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Hey, Wowser Fams! Mini here, and before we start the show, I just want to wish you a Happy Merry Everything from all of us at Wow in the World!
We are so grateful that you've joined us for another year of wowing together, and now we want to add some extra wow to your holiday season.
Want to curl up by the fire and listen to some of our favorite wintery episodes?
Or see our Wow in the World pop -up party performance now playing on YouTube?
Or maybe you're a grown -up looking for a gift to wow your future scientist?
Visit tinkercast .com slash holiday for gifts, episodes, videos, and more jingle bells and whistles!
One more time, that's tinkercast .com slash holiday.
That's it! And now let's get back to the show!
Dear fellow grown -ups, it's that time of the year where we sit by the fire, enjoying the holiday cheer.
Unless, of course, you're a bit of a Grinch!
In that case, I know just what you need to grow a heart that's two sizes too small.
New episodes of Tis the Grinch holiday podcast will most definitely cure all!
It's a weekly podcast hosted by me, James Austin Johnson, and presented by our partners at Alexa and their Echo Dot Kids smart speaker.
Trust me when I say the most wonderfully wonderful idea you'll have all season is listening to the Grinch interview celebs with no rhyme or reason.
Now I know you might be thinking, oh that Grinch, he's bombastic!
But I'll let you in on a little secret.
This podcast is fantastic!
Tune in to Tis the Grinch holiday podcast on the Wondery app, or wherever you get your podcasts.
No, I said laughing twice.
Whatever! We wow on the weekend.
We wow on the weekend.
We wow on the weekend.
Cause this is what we do on the weekend!
Hello and welcome to We Wow on the Weekend!
I'm your host, Dennis!
And that's my co -host, Reggie!
This is the show where we chit chat and answer questions from our fans and listen to Tinkercast podcasts!
So, Reggie, what's a crack -a -lackin?
What's the Haps? What's going down in Pigeontown?
Whatever, bro, I'm just a bean coo!
Maybe you just don't know how all the kids are jib -jemming these days.
Well, I think our devoted listeners are just about the coolest, most skibbity -ist, funky Riz dogs in the world!
Oh, I know! Let's hear from a few with a Q &A segment!
The Q &A segment! All right, let's just get the old answering machine pulled up here.
Okay, here we go! You've reached Dennis from We Wow on the Weekend!
That's me! Do you have a question?
Well, I do, too! Lots of them!
And who's gonna answer all my questions?
You? Probably not! But I guess I can answer yours.
Leave me a message!
Hi, my name is Zavann and I live in Newport News.
Hi, Zavann! I have a question for Dennis.
Dennis, would you rather be cold all the time or hot all the time?
Hmm, cold all the time or hot all the time.
What a tough question!
Because, Reggie, I work very hard to make sure I'm exactly the right temperature at all times!
Like last night, I was a little chilly, so I put on a sweater.
But then, I was too hot, so I turned on a fan.
But that made me too cold, so I turned on my electric blanket.
But then, I started sweating, so then I turned on the AC, which made my teeth chatter, so I turned on a space heater.
Now, at this point, I was boiling!
So I opened up the freezer and stood in front of it.
But then, the freezer was too freezing!
So I got a hair dryer to try and warm up.
And then, a fuse blew in the electrical box because I was using too much electricity and all the lights in the house turned off.
And then, Mother yelled at me about responsible energy conservation or something like that.
Anyway, what were we talking about?
Yeah, I don't remember either.
Next question! Hi, Dennis!
My name is Amaru. I'm in Denver, Colorado.
I have a question for you.
Why do computers and tablets have to recharge?
Why do computers and tablets have to recharge?
Well, I don't know much about how computers or tablets or batteries work, but I know I have to recharge when I've been hard at work.
Yes, Reggie! I work hard.
Snooping is hard work.
I have to hide and sneak and be quiet and listen to conversations and go, in all the right spots.
Right! And then, I'm all tired and I need to take a little nap to recharge.
So, I guess the answer is, everyone deserves to take a little nap.
Even computers and electronics.
Next question! Hi, Dennis!
My name's Ben, and I have a question.
Hi, Ben! What you got?
Can baby Dennis ride a bicycle?
Oh, wow! Can baby Dennis ride a bicycle?
Baby Dennis' ears are burning!
Oh, baby Dennis! Come out of your box!
