Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-04-02
THE TRAINING OF ANIMALS.
Force, hut Not Cruelty Said TO be
NeeessarY-Remarka Examples.

Force, nut Not Cruelty, said TO be
Neeessary-Remarkab Examples.
From the New York SUM-
How to train animals is problem few can
solye Nearly any one will tell you that an
imals can only be trained by the exercise of
much patience, perseverance and kindness,
but when you ask them how one goes about
exercising these qualities In the education Of
animals they will be puzzled to answer you.
There is one man in this city, however, who
can answer the question intelligently. He
has been making the training of animals
lifelong study, and it has become a hobby
with him. This man is Mr.. Herman Reiohe,
head of the firm of Charles Reiche & Broth
or, the animal importers.
t'Training of animals requires great study,
Just as any other science does. Animal
training is a natural gift. The first requires
ment is knowledge of certain methods and
rules, which with various notifications are
to be applied in the education of all ami
mals. After all the whole matter consists
simply in making your four-footed pupil un-
derstand what is wanted of it. A trainer
should stndy the mental as we'll as the phys
ical capacities of the animal to be trained,
! and then apply such methods as may be most
| practicable.
"Every animal, unless deficient in some of
| its organs, is capable of being trained to a
greater or less degree. Of course an ele-
phant could not be taught to fly nor fish to
| jump rope out of water, simply because they
| are not built that way. The essential traits
| in trainer are patience, cosl head and
| quick perception. He must be ever ready
to detect and counteract any fault in his pu-
| pill, and to encourage it by proper means to
| do as he desires. Oftentimes the least show
| of impatience will completely undo the work
of days or even months. The only true way
| of breaking or training savage animal, or
| indeed any animal for that matter, is by
| force. This does not exclude kindness, nor
| does 1t admit of cruelty. Only such as are
ignorant of the true methods of training ap-
ply uncalled for and unnecessary cruelty.
| 1t is necessary a rule, even among our do
mestic animals, to thoroughly subdue them
and prove the superiority of man over their
! species before proceeding to train them.
When once fully and properly subjected the
| pupil becomes tractable, and the trainer need
| fear no rebellion or attack while giving les
sons, for it is at that time that both the
minds of pupil and teacher should be CEN
tered wholly in the study to be mastered
''Fetter any animal, SO as to render it pow
| erless, and forever after it will acknowledge
you it's master. If you throw moose over
the head of a lion and draw him up to the
bars of the cage, and fasten him with ropes
and chains so that he is quite harmless, en-
|
him until he ceases to struggle or show any
I resistance and he will be SO thoroughly i'm
pressed by your power that even after his
release he will cringe before you like 6
whipped cur"
cit it true that the human eye has any
power to subiue the large cat animals?
queried the reporter.
Mr.. Reiehe Laughed quietly for moment
and said: "Well, I don't take a great dea
of stock in that old fable. have seen
, good many lions, some pretty wild ones too
but there wasn't one among them all tina
wouldn't have snatched your powerful, sub
DUNG eye right out of your head, and proba
! bly, have taken half your head with it, i
|, you had stared at him from a point within
reach of his claws. No; that's an exploded
idea, but there are some people who actuall!
believe in 1t, nevertheless. Whenever hav
: to stare at a lion or tiger want plenty o
8 room and stout club. The latter has ia
: more subduing power than the human eye.
. s'How about elephantss 1t is generally be
lieved that these great brutes are masters
solely by kindness"
t '.No; they are mastered as all other ami
Q mails are, by force. Take any elephant, n
: matter how wicked and vicious he may be
shsckle him fore and aft by means of heav
9 straps or chains; fasten his hind feet to
J. stake or to a stone wall; then apply bloc
and fall to his forelegs until the animal