to any other dog, and also not to my students dogs. I mean, it's really important that a dog feels comfortable wherever he is.

00:35:13:28 - 00:35:38:08
Chris
Yeah, I absolutely agree. And you know, you teach a lot of this at the top of your, training school. We showed a couple clips of the website, and, you know, you have such a wonderful way of explaining to pet parents how to bond with their dog. So what are some of the, biggest lessons that you teach about, that connection between, the dance and the training and trust?

00:35:38:08 - 00:35:40:09
Chris
Ultimately.

00:35:40:11 - 00:36:06:18
Roni
I think my first and most important motto I'm trying to teach to people is that if your dog is not having fun, you're doing it wrong. Like that's the most important thing to remember. And then the second thing to remember is that they don't owe us anything. Our dogs, they don't have to do it. We cannot force them into doing it.

00:36:06:20 - 00:36:32:02
Roni
You cannot look at a dog and tell them, now dance with me, because that's not what he was meant to do. He was meant to be a dog. And you know, we can take their, natural empathy and their natural desires and incorporate them into our work together with them and into training together and having fun together. But you have to respect your dog, and that's more important than anything.

00:36:32:02 - 00:36:52:09
Roni
You know, you can have a dream about dancing with the dog, and your dog is not interested in it. So maybe you can teach him some tricks. Maybe you can do some sequences, maybe you'll even be able to do a small, choreography. But if your dog is not really into it, you cannot force him to do it.

00:36:52:09 - 00:36:58:08
Roni
You have to respect what he wants. That's more important than anything else that we want.

00:36:58:10 - 00:37:11:11
Kristen
Yeah. So true. So let's talk about rhythm a little bit more. He's become very popular. Fans adore his model walk. Can you tell us more about, rhythms personality off stage?

00:37:11:13 - 00:37:37:03
Roni
Oh, my God, he's a comedian and he's what dog? Really? He's a comedian. He's the funniest dog in the world. He is so energetic and he's always so happy to do something together. Always like giving. Not like 100%, but 1,000,000% of himself to anything he does. You're like calling him in the street. And he's like, once, okay?

00:37:37:04 - 00:38:05:04
Roni
They don't need to. They me all that. I'm interested in doing something fun together. He doesn't sleep like he doesn't sleep if he's outside and he's great. Or if I'm not sleeping, he doesn't sleep. He needs to know that nothing is happening like he has, like, the biggest following the world. Oh, he's not worried. Maybe something's going to happen, and then he's going to look like he's going to miss out on it.

00:38:05:06 - 00:38:30:05
Roni
But he's also super cuddly and he laughs, like just coming and being next to me and giving me small kisses and playing with the other dogs that I have and the rest of the pack. And he's playful and friendly and never goes into trouble with other dogs or other creatures or animals. Like he's just he's living his best life and he's happy to do it.

00:38:30:07 - 00:38:35:23
Roni
You know, this isn't he's amazing. I love him and he's, like, the most incredible partner in the world.

00:38:35:25 - 00:38:41:17
Chris
They say that, everybody thinks they have the best dog in the world, and everybody is right.

00:38:41:19 - 00:38:44:02
Roni
Yeah, definitely. That's good to.

00:38:44:02 - 00:39:09:22
Chris
Know that despite being such a big star, he's still just a border collie at heart and very excited about everything. But to to bring the focus back on to you, Roni, this is, you know, dance is, such a joyful and uplifting art, especially for the performer. And so what are some of the most rewarding aspects of sharing your talent with your dog?

00:39:09:22 - 00:39:14:15
Chris
And sort of, you know, what do you get out of it at the end of the day?

00:39:14:18 - 00:39:36:01
Roni
I think that there is the first thing that it's about knowing that you were able to create a language with your dog and, you know, like even between people, we speak the same language and we're not always able to communicate and like explain ourselves and be clear about what we want and really coming to understandings about what we're doing together in life.

00:39:36:03 - 00:39:57:07
Roni
And then suddenly I think, is creature a dog who doesn't speak English? She doesn't speak like nothing human. He's not even life. He's not a human. And then we can create a language together. And that's incredible because we're creating something that was never there before. You know, like with each dog, it's something new. Each dog kind of like bring something new into this communication.

00:39:57:09 - 00:40:22:23
Roni
And it's a whole other level of communicating with your best friend. And then adding to that, the fact that we're able to create art together. And, you know, for me, that's the most amazing, amazing thing he did. I know how much dancing has helped me to express myself. And the last thing is we get to put smiles on people's faces all over the world.