We have a question for you.
Hi, big Dennis! Hi, big Reggie!
Hi devoted listeners!
Baby Dennis, Ben wants to know, can you ride a bicycle?
Oh, boy! Baby Dennis loves his bicycle!
Well, there you have it, Ben!
Baby Dennis loves his bicycle!
Go for baby Dennis!
No! Baby Dennis, not in the house!
Baby Dennis! Baby Dennis, you get off that adorably tiny bike this instant!
Oh, good idea, Reggie.
Baby Dennis, take your bike upstairs and ride outside, please.
You got it, big Dennis!
Up the stairs! Well, that answers that mystery.
Thanks for your calls, everyone.
If you've got a question for me, call and leave me a message.
The number is 1 -888 -7 -WOW -WOW.
I just might answer your question on WeWow on the weekend!
Okay, that takes care of that.
All right, next up is a little segment I like to call Inside Tinkercast Studios!
Inside Tinkercast Studios!
This is the part where we revisit an episode of one of my favorite Tinkercast shows.
And today, we're listening to Wow in the World Season 2, Episode 25, called How to Talk to a Dog!
Yeah, I was just thinking the same thing.
I already know how to talk to a dog.
You go like this. Hi, doggy.
Hi, dog. What are you doing?
Are you having a nice day?
Do you like the weekend?
What's that? Little Timmy's stuck in the old mill and you're the only one who knows where he is?
That's so interesting!
Okay, bye! See? I know how to do it.
Okay, fine. We'll listen to how Mindy and Guy Ross say to do it.
Here we go. And play.
WeWow will be right back.
Grownups, this message is for you.
That's it! Now back to the show.
Well, I have to say, I was feeling a little apprehensive about having you stay here for a whole week.
But, you know, any friend of Eleanor's is a friend of mine.
Now, I know you must be homesick.
And I want you to know that those feelings are valid.
But I'm going to do everything I can to make you feel comfortable and content while you are here.
If you'll follow me, you'll see that I've got your room all set up.
I've got a brand new hypoallergenic mattress on the bed, some tools for cognitive stimulation.
Oh, and I left you some sparkling water in that bowl over there on the floor.
I'm coming! Ah, slow down!
You're gonna crash, ah, through the door!
Whoa! Hey, boy! Hey, where did you come from?
My beautiful store!
Who's a good boy? Who's a good boy?
Well, I see you've met Beardsley, Mindy.
Sorry, Guy Ross. I thought I heard a dog over here.
But by the way, you were talking to it.
I figured you were probably just recording a new podcast or something.
Isn't that right, Beardsley?
Isn't that right? Was Guy Ross talking to you like you were a guest on a podcast?
Yes, he was! Yes, he was!
Well, Beardsley is actually my friend, Eleanor's dog.
She asked me to dog sit while she went to Paris.
She asked you to dog sit?
Yeah. Well, why do you sound so surprised?
Well, for one, you send me back home every time I come to your house wearing a Chewbacca costume and covered in a flea circus.
Okay, okay. First of all, no human should ever be covered in fleas.
And second of all, there is not a single flea to be found on Beardsley because we just got back from the groomers and...
Hold the phone, Guy Ross.
What? Let me see your glasses.
Mindy, take my glasses off!
Are your eyes on my eyes deceiving me?
Or did you and Beardsley get matching haircuts?
So what if we did? Man, are you getting Beardsley matching glasses and a matching tweed jacket too?
Well, actually, the glasses should be here in about five business days and we're getting him fitted for a jacket this afternoon.
I found a place that does reinforced elbow patches for dogs.
Guy Ross, why are you trying to turn a dog into a furry version of yourself?
Do you really want to know the reason, Mindy?
Do I really want to know the reason, Guy Ross?
Well, it's because I've been trying to bond with Beardsley all morning long and nothing seems to work.
What have you done?
You know, the usual bonding techniques.
I asked him about his family, shared some of my hopes and dreams.
I played two truths and a lie.
We did a few trust falls.
And so what happened?
Well, he just walked away and fell asleep.
Well, I'm sorry to have to be the one to tell you this, Guy Ross.
But you're kind of doing this whole bonding with the dog thing all wrong.
Yeah, I guess you're right.
We probably should have just skipped all the small talk and gone right to pedicures.
