The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-10-08
ABOUT THE DOGS
THAT Do TRICKS
Knack in Teaching Them to Perform
in a Circus.
ELEPHANTS, MONKEYS, PONIES.
Some Animals Possess Special Apti-
tude for One Kind of Work,
While Others Cannot he
Used for IL at All.

requires skill and a great deal OF pa
tience." said a trainer 10 a Washington
reporter In the first place. long ex-
perience and careful observation of the
peculiar q ats and characteristics OF DIFF
ferent beasts tell the trainer almost in
variably Just which animals are especially
adapted to perform certain feat. a
certain dog may be remarkably inteiA-
gent, and quick to learn. but there are
only certain icks which he can be made
10 successfully accomplish.
the nature OF a dog in many respects
IS not essentially different from that or a
man. Some are wonderfully ADEPT AT
particular line of work, but wOu d be to
tally unit for another. The trainer Z aus
animal nature the same as man reads hu'
man nature. He wouldn't undertake TO
teach a Quick, nervous, and heh-spritcd
animal 10 perform a clown trick, nor a
clumsy. lazy. and indo ent animal TO exc
cute feat which required decision ana
nerve. For instance. take our two dogs
Bismarck and Ellis. Their natures are
entirely different. The former is sort Of
dont-CaTe kind Of "A canine; all his move
ments are clown-like. and II Is easy for
him TO act the part, While the 0ther Il
quick and nervous. II would be lmpos-
sible 10 teach him the har ging act ior
around To see what was going on, While
Bismarck is TOO shiftess to ever attempt
10 jump upon a horses lack and try to
ride IT,
INsTRUCTING THE DOGS.
"As regards instrucung them, Tn the
nrst placs the trainer seects his animal
for a certain trick, then he begins by
very primitive means 10 accomplish his
end. and drills the animal 50 long each
day. He shows 1t sep by step the most
practical me hod OF doing VIA he wishes
to have done. Until the dog knows its
part II always wears string about its
neck 80 th-t IL is ever under the control
Of the trainer. For a long time / had
looked for a dog TO do the bareback act,
but could not find one upon which ! would
be willing 10 waste the time necessary
Tor It's instruction.
"As soon as / saw Ellis, down In a little
town in North Carolina. / became con-
VIM Ell that he was the canine / was after.
First l paced him upon a sort OF plat
form strapped 20 the back Of a pony, and
"A man led the horse about the ring, and
another held the dog upon his back. IN
a short time he coud Tide alone. Then
the platform vas taken or, ana car
pet placed upon the pOnys back. Then,
in a little while he was able 20 ride bare
back, and gradually the speed of the
horse was increased. Finally the doc,
after he had gotten his nerve and con-
hdence in what h. could do. became aIDI-
ious and would himself leap upon the
hack Of the horse; then it was compare
lively easy to induce him to mount while
the nmal was going at fun spe d, ana
now e enjoys doing IT,
Il saw what Dixie the Understanding
and high-diying dog, was capable Of wien
/ noticed that ne would always climb
up the wire screen OF the cage and leap
out. II 10 would do that, I determined
that he wot ID climb the ladder and jump
of, and he readily took 10 the trick. In
other words. he was especially adapted
30 1t. In teaching Bismark to run through
the headers barrels, L fist used barrc.s
with a slit in them and pulled the dog
through After a time, 1 would release
the string and call him. soon he saw
what was wanted Of him, and now goes
through his part without ever a break.
ELEPHANTS EASIEST TO TRAIN.
strange as IT may SEEM elephants are
the easiest OF all dumb animals to train
They look stupid. bat they are, on tho
contrary. exceedingly bright. They have
massive brains ana We reien1ve mem
cries once on friendly terms with theiy
trainer. they will mind as almost no
other animal will do. with them, too
OF tricks. For instance Pinto could never
ike Satan. be taught TO stand on a bar
rel and roll it. she Is too timid. With
Satan we first made him stand on a bar
rel That was not difficult. Then, with
strong cord tied 10 his tusks, ! stood
in front Of him and pulled him forward
50 that the barrel rolled one inch, while,
as II moved men before and behind block
Cd Il. He saw that it was necessary 10
change his position as the barrel moved.
This was kept up and increased by de-
grees unal he saw that in order 10 main
tain his footing on the barrel, 1t was
necessary 70 step backward or forward,
as The case might be- while his own nat
ural instincts taught him what TO do 10
maintain his equilibrium. Then the blocks
were remoy d. and as ! stood before him
drawing him onward he was forced 20
roll the barrel, ana thus the trick was
accomplished.
In teathing him TO stand on his fore
feet or hind feet We used block and
tackle with a pair of horses 10 draw him
up. lie soon saw that II he did not
stand up when hidden, he would so up
any way. and finally he would do II Of
his own accord. 10 was a singular Incl
dent which caused him 10 whistle, or TAX,
as we cal q. when told 10 do So There
is no possible way by which any trainer
can imrart TO a dumb beast a desire for
such an action although some dOgs may
be made 10 bark by holding piece OF
meat before them.
HOW SATAN CAME TO TALK.
with SATAN II was this way When he
first came to America az an immigrant
from Bombay nc had a BADLY liberated
tooth. and II was necessary for "A Vetfri-
nary surgeon TO extract II after frsh in
iectng cocaine. These injections hurt
Satan very ny ch. and he yelled furiously
and never forgot the operation. Now any
time j point my finger al him in a certain
way. quick he thinks he is going TO be
hurt and ye.ls. That Is what makes him
respond when / tell him TO speak Gle
phani language. There are many such
tricks In training animals which train
finds out and always brings into use. IN
insfructing the elephant in The art OF
walking upon the tops Of row OF bottles.
We first used a row ~ large stools. grad
ually reducing them in size as he pro
sresscd with the trick.
Horses and ponies are the most OBJ
stinate OF an animals TO train TO do
tricks Contrary TO general belief, the
equine has 10 inherent love for the hui
man kind lie works only under suhjec
tion and c0mpulsion. You may feed him
oats from your hand every day for FIVE
years and then turn him loose in ten
acre lot and go out with bride 10 catch
him and he will turn kick up hts heels.
and run, II Is necessary 10 have bit In
his mouth 70 control him. A dog loves
a man, Is the most aftectionate Of ami
mails. and viii leave his own kind TO FOL-