Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1901-07-08
HOW ANIMALS ARE TRAINED
Manager of the Gentry Dog Show Tells
of the Ms thods Employed.

There has been a remal kable change
IN the training and handling of animals
In the lapt fifteen years. When began
in the dog and pony show business.
says Mr.. Gentry, trainers were firm be-
| llevers in spare the rod and spoil the
animal They thought the whip wort
| more than the command. ard acoom-
panied almost every order with a slash.
the ponies and dogs did their work.
but they cringed through it, frightened
and trembling, expecting every minute
TO feel the whip. There was absolutely
no discrimination. Willing stock ~e-
ceived the same treatment as sulkers.
and there was no bond of feeling or
sympathy between the trainers and
| their stock. In fact. a comparison of
the animal trainers of twenty years
ago with thos= of today would be like
comparing the schoolmasters of fiftv
years ago with present day teachers.
Now the conditions under which ami
mails are trained are radically differ
ent. The whip has been discarded. ex-
Ic5pt as badge of authority. and the
trainers one aim Is to establish a.
closer sympathy between himself and
the stock. This Is particularly true in
regard to the handling Of elephants.
ponies and dogs. The treatment of
monkeys is slightly different, as they
are likely TO take advantage of too
great show OF friendship.
When dog, pony or any other ami
NAL joins the show. the first thing that
is done is to study it's disposition. If
1t 10 pony or dog, the trainer will
spend an hour or two each day with the
new arrival, until fes ling of conf
dence H. established. The other en-
ployes Of the show who are brought
In contact with the newcomer study
him and report any pecullarities which
they notice. Unless an emergency
case. all this l. done before any attempt
Is made to, train the animal He is
made to feel at home, know his a1so-
clates. and is not afraid when the
trainer takes him in hand.
| have often been asked: How do
you train the dogs and ponies?" The
easiest way TO answer that question is
to put another: How are fifty or 100
children trained and educated in differ
ent homes and schools?" In the old
style tho method vas the same for
every dog and pony. Under the new
system each dog or pony is handled
differently. and II is In knowing how to
handle each animal that the trainer
SHOWS his ability The fundamental
principle which makes the successful
trainer Is patience. This must be sup
plemented by an ability to work week
after week on the same candidates.
each in its own way, without seemingly
any results, and what IS more import
ant. without losing temper or cour-
age.
The successful trainer must also
couple iirmnes7 with consistency. Firm
neee docs not mean brutality. but it
does mean that when dog or pony
once learns what is wanted of him he
must respond when called on. Under
the present system this mas resolved it.
self into a conflict % will between the
trainer ami animal. / have mad THU
a rule-whcn an animal once learns
what is wanted OF il and continually
balks. he Is discarded, as there are too
many willing dogs and ponies who de-
light in their work, and are keen to
learn. An intelligent Eulker can do
more damage than half 4 dozen stupid
animals who are trying TO do their
best.
have ponies working here today
which in the early days of their edu-
cation were sulky and refused to work
prope rly. They were discarded and
others substituted. They soon discov-
cred that they had lost caste and later
when given another chance became
willing workers. and are as good as