The examiner., 1882-03-18
AN ANIMAL TRAINERS METHODS.
The Fiercer the Animal Is the Easier It Is
 to Train It--.An Exciting Encounterg


 The Fiercer the Animal Is the Easier It Is
 to Train It---An Exciting Encounterg
 A. Louisville (Ky.) Courier- Journal re- porter has had an interview with M troupe of animals in Shat city. Mir. Cobb, although yet young man, has probably had more experience with animals than any man in the profes- sion, having handled neary every specie with success, and trained them in very short period.
 How did you happen to go into the business ?' asked the reporter, as he took seat On box surrounded by the troupe of dogs.
 1T have been in the business about twenty-eight ysafs," answered Mir Cobb, "and first commenced with black-and- tan dog in my fathers store in Cincinnati. l trie1 to teach the animal al tricks, and by exercising considerable patience succeeded in teat hing the dog number of tricks. then took up several other dogs and taught them also. l now determined togo into the business more extensively, and launched Oh goats. 1 never fully recognized what trouble there was train ing animals until I tried to train goat. which is, without doubt, the hardest Of all animals to train. They are perfectly stupid, and the first thing you have to do with them is. to teach them some of the sense which is natural with other animals. worked on them about eight months before couid venture to put them before the foot1ights. And then only with fear and trenbling.' After considerable practice they got so they would roll globe or barrel per fectly and see-saw very We'll. ] never had much experience with wild animals until joined Sell Brothers circus in 1878, and my first experience was not the pleasantest one in the world. One of the first things I undertook to train steers. took them out into the prac- doors went in among them by myself, Things went along rather smoothly i Until one of the steers became infuri- ated, and the whole gang rushed at me with horns down and tails up. thought my time had come in earpest, as there was no means of escape except by fight ing them of. On the other hand, I knew that if I succeeded in whipping them then that they would be efectu- ally tanned I backed up against the door, and having policeman's club in my hand fought them back. Three
 times they feturned to the charge, and I managed to fight them back each
 time. After that they were per feetly tame, and l soon got them to
 working finely, and learned them number of tricks that astonished every
 one who knew them. The closest call
 I ever had in my life, however was with royal Bengal tiger, which the show men purchased and gave over to me to | tame. At first was nonp1ussed, as the animal was terribly fierce; but expert ence has since taught me that the l iercer the tiger is when captured the easier 1t is to train him. I managed to get the animal so tame that I could put my hand on him and rub him over; he was, howeve r, still very treacherous, and it was dangerous to approach him sud- | denly, as you can see by the scar. l Showing deep mark on the palm of ! his hand. When we were in Topeka, Kan, newspaper man came to the tent one day. and I started to show him l around. I was standing by the tigers cage, the animal being asleep on the inside, and stopped to pick some CHiAS uP. LII oolhS So Any Aooo S1IPPeo | and I fell against the cage, my right arm going inside. Quick as flash the animal was upon it's feet, and, reaching cut it's fore feet, caught me on the shoulder with it's claws. Giving the claw sudden pull, the animal tore all l the sleeve off my coat, and with it some flesh, the claws stopping in the palm of the hand. The young man who was with me jumped forward, and, catching
 me by the shoulder, pulled me back. The movement nearly cost me the arm, as the animals claws were firmly fast ened in the palm of my hand, and as l was pulled back the whole inside was torn out, leaving the knuckles bare. The accident laid me up for some time, and I had to train the animal over. Some months afterward the same tiger killed man in Bellaire, Ohio. One of the men with the circus had seen me put my hands on the animal, and thought he could do the sane. One day he went to the cage where the ani- mai was, and putting his arm through the bars. caught the animal by the collar. The tiger socked it's claws into his shoulder and commenced chewing on the arm, eating it off up to the shoulder. He managed to get away, put Q1ed two OayS aI6eF"aru. 4ue tiger is now so tame that any one can pat him. The two baby elephants that created so much talk raised by hand, feeding them out of bottle. Each of the animals drank about 8 gallon of milk day, and cry for it like child. It is remarkable to see with what ac- curacy animals can distinguish their keeper at distance. As soon as would enter the canvas every ani- imal in the circus knew 1t, and would rear around in their cage at a terrible rage. Trainers can say what they will about the secrets of training animals, but there is no secret about it but kindness. Any one can train an animal who has the patience and gentle ness. The art of training pigeons has created much comment, and l will tell you how the thing first started. In the year 1874 was in the little town of Nashville, Ind, and in the hotel where I stopped were great many pigeons. They used to sit on the roof and 1 look down on my window while I was l eating. I soon got on to this, and | sprinkled crumbs of bread on the sill. They used to fly down every day and eat as soon as I was gone. 1 then began to stand and watch them eat, and l finally oot 90 T cou1d touch them |