Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-01
TRAINING WILD
ANIMALS.
By Frederic ]. Haskin.

With the circus season comes a renew
ed interest in the training of animals
that are made to exhibit feats Of seem
ingly unnatural intelligence in a manner
to hold great crowds spellbound. The
lion who permits some lovely lady to
rest her head against his great shoulder.
the tigers who crouch humbly before
their keeper and lick his hand. the ele-
plants who build houses with huge
building blocks and dance the cancan,
the horses who know the multipicatio ton
table and add figures like expert ac-
countants and the dogs who recognize
the flags of all nations and have a spe-
cial salute for the one representing their
native land are only few of the
about by the patient. skillful work of
the animal trainer
At one time the training of animals
was regarded as an inferior calling and
those who engaged in it We're looked
upon as cheap takers entitled to but little
respect. This was partly due to the cruel
and barbarous practices said to be re-
quired to gain submission from the an
imals. A great change has come about
within recent years. Animal trainers are
now beginning to work scientifically The
principles of animal psychology as laid
W x
lists are being applied by many trainers
in their work. The results show great
er display of intelligence than was
brought about by the earlier trainers
and 1t is obtained with less suffering to
the animals
The early lion trainers beat off the
lions with hot iron bars, thus inspiring
them with q
Early Trainers Beat Off fear Of toe
Lions With Hot Irons. ac, w,,n
if ever resorted to now 4 woman train
er. who. with her two large lions. at
tracted attention in most of the large
cities of the world because of the docility
of her big beasts. claims that she has
never been forced to resort to brutal
treatment. Before entering a cage she
made the acquaintance of her lion by
days of persevering visits to the hous
in which he was kept. He learned to
know the sound of her voice before she
entered his cage Her first visit inside
the cage was made with great caution
1t amounted to no more than standing
for a minute inside of the door. The call
was repeated frequently until the beast
DcCdiHc July dSCuSloIHc 10 ntI anu tdtIi
time she stayed little longer, talking to
the animal in a calm firm tone After
she was able to enter the cage and
spend some time without exciting any
antagonism from the lion she mad {;
chair brought into the cage. This was
done a number of times before she at
tempted to sit in it. and it vas always
so placed that she could keep her eyes
directly upon the lion. She always
avoided any sudden motion calculated tC
excite the animal. but by degrees be
gan TO sit in the cage for longer periods
until the lion seemed to take little notice
Of her. BY perseverance she taught him
to take food from her hand and other
tricks followed only by patient, careful
training. She used no instrument Other
than flexible whip. People who dc
not understand call the whip cruel.
she said. 1t is really not SO. When /
lash the whip through the air with E
loud smack l am really only giving an
order to the animal in the way he un-
derstands best. The crack of the whip
indicates that its force is spent before
1t touches his body
Most tricks are taught to animals by