A Savvy Animal Agent Recalls America‘s Most Famous Dog

Learn all about animal acting with Dawn Wolfe, an Animal Talent Agent and Wrangler for almost thirty years. Dawn runs her own talent agency, PAWSITIVELY FAMOUS, a national Animal Modeling and Talent Management firm. It all began when Dawn was a little girl and fell in love with the scrappy dog known as Benji. Benji was one of the most popular animals ever in the history of cinema. Learn all about Benji, aka. Higgins the dog, and fascinating, hilarious, behind-the-scenes stories of animal actors and their handlers seeking fame, glory, and belly laughs.

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References:

lgonquin, the Story of a Great Dog, by Dion Henderson, Western Publishing Company, 1953. 

Benji--The Full Movie, 1974, EncourageTV, YouTube, October 2020.

The Big Book of Tricks for the Best Dog Ever, by Chris Perondi and Larry Kay, Workman Publishing, 2019.

Beverly Hillbillies, Wikipedia.

Captain (Arthur) Haggerty, Master Dog Trainer, Wikipedia.

Clicker Training for Cats, Karen Pryor, Sunshine Books, 2001.

Cooper, Diana C., “Higgins--from Shelter Dog to Beloved Benji,” Famous Dogs in History, July 2017.

Dawn Wolfe Social Media

Dawn Wolfe Instagram

Pawsitively Famous, Dawn Wolfe’s animal talent agency’s website

Pawsitively Famous Facebook Page

Do More With Your Dog Dog Trick Titles and Stunt Dog Titles

Do More With Your Dog Animal Actors Academie Internationale

First Born, starring Elisabeth Shue and Dawn Wolfe’s dog, Nikki, 2007.

“Frank Inn: Animal Trainer,” full 4-hour interview, interviewed by Michael Rosen, Television Academy Foundation, The Interviews, August 8, 2001

“Frank Inn on the dog who worked on Petticoat Junction and starred in Benji,” Foundation Interviews, 

“Higgins the Dog ~ Star of Benji, Petticoat Junction, Beverly Hillbillies, Lassie, Mooch,”

The Humpy Awards, Miss Hope wins the humping competition, YouTube, June 2012.

Hope in the “Westminster Commercial” for Treasure Island Resort & Casinos, YouTube.

London, Jack, Call of the Wild/White Fang, Ann Arbor Media, 2006.

“Maverick the Surfer Cat,” Cat People, YouTube, Netflix Futures, July 2021.

Pawsitively Famous YouTube Channel

Petticoat Junction, Wikipedia.

Petticoat Junction, “Betty-Jo’s Dog,” Season 2, Episode 1, YouTube March 2017.

Prose, Eileen, “Remember Benji? Meet the movie dog and his trainer. See his tricks!,” YouTube, June 2017.

Sasha, My Friend, by Barbara Corcoran, Atheneum, 1973. 

Stanley Steemer, “Toby’s New Trick,” The Loomis Agency, YouTube.

TV Guide, “The Benji Issue,” December 2-8 1978.

Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls, Yearling, 2000.