By the way, do dogs have toenails?
Hey, Ross, I'm not talking about pedicures.
I'm talking about...
about... Well, here, let me just show you.
Mindy, you have a pet pigeon.
What do you know about...
Who's a spicy little furry meatball?
You are? Yes, you are!
Let me rub that chubby, funny little belly of yours.
You're so cute and delicious.
I could just beat you up.
Yes, I could. Yes, I could.
And I could just put you in a hot dog bun and eat you up.
Mindy, stop! You cannot eat Beardsley.
What? I'm dog sitting for him, Mindy.
He's on loan. I can't tell my friend Alan or that my friend went off the rails and ate her dog on a bun.
I wasn't going to eat her dog, Guy Ross.
You just said... I say a lot of crazy things.
It doesn't mean that I mean them.
But... It's psychology, Guy Ross.
You mean the science of mind and behavior?
Yeah, and in this case, the mind and behavior of humans and dogs and what behaviors make them feel close or bonded.
So, let me get this straight.
Telling a dog you're going to eat it will make it feel closer to you.
Okay, let's just move on from the whole eating the dog thing, okay?
Gladly. And let's focus more on how I was talking to Beardsley.
Like a clown mixed with a dolphin mixed with an ice cream truck?
Wow. That is oddly specific, but yeah.
Uh, I'm not sure I'm following.
Okay, so as you noticed, I was talking in a high -pitched rhythmic baby voice, right?
Yeah, I think even the neighbors noticed that, Mindy.
And I was saying things like, who's a good boy?
And I could just put you in a hot dog bun and eat you all up.
Guy Ross, again, let's move on from the hot dog eating stuff, okay?
Wait, you said. I know what I said, but what I want to focus on is why I was talking to Beardsley that way.
And that has to do with psychology or the science of mind and behavior?
You're picking up what I'm putting down, Guy Ross.
Okay, so I just read about this new study from researchers at the University of York Psychology Department, and what they wanted to find out was whether or not the way humans talked to their pets had anything to do with how they were able to bond with them.
So kind of like how people tend to baby talk when they're trying to communicate with babies?
Exactly like that. And there's even a name for that baby talk that grown -ups use.
It's called infant -directed speech.
Oh, right. I think we've known for a while that talking to babies in that high -pitched baby talk voice actually helps babies to learn how to speak and how to bond with their grown -ups.
You got it. So knowing this, these researchers set out to discover whether the same was true for dogs and other pets.
So they wanted to know if baby talking to a dog helps to form a stronger bond between the dog and its owners.
Yeah, basically. Their mission was to find out whether or not how humans talk to their pets, and if what they say matters when it comes to bonding with them.
So this must have been an interesting experiment.
A bunch of scientists in a laboratory baby -talking to dogs.
Anything for science, Guy Ross?
So how did they do it?
I mean, how did they conduct the experiment?
Well, I can tell you.
Yeah? But I'd rather show you.
Come on. Let's go find a bunch of dogs.
Just trust me. Beardsley, you can come too.
Come here, buddy. Get up here, buddy.
Yeah, OK. You know, I was just about to.
Looks like Beardsley is walking you, Guy Ross.
Hey, wait up, you two.
Run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run.
Beardsley, sit. Mindy, untie me from this leash.
How did you get yourself all tangled up in this leash?
Oh, wow. Those are cute dogs.
Are they twins? Oh, oh, thank you.
But this one is actually a...
I'm a human. He's a human dog.
Oh, gross. Never mind.
Probably has abstract thoughts.
Mindy? Get back up on your hind legs, Guy Ross.
Beardsley, you get back down on your fore legs.
You're confusing people.
Let me just untangle this leash here.
I can't take you too anywhere.
Guy Ross, you're the human.
Beardsley, you're the dog.
The human walks the dog.
Not the other way around.
You got it? Okay, so now that we've got that under control, we're just going to need like 20 more dogs.
Mindy, that's a bad...
Three dog walking for sale.
Come and get your dog walk.
Three dog walking for one dog.
You got a dog? You a dog?
And I'm a catwalk. What in the...
Thank you. Thank you very much.
Thanks. I'll have you back in 10 minutes.
Thank you. She's a real life wire this time.
Thanks. Have a great time.
Meet you back here in a few.
Oh, and we're also going to stop by our laboratory to conduct a quick and totally safe experiment.
