Daily Yellowstone journal., 1890-05-21
DOGS AND THEIR TRICKS.
Mos Any Dog Can Re Taught some
Trick aud Hell Never Forget II.

Trick ana He'll Never Forget IL.
Professor Burton, who has u troupe
OF clcyrr dogs, is an old circus man.
He used 10 be- tumbler IN the ring.
There conc, % day in the life of every
circus tumblcr when he must quit the
business and - into something else.
Burton went Ia training dogs. He has
heen with several companies, but is
now on his w hook. He had "A val
liable troupe of dogs once in New
York, but somebody poisoned them.
The professors present family Of
dogs consists of Italian greyhounds,
German poudles, "a Russian poodle. a
Russian spaniel, a liver.and-white
spaniel, a spitz, a black dog that does
the somerset act, aud several Others.
There is no dog" said the profes.
sor. which can't be taught a trick of
some sort. OF course there are some
dogs that learn quicker than others,
and more tricks. am always asked
how | teach dogs these tricks. Well,
there is no trick about it that | ever
knew. 1t takes patience aud judg.
ment and kindness. seldom use the
whip. and never in giving Instructions.
In fact. ! have To I've very cautious.
The other day two of my family got
into a squabble. ! separated them,
but with trouble. In doing so | had
to cut one of them with the whip.
That fellow is heartbroSen. He has
had the sulks ever since. He won't
eat and he won't act. I've got to send
him away for a few days.
"A dog should be at least a year old
before training. | select different
breeds for different acts. The grey.
hound is a natural leaper. The spaniel
is a trickster. The SPITE is the clown.
The black dog-ths black,and tam one
is the acrobat.
Under Ordinary circumstances the
average dog will earn his trick in five
weeks. Then Ii test comes when he
goes on the sta, the first time. Talk
about people III ting stage fright, I've
known dog, when brought on the
stage for the first time make a break
and run awtv and tremble like a
frightened ci Id. When they get used
to it, though, they like the stage. and
the more applause they get the better
they act. You may think that is
stretching il. but it is a fact that trick
dogs do better if they are a~pplauded,
and this is especially true il the ap.
plause comes from children.
These trick dogs know their places
on the stage and take their cue from
my looks. They are as eager for the
show to begin as children are eager for
play. This, | think, is instinct, for
anybody could 90 on the stage with
them If he knew the words to speak
and the motions to make, and the dogs
would 90 through the same pro.
gramme they go through with me.
Il keep them in cages after the
show. Every morning at $50 | take
them out for exercise. They are fed
twice a day-in the morning and after
the show at night. This troupe con.
sumes about fifteen loaves of bread and
a large size market basket OF cooked
meat every day.
They never forget a trick. l laid
off some months ago and sent the dogs
to the country. | had a vacation Of
several weeks-me and the dogs.
When | returned to the stage with
them they went through every part
without a break. There is good feel,
ing between the members of the pres,
ent family. They are healthy and
full of fun. There isn't acynic in the
LOT -, hirapo Tribune.