00:40:22:23 - 00:40:42:21
Roni
You know, like even on the worst days. I know that if I'm just like sending like a video on Instagram or just posting some things, I'm getting so many messages about how people are just going into my account just to have a smile on their face. If they're having a bad day, they're going into my account to watch the video.

00:40:42:23 - 00:41:01:29
Roni
If you're not sure about what they want to do with their dog, we're going in there to get inspiration. If they're just feeling like they need something to to make them happier, that it's like we have the opportunity to make so many people around the world just a little bit happy, just by watching us for two minutes. And how amazing is that, you know?

00:41:02:04 - 00:41:02:18
Chris
Yeah.

00:41:02:19 - 00:41:22:06
Kristen
Yes. And so well said. And you are such, you are just the perfect guest for this, for our Christmas show, because it is the season of joy and connecting and bonding with your loved ones, including the furry ones. And we're definitely going to put, your social handles in the show notes so people can watch you while they're relaxing over the holidays.

00:41:22:08 - 00:41:26:26
Kristen
But what do you have coming up next? What's next for, for you in rhythm.

00:41:26:29 - 00:41:51:24
Roni
So, coming up next, it will be on March. We're going to perform together in the, heal work, the Music Freestyle international category in Crufts in the UK. And that's going to be a dream coming true. And I, you know, before doing America's Got Talent, I was like, you know, I'm just going to go to that show because he can do that.

00:41:51:24 - 00:42:30:03
Roni
So it means he can do crafts. So immediately after doing the show I was like, okay, we have to go with crafts and then signing up and it's going to be an incredible experience. We have an amazing dance that we're preparing for that and something to inspire people all over the world. Hopefully, and afterwards to just like keep traveling as much as we can together, because I made him the promise that I'm going to take him to all the nicest places in the world and everything in every beautiful spot that we're able to do it.

00:42:30:06 - 00:42:32:18
Roni
So that's basically what's coming up. Yeah.

00:42:32:21 - 00:42:55:13
Chris
Oh that's amazing. That's a phenomenal goal. And you're such a bright, bright, bright star. Absolute inspiration. So thank you so much for joining us today. Just listen, folks, for those of you listening, just hop on the old YouTube or the Instagram and and look ronee up and just smile and enjoy it because it's truly wonderful.

00:42:55:13 - 00:42:58:11
Chris
But, Roni, thank you so much for joining us.

00:42:58:11 - 00:42:59:12
Roni
For having us.

00:42:59:18 - 00:43:02:21
Kristen
Yeah, absolutely. And good luck across the.

00:43:02:23 - 00:43:04:12
Roni
Yeah.

00:43:04:15 - 00:43:05:10
Chris
Very Hanukkah. Yeah.

00:43:05:11 - 00:43:06:27
Kristen
Very Hanukkah.

00:43:06:29 - 00:43:08:01
Chris
Oh good stuff.

00:43:08:01 - 00:43:11:04
Voice Over
Pets add life.

00:43:11:06 - 00:43:12:09
Chris
I love rhythm.

00:43:12:11 - 00:43:14:21
Kristen
Oh my gosh. They love it about each other.

00:43:14:21 - 00:43:26:01
Chris
It's incredible. I love the fact that he's essentially a superstar dog superstar. And then still just a border collie. Yes. Everything he was doing on the camera in between takes.

00:43:26:02 - 00:43:27:04
Roni
It's just a goofball.

00:43:27:07 - 00:43:40:17
Chris
Pure, pure border collie, high energy, high octane, non stop. Me me me me me you you you you. Absolutely phenomenal book. Wow, I listen, I promised a great show and I.

00:43:40:17 - 00:43:43:06
Kristen
Said, hey, I, I, I, I think we delivered the.

00:43:43:06 - 00:43:45:27
Voice Over
Product of the week.

00:43:45:29 - 00:44:08:08
Chris
All right, it's time for a very special holiday. Papa, Papa, Papa, Papa project of the week. And I know, I know I said, I said it like last episode or two episodes ago. I said, I'm not going to really get Tiger anything. She's all or she doesn't want anything. And then I saw something and oh, you did. I saw something that I bought it.