Okay, bye. Mindy? Well, ready to head back to the lab, Guy Ross?
No. Okay, let's just see how many dogs we have here.
One, two... Did I already count that one?
Three, four... Twenty -four.
Okay, all right. Now you take a dozen and I'll take a dozen plus beards.
Are you sure this is a good idea, Mindy?
Yes, of course I'm not sure this is a good idea, Guy Ross.
Come on, we've only got 10 minutes until I have to return all these dogs.
Okay. Here we... Wait...
Okay, here we are. Now you head on to these leashes, Guy Ross, and I'll hold the lab door open.
Single -file line, you little four -legged furballs.
After you, after you, after you.
Hi! After you, after you, after you...
After you, after you, after you, after you.
There. Think we got them all inside.
Wait. Where's Beardsley?
Wow, I hardly even recognized you in those glasses.
You really are starting to look like Guy Ross' furry four -legged twin.
Beardsley, give me back my glasses!
I can't see anything.
Beardsley, give him back his glasses.
Thank you. Good dog.
Good dog. Good little furry little spicy little me, all you.
So now what, Mindy?
I can hardly hear myself.
Thank God. Are you sure that this is what the researchers did when they conducted this experiment?
Yes, I am not sure that this is what the researchers did when they conducted this experiment.
So what's the first step?
Well, we've already accomplished the first step, and that is to get into a room with a bunch of dogs.
Are you sure they use this many dogs?
No, I think you might have overdone it.
Me? Hey, everyone? I need everyone to stop their yapping!
And stop breaking all my lab equipment!
This stuff is expensive!
Now stay! Wow! I can't believe that really worked, Mindy.
I know! Me neither.
Okay, so now what? So the first thing I'm going to do is observe or watch and learn from the way the dogs react to the way you talk to them, okay?
Why do I have to do the talking?
Okay, so first thing I'm going to need you to do is say a bunch of dog -related things, like who's a good boy and were you digging in the trash again?
Okay, I think I got this.
Excuse me, dogs, I have a few questions I'd like to pose to you.
Okay, Ron, just get to the questions.
I'm ready to observe.
Right, right. Who's a good boy?
Were you digging in the trash again?
No, not like that! What?
You need to say it in that high -pitched baby voice.
You know, your dog -directed voice.
Try again. You know, on second thought, let's just get these dogs back to their owner.
Come on, Guy Ross, you can do it!
Come on now, little buddy.
Who's a good boy? Who's been digging in the trash?
Guy Ross, they all seem to really love you!
Yeah, they really do, don't they?
You know what they say about a dog being a guy's best friend.
Okay, now everyone, heel.
Sit. Stay. Thanks for that.
Sing. Sing. Make me a sandwich.
Okay, so what's next?
So now it's your turn to observe me while I speak to these dogs in an adult -directed voice and using adult -directed words, okay?
Okay. Hello, dogs. I enjoy competitive cornhole.
I'm thinking about refinancing my home mortgage.
I was once mistaken for a land otter.
Okay, what are you observing, Guy Ross?
Well, the same thing you are, Mindy.
The dogs look pretty confused.
Okay, so what did we learn from this experiment?
Uh, that there's such a thing as competitive cornhole.
Oh, with the dogs! What did we learn from observing the dog's reactions to our different ways of talking to them?
Oh, right. Well, it was pretty obvious to me that most of those dogs seemed to bond a lot more with me after I talked to them in that high -pitched baby voice.
Right, and that was exactly what these researchers observed when they conducted their own experiment like this.
Okay, you ready for the next one?
Uh, there's more? Yeah, I told the owners that we'd have their dogs back in like 10 minutes.
Okay, what's next? Now we're gonna shake things up.
Oh, no, Mindy Beardsley's hardly even able to sit and stay.
I don't know if he's ready to learn to shake yet.
So the next question the researchers had was do dogs react to what we say or how we say it?
So in that case, we should probably do some swapping.
I'll use my high -pitched, dog -directed voice, only this time I'll say non -dog -related things.
You got it, little buddy.
Grown -up things but in a baby voice.
Go for it. Okay, here goes.
Who wants some kale salad with freshly grated parmesan?
Who's a good congressional candidate?
Good job, Guy Roz. Now, I'm going to use my adult -directed voice and say dog -related things, okay?
