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The History of Dog Tricks

by Karen Frisch

Overview

Dogs have probably performed tricks from the time humans first interacted with them and realized how trainable they were. Besides giving paws on command, dogs today compete in catching flying disks and perform government and humanitarian services. In the past they entertained in theaters and circuses, wearing ballerina costumes and other elaborate outfits. Dog tricks became noteworthy Victorian amusements featuring dogs whose talents were legendary enough to warrant shows of their own.
Circus Performers

In the 1890s Jojo and Toto, standard poodles whose tails were each coiffed with six pompoms, performed in Paris circus skits. These included dressing as firefighters to rescue poodles in night clothes from a burning house and doing battle in red and green military coats. Other dogs were as skilled as human acrobats, trained to race with monkeys on their backs, walk tightropes and perform impressive feats of balance on their hind legs.

Athletics

Some dogs were skilled in sports and athletics. Poodles were trained to wear boxing gloves and perform in the ring. Charles Prelle's troupe of 12 large poodles posed as horses. Prelle's dogs also participated in chariot races wearing Roman costumes.
Childhood Pets

Victorian newspapers are filled with accounts of children's pets that were trained to perform various tricks. Breeds ranged from St. Bernards and Newfoundlands to dogs of mixed lineage. Some performed errands at the market for their owners while others were trained to climb ladders and dive into nets or pools. Dogs were taught to do somersaults on command, play hide-and-seek, close doors, flip various items including silver dollars off their noses and collect loose coins they found in public. Others wore jackets or other items of clothing while displaying their individual talents.
Canine Theater

In London two dogs named Madame de Poncette and Marquis of Gaillerdain danced in time to music for Queen Anne in the "Ball of Little Dogs." Early in the 1800s poodles performed a skit in which a pair carried a fashionably dressed poodle to a banquet table where other dogs waited on her. Known as "the learned dog," the poodle Munito played dominoes against skilled opponents, picked out playing cards audience members chose in advance and solved math problems. Performing with a trained goat, Munito appeared throughout Europe. Bobby the Handcuff Dog, a terrier, accompanied Harry Houdini onstage. Houdini trained him to escape from not only handcuffs but ropes and a custom-designed straitjacket.
Dogs Today

While dogs still entertain us in movies, they are also trained to perform complex tricks that aid society. Dogs were used to transport messages during World War II. Dogs are used today as service dogs for the disabled. Other dogs put their senses to work as police dogs who apprehend criminals and detect the presence of drugs.