00:44:08:11 - 00:44:32:20
Chris
So one of the small joys that Tiger, has is windowsill sitting. So I work right next to a window, and it's one of the few windows that light really paw is in because of the orientation of our condo. And every now and again, she'll pop at the curtain for me to pull the curtain back, for her to go sit on the windowsill and look at the outdoors and the birds and stuff.

00:44:32:20 - 00:44:41:17
Chris
So I saw this, from Tuft Paw. They call it their Cloud9 window hammock.

00:44:41:19 - 00:44:42:09
Kristen
Sounds comfy.

00:44:42:09 - 00:45:03:14
Chris
It's so. It's so basic. It just uses some suction clings. And it's got, like, a U-shape. And then it felt, bottom. And it comes with what they call a fluff blanket. And Tiger loves. Yes. And do beds, you know, like she's had a cat that the entire time she's lived with us. And it's like in a pile of junk right now because she doesn't use it.

00:45:03:18 - 00:45:22:04
Chris
But you put out like a blanket and she is all for it. So, this looks really comfy. It's suction cups, so it's not it's not like a permanent fixture. You can move it around the house. If the cat's mood changes. So, the, the website is going to be in the show notes. I thought this will be a great little Christmas present for Tiger.

00:45:22:04 - 00:45:32:06
Chris
She loves her window time. She loves basking. So if you've got a fellow basking cat in your life, check it out. Might be a good little Christmas gift.

00:45:32:09 - 00:45:37:21
Kristen
That is awesome. I you know, that's a gift she's going to enjoy every single day, all year round.

00:45:37:21 - 00:45:38:21
Chris
She'll actually use it.

00:45:38:29 - 00:45:41:25
Kristen
Every season, and she'll use it with her fluff blanket.

00:45:41:28 - 00:45:43:23
Chris
Her flu possum.

00:45:43:25 - 00:45:49:06
Kristen
All right, well, I'll be excited to hear if she's surprised and delighted when she.

00:45:49:06 - 00:45:57:21
Chris
I'm sure she'll be surprised. It's difficult for us to, communicate, you know, the things we're buying for us. I'm sure she's going to appreciate it.

00:45:57:23 - 00:45:58:20
Kristen
Yeah.

00:45:58:23 - 00:46:23:00
Kristen
So my pup pup pup pup product today is one that I. I figured this could be, like, a great little activity to do with the for the family dog. Over the holiday break here. It is called the Dash Dog Treat Maker. And this is a special edition. It makes eight bones at a time. And what it is, is it's this cute little.

00:46:23:00 - 00:46:47:10
Kristen
It looks like a waffle maker. And this one, the special edition one is white with, like, dog bones and paw prints all over it. And it heats up. It's got, nonstick surface. And it comes with many recipes. All, healthy, very simple ingredients that you probably already have at home. So you can mix up a batch of dog biscuits, put them in your little treat maker, and I forget how many.

00:46:47:12 - 00:47:07:09
Kristen
It says how many minutes it takes here. It's just just takes a few minutes. Let them cool and your dog can have some, warm. And I'm sure they smell delicious, too. So warm treats right out of the dash maker. And of course, they if you put them in plastic and toss them in the fridge, the last, they'll stay.

00:47:07:12 - 00:47:25:17
Kristen
Stay good for several days. So I'm thinking that that. Yeah. And they, they make a smaller one, too. But, I just like the look of this special edition one. You can get it. A lot of retailers sell it. And I bet if you order it today, you can have it before New Year's Eve.

00:47:25:19 - 00:47:37:00
Chris
And who knows, maybe you start making dog biscuits. You become an overnight success. You become the next big dog treat company. You never know. You never know. That's how some of these companies started.

00:47:37:01 - 00:47:39:00
Kristen
You're going to need to make more than eight at a time, though.

00:47:39:02 - 00:47:46:16
Chris
You're going to need to make more than eight. Although manufactured scarcity is a great way to to your small batch.

00:47:46:18 - 00:47:49:27
Kristen
Yeah.

00:47:49:29 - 00:47:52:15
Voice Over
Q&A’s

00:47:52:17 - 00:48:16:17
Chris
Came up for our favorite part of the show and a very special holiday part of the show, because for, the first time in a while, we've got ourselves a voice memo. And I know what you're thinking. How do I get my voice memo played on the show? Well, it's quite simple, folks. You're going to head on over to Petsaddlife.org/podcast.