Okay, I'm ready to observe.
Let me smell your puppy breath.
Do you have to poop?
Do you have to poop?
Get off that mail carrier.
Huh, that was odd, Mindy.
These dogs still look confused.
Okay, so now let's observe who the dogs want to sniff more now.
Huh, they're not moving, Mindy.
It seems like they're not interested in either one of us now.
I guess it's safe to say that dogs respond most to high -pitched baby talk, especially when the person is also saying words that make sense to dogs.
Yeah, and that's what these researchers discovered in their own experiments as well.
That when it comes to dogs, it not only matters what you say, but also how you say it.
And Mindy, I'm assuming that this research could really come in handy for people like veterinarians and animal rescue workers.
Exactoritos, Guy Roz.
But they found that speaking to dogs in dog -directed speech or baby talk while saying dog -directed things or things that dogs can kind of understand was especially important when it came to adult dogs.
And what about puppies?
Well, they found that puppies also responded to baby talk the most, but it didn't seem to matter what these researchers were actually saying to them.
So they could say something like, always remember to floss your teeth and brush for two minutes.
Mindy, get these puppies off of me.
Wait, stay still. I'm trying to snap a pic to post on my face face.
Guy Roz, stop wiggling.
There, got it. Well, fuzzy, but I guess that'll do.
He wants a puppy treat.
I do. I do. I want a puppy treat.
No, not you, Guy Roz.
I'm trying to save you from the puppies.
Wait, wait. Is that my organic free -range grass -fed sta - Where's the beef?
Where's the beef? Oh yeah, where's the beef?
Where's the beef? My beautiful steak.
Okay, Guy Roz, we gotta get these dogs back to their owners.
Hop on the sled. Sled?
Oh no, Mindy. It's an urban dog sled.
I invented it. Now hold on tight because here we - Wow!
That was so cool! Okay, now I know how to do it.
Did you like that podcast, Reggie?
Did you like it? Oh, sorry.
Sorry, I got caught up in the puppy talk.
I know you're a pigeon and not a puppy.
Well, in my defense, you do like belly rubs.
That's a great idea!
We should go wander around the park and see if there are any puppies we can talk to.
Who's it's my Reggie?
Use a smarty -smart little birdie bird.
You are! You are! Okay, I'll stop.
Let's wrap up the show.
Thanks to all you listeners out there for tuning into We WoW on the weekend.
If you have a question for me, call and leave me a message at 1 -888 -7 -WOW -WOW.
That's 1 -888 -7 -WOW -WOW.
I just might answer your question on We WoW on the weekend.
Okay, let's go. So Reggie, do you think if we go to the park and just yell puppies, all the puppies will come to us?
Or maybe we should go to like a puppy cafe.
Is that a thing? Well, it should be.
Okay, let's go to the puppy cafe.
And if there isn't one, let's invent it.
Thanks for joining us for this edition of We WoW on the weekend.
Our show is written by Ruth Morrison and Jed Anderson.
The role of baby Dennis is played by Jed Anderson.
Aww! Well, then, who plays the role of big Dennis?
Never you mind. Tea!
Original sound design and production is done by Henry Moskle with contributions from Jed Anderson and Tyler Thole.
Original music for We Wow is composed and performed by Tyler Thole.
Special thanks to Jessica Bodie, Rebecca Cabon, Dr.
Natasha Crandall, Kenny Curtis, Lizzie Freilich, Kristin Yang, Meredith Helpman -Ranzer, Twi Mak, Erica Medina, Henry Moskle, Jody Nussbaum, Ali Paxima, Guy Roz, Linda Rothenberg, Steph Sosa, Mindy Thomas, Joanna Weber, Anna Zagorski, and all of the other Tinkerers at Tinkercast HQ.
Be sure to visit Tinkercast .com where you can become an official member of the World Organization of Wowsers.
Learn about upcoming events, shop our WoW Shop, find our best -selling books, and learn about all the other amazing podcasts from Tinkercast.
Thanks again for hanging out in the basement this weekend.
Be sure to check out episodes of WoW in the World every Monday.
And remember, Who Wows?
I go! No, baby Dennis!
We Wow! All right, We Wow!
WoW in the World, WoW in the World, WoW in the World.
WoW in the World was made by Tinkercast and set to you by Wundery.
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