How to Train a Dog

Another MGM "How To" comedy short starring Robert Benchley. In this one Benchley amusingly discusses buying and training dogs. Cute stuff but not one of Benchley's best. There really weren't any laugh-out-loud funny moments. Still, these old shorts are fun and have a lot of "window into the past" moments that I enjoy.

How to Train Your Dog (1936)

** (out of 4)

Another entry in Robert Benchley's "How to..." series with this one, as the title says, teaching you how to train a dog. We see Benchley go into a pet shop where we're told what not to do when picking out a new pet. We then see him take several home where we learn how to make sure they know who makes the rules as well as them knowing what not to eat. These Benchley shorts are always very hit and miss but this one here is somewhere in the middle. I'd call the film a miss because it simply doesn't contain any laughs but at the same time it's rather cute and somewhat charming so on this level you could call it a hit. I think the biggest problem is that Benchley's style of humor is going to be lost on many people and I'm one of them. I think this film has several cute scenes including Benchley coming home drunk, finding his room destroyed but one of his dogs decides to keep him company. This scene works as does another where Benchley leaves his breakfast out and his dog decides to take a bite.

The witty writer and commentator is just so funny. Listen to the dialogue, as so dutifully spoken by Mr. Benchley, authoritarian?

Today's Lesson (or warning?); How to train a dog. Robert is shopping for puppies and happens upon some perky Scottish terriers.

Why not take one home and train it? Yes, it's true. This fabulous short film shows how a dog, rather, trains you before you train it. Benchley works as best as he can(?) -- with some tried and true gimmicks.

HIGHLIGHT; He cautions NOT to drink when training any dog because you may think you did a commendable job -- but you're just feeling good.

You have to admit, the cute Scotties steal the show.

Lots of writers were credited for this one, although Robert Lee probably wrote most, behind Abbott and Costello, notably ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN. Directed by veteran gagster Arthur Ripley, who made quite a team with Benchley. After retiring, Arthur was a founder of the UCLA Film School.

Always on MGM dvd with many other of Robert Benchley's winning shorts. Thanks to TCM for bringing these oldies back.

I luckily caught this short on TCM as I had forgotten how much I enjoyed Benchley's observations. Benchley goes to a pet store and acquires new puppies; the focus of the rest of the story is on a Scottie. He tries to teach the Scotie to roll over and ends up rolling over himself much to the amusement, he says, to the puppy. The best bit is when he tells the audience not to drink alcohol when training because under the influence a trainer is apt to get too optimistic and is apt to think he has trained the dog better than he has. There's then an animation sequence of a well trained dog. The whole short is amusing and a reminder when funny didn't have to be vulgar. It was also an interesting short for featuring a Scottie, for I remember a time - long ago - when Scotties were very popular. Haven't seen a Scottie in years but they sure were cute dogs.

Robert Benchley buys a dog and tries to train it. He is not successful.

As a dog owner myself, I have endeavored to teach my dog not to pee or poop in the house and to be a friendly animal. This involves a lot of treats, which I give her willingly. It's other people who have tried to teach her various tricks, as if this will enable her to get a good job when she graduates from a good college. Then there are the other people who want to know what breed she is. When I tell them she is a mutt, this upsets them, so I have taken to claiming she is a purebred Flatbush Schnoodlehound, and that they were bred to fight the alligators in New York's sewers.

This seems to content most of the people who think a dog should be well educated and have a purpose in life. Any dog owner knows that a dog will train you at least as much as you train him or her, and is quite happy with it. As, I suspect, are the various people who wrote this short for Mr. Benchley.