00:48:16:19 - 00:48:43:12
Chris
Scroll on down to the bottom of the page. You'll see a form to submit your question. Or if you are feeling as brave as Rudolph on his first flight with Santa Claus, you could record your voice and you may hear it played on this show. So first up, a voice memo from Emma in Chicago with a question, for Chris and Kristen.

00:48:43:12 - 00:48:48:06
Chris
Go ahead and play that for us. Mr.. Ron.

00:48:48:09 - 00:49:11:17
Kristen
Hey, Kristen and Chris, sick of your views about, is different dog training advice out there? One trainer says use trades and other says to avoid them. And then I see big ears online that say something totally different. So how do I know which method is right for my dog? It's just so overwhelming. Like live show. Thank you.

00:49:11:20 - 00:49:16:15
Kristen
Thanks, Emma. What a great question. And she's a beautiful voice, doesn't she?

00:49:16:17 - 00:49:22:18
Chris
Yeah. She should probably take my job. I'm speaking of taking my job. I'm going to let you handle this one.

00:49:22:18 - 00:49:22:24
Roni
Great.

00:49:23:01 - 00:49:26:04
Chris
It's definitely okay. Up your alley.

00:49:26:06 - 00:49:53:00
Kristen
Yes. Yeah, well, it is really confusing and overwhelming. And I think the reason that we see conflicting advice is because dog training is really evolved really significantly over the years. And, you know, the more and more research we do, we get a better understanding of how dogs learn. So I think for the most part, the consensus is that positive reinforcement training is great because it strengthens the human animal bond.

00:49:53:03 - 00:50:19:00
Kristen
It's it's likely to create more lasting behavioral changes. And most dogs, but not all dogs are, you know, are motivated by food, which is just one form of positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement can be praise. It could be food. It could be toys. And I think, and that you just have to kind of know what your dogs are motivated by.

00:50:19:03 - 00:50:37:15
Kristen
And, you know, if it's food, that's kind of the easy one. And, but you can easily over treat your dog with training treats. So you have to be careful about that too. But I think, you know, there's just you got to find the trainer that you feel best about and that can get the best results from your dog.

00:50:37:17 - 00:51:01:06
Kristen
Or the training you should look at for training tips or a trainer. I go back to that question here. Oh. Just about using. Yeah. Training advice. It's evolving. Yeah, I think new ways. Yeah. Whether you're looking for a trainer or you're just training your your dogs on your own, I think, it's can be pretty simple as knowing what they respond to and what they enjoy.

00:51:01:06 - 00:51:22:18
Kristen
And you know what you get the best results from. And, and if you're looking for a trainer, you've just got to find one that has the right chemistry with your dogs. So I don't think there's any wrong way to use positive reinforcement. So that's kind of the, the commonality. And it's confusing because there's so many different ways to offer positive reinforcement.

00:51:22:21 - 00:51:24:01
Chris
Yeah, I think that's helpful.

00:51:24:01 - 00:51:27:23
Kristen
I'm not I'm clearly not a dog trainer. Yeah, well, I did my best on that one.

00:51:27:23 - 00:51:46:07
Chris
It's one of those things. It's like when you're like picking food for your dog. It's like, well, it doesn't work like it is. Yeah. So as long as you are, you know, treating the dog properly, we always advocate for, you know, positive reinforcement, carry over stick here at Pat's at Life. And if the training is sticking, then guess what?

00:51:46:09 - 00:52:09:08
Chris
You're doing a good job. Stick with it. It's that simple. And if it's not working, maybe it's time to switch it up and try something else. So, Emma, thank you for being a brave soldier and sending in your voice, memo. Hopefully we helped you out. And thank you for listening to the podcast. So, Chris, I think you have a question for me.

00:52:09:11 - 00:52:28:28
Kristen
I do, yeah. And we're going to go to, Portland, Oregon for this one. Is this from Tyler? He says, hey, guys, you have a terrific show, by the way. Thank you so much, Tyler. So my cat Luna has suddenly stopped eating as much as she usually does. She's not sick or anything that I can tell, but I'm worried since she's always been a good eater.

00:52:29:04 - 00:52:33:27
Kristen
What could be going on? And is there anything I can do to get her appetite back?

00:52:33:29 - 00:52:55:21
Chris
So thanks, Tyler, for your question. And it seems like right off the bat, you brought Luna to the vet because you're saying she's not sick or anything. So I'm going to go ahead. I'm going to eliminate those possibilities and narrow it down to what, two likely things. The first being, dental issue. Not every vet checks animals teeth at every visit.

