The Show Must Go On! Or Must It? Ensuring Animal Actors Thrive

I am regularly asked to assist with training projects that include animal actors in various entertainment settings, including film, television, and professional theater projects. Recently,  I assisted in training several dogs for their appearance in a musical production. A small protest group emerged, seeking to halt the use of dogs in this high-profile performance. These protestors had the best of intentions, but their concerns were based on misinformation.

Why People Worry About Animal Actors

People often oppose the use of animal actors based on the belief that the animals are not getting the best care. Historically, this assumption is based on actual problems; common concerns include:

• The idea that the “show most go on” and that animals are forced to perform
• The perception that coercion is used to make animals perform
• The idea that animals in entertainment are not given choice
• Housing and care of these animals were believed to be poor

These are legitimate concerns, but fortunately, many producers and directors are increasingly seeking trainers who prioritize the welfare of performing animals.

How Productions Can Protect Animal Actors

In today’s professional theater environment, when theater goers are often paying hundreds of dollars for a ticket, they expect to see a smooth, entertaining production. It is particularly critical when the animal is a significant part of the show. Whether it is the role of Sandy in the musical Annie or Bruiser in the musical Legally Blonde, the dogs playing these roles are crucial to the plot, and they are required to perform many key behaviors on cue, eight times a week. The trainers are under enormous pressure to produce excellent results, but they are also doing everything in their power to provide good welfare for their animals. How can a high-profile production make sure that no compromises are being made? 

It is due to these concerns from compassionate producers and directors that I am brought in to assist in shows using animal actors. I look for four key things that make these seemingly conflicting goals possible.

1. The dogs are trained using positive reinforcement!
2. There are usually at least two understudies (alternate dogs, trained and ready to step in at a moment’s notice).
3. The trainers train and desensitize the dogs to all predictable distractions as well as some things that are not so predictable.
4. The dogs have a pre-show routine that allows the trainers to assess the dogs’ readiness to perform

This was not always the norm. However, it has become a significant reason for my involvement in so many productions. Let’s examine how and why these things make a difference.

Positive Reinforcement

If you are reading this article, you probably already know the reasons that I advocate for positive reinforcement. The reasons this is helpful for animal actors include:

• Strengthening the relationship between the dog and the trainer, as well as the dog and the human actors.
• Increasing the joy the dog has in the performance
• Avoiding punishment removes the fear and discomfort that animal actors historically experienced.
• Setting the dogs up to choose to participate eagerly

Understudies

It is common practice for all actors to have understudies and standbys, who can cover if an actor becomes ill or needs time off. Animal actors are no different. I almost always insist on a minimum of two understudies, so that if one dog does not want to go on in a given evening, there are two others ready to take their place (see the pre-show routine section below for a more detailed explanation). The understudies go through the same training and preparation as the primary animal actor.

Desensitization

I have been working with professional working animals in many contexts for decades. Whether working with a guide dog, an explosive detection dog, or an animal actor, one of the keys to reliable success is desensitizing the animals to every realistic distraction and generalizing them to the unexpected. When well-trained, the animal chooses to participate because it is accustomed to novelty and the unexpected distractions that may come its way. We particularly train them for unexpected audience reactions, missed cues, backstage chaos, and mishaps with scenery, props, and lighting. 

Pre-Show Routine

This is one of the most important and unique aspects of preparing a dog for being in a show. Before the dog makes its first entrance on stage, we put it through a series of pre-show behaviors that help us determine its readiness and eagerness to perform. If a dog does not perform the pre-show routine well or with enthusiasm, it is an indicator to us that the dog may not be up for that performance, and we go to the understudy. That understudy also goes through a similar pre-show routine, and if he indicates that he is not ready, we go to the next understudy. We rarely ever have to go to the third dog (the second understudy). In my decades-long experience working with dogs in the theater, spanning over 3,000 performances, I have only had to call on the second understudy twice!

From Protest to Praise

In the recent production that attracted protesters, we invited a small team of observers from the group to shadow our trainers and dogs for an entire week of production. They observed training time, enrichment sessions, daily rehearsal sessions, feeding time, and actual performances. Afterwards, in an open letter to a major newspaper, the protest group issued a formal apology to the production, stating, in part, 

We are sincerely sorry for wrongly accusing [the production] of mistreating the dogs in [the show]. We jumped to conclusions but could not have been more wrong. After observing the four dogs used in [the production], we were impressed with the level of care they received. We wish all dogs could be given the type of care that we observed at [the theater]. We saw happy, highly motivated dogs who performed with enthusiasm. The trainers used no force whatsoever. We encourage dog lovers and musical lovers to attend [the performance] without guilt or remorse.*

Final Thoughts

I am committed to giving animals a choice and to never using coercion to compel them to perform. This is true whether I am training medical behaviors, competing in a dog sport, working with a law enforcement dog, or training an animal actor. I think it is wise to question the techniques used when we train, but the judgment should not be based on the type of activity but on the quality and care that goes into the training. That is what will help you determine if good welfare is being considered and whether a dog has a choice in the activities it participates in. I genuinely understand the concerns people raise regarding the use of animals in entertainment. But I think the same concerns can be raised with any type of training activity. 

The bottom line, for me, is asking how the tasks were trained and if humane training techniques were employed. If the animals are given a choice, positive reinforcement is used, and the trainer prioritizes the animals’ needs above all else, then the training taking place is starting from a good place.

Happy Training,

Ken

_{*Note: In the protestor’s apology, reprinted from the newspaper, the words in [brackets] are replacing the actual names of the production and theater involved.}