00:52:55:24 - 00:53:14:23
Chris
Although if you did go in and say, she's not eating, it might have been one of the first things they check. But if it's been a while, if the cat's teeth hurt, it's not going to eat because it hurts to eat. When Tiger got a little older, we switched her from dry food to wetsuit, because her teeth are.

00:53:14:23 - 00:53:37:20
Chris
And she was having trouble crunching on her dry kibble. So we got her the softest paté, the most disgusting looking food in the world. Yes, like meat slurry. She loves it, though. And because she could eat it with just her tongue, basically. So, you know, if Luna is an older cat, that might be it. But also, cats like people.

00:53:37:23 - 00:53:59:12
Chris
Their taste buds change as they get older. So, if your cat may have originally only eaten the poultry flavors, maybe it's time to introduce, the occasional seafood flavor or the occasional beef flavor or the occasional lamb flavor. You know, cats are very similar to us where they don't like to eat the same thing all the time.

00:53:59:17 - 00:54:25:05
Chris
They like a little bit of variety. So if you are, if you're doing a wet food, perhaps it is time for a, wet food variety pack. If you do dry food, maybe you buy two different bags and switch them off every other day. But, you know, variety is the spice of life. So perhaps that is is what Luna needs.

00:54:25:05 - 00:54:51:00
Chris
But it's good to hear that she is not sick. But if she continues to decline in her appetite, I'd bring her back to the vet. All right, well, thank you, Tyler from Portland, Oregon, for your question. And unfortunately, Kristen, that means we are at the very end of our super special holiday Pets Add Life extravaganza. Electric Boogaloo part two.

00:54:51:02 - 00:54:54:13
Chris
What a what a fun episode. What a great way to do it.

00:54:54:14 - 00:54:59:21
Kristen
It really was. Yeah, I think, I think I'm going to give get tulip some dancing lessons.

00:54:59:23 - 00:55:20:05
Chris
Yeah. That sounds. Yeah, that sounds like a good Christmas present. I'm sure tulip would appreciate some some dancing lessons. But. Wow, I can't believe that Christmas is already here. I hope everybody gets what they want for Christmas. I already have gotten what I wanted, which was a perfect episode of Pets at Life. That's all I do. That's all I've ever done.

00:55:20:08 - 00:55:21:13
Kristen
You don't ask for much, but.

00:55:21:13 - 00:55:42:07
Chris
No, I really don't. I'm more of a I'm more of a giver. To all of those in my life. So hopefully, when I'm opening presents in the next few days, I enjoy what I got, but more, more. So I hope everybody enjoys the things I got for them, because there's nothing quite like, seeing somebody smile light up when they rip into that wrapping paper.

00:55:42:09 - 00:55:52:05
Chris
So I guess time. Time? What time? Usually pretty good gift giver. But this time will tell. Any special plans for for Christmas?

00:55:52:07 - 00:56:08:12
Kristen
Just, spending time with my mom and her husband. We're going to have some good food. And, I've got some presents I'm excited to give to, so. And then just going to really enjoy the next week, taking some time off, enjoying it. And, hey, we get to come back one more time before the end of the year.

00:56:08:12 - 00:56:11:07
Kristen
Chris, we have another week. May I taking.

00:56:11:07 - 00:56:31:07
Chris
Some time for New Year's Day jobs, but, that's, we'll be back next week. We'll be back next week and the week after and the week after that. You're getting us every single Tuesday until they put until they they dig a grave and put me six feet up. I will never stop producing this show. I will never stop talking into this microphone.

00:56:31:08 - 00:56:48:03
Chris
Oh, my gosh. You gotta deal with me for a while. For a while, folks. You see these few gray hairs right here. Just wait until it's all through the head. And I'm talking like this. And back in my day when we made this show, we had Broadway stars and dancing dogs.

00:56:48:05 - 00:56:51:03
Roni
The same anymore. So we're,

00:56:51:05 - 00:57:04:09
Chris
Well, listen, folks, I hope you have a very Merry Christmas or Hanukkah with you starting soon as well. Or any other holidays you may be celebrating. Be kind to your animals, and we'll see you next week for New Year's.

00:57:04:12 - 00:57:05:11
Kristen
Bye bye.

00:57:05:13 - 00:57:06:09
Voice Over
Pets add life.