Rin Tin Tin Quotes

“When Rin Tin Tin first became famous, most dogs in the world would not sit down when asked. Dogs performed duties: they herded sheep, they barked at strangers, they did what dogs do naturally, and people learned to interpret and make use of how they behaved. The idea of a dog's being obedient for the sake of good manners was unheard of. When dogs lived outside, as they usually did on farms and ranches, the etiquette required of them was minimal. But by the 1930s, Americans were leaving farms and moving into urban and suburban areas, bringing dogs along as pets and sharing living quarters with them. At the time, the principles of behavior were still mostly a mystery -- Ivan Pavlov's explication of conditional reflexes, on which much training is based, wasn't even published in an English translation until 1927. If dogs needed to be taught how to behave, people had to be trained to train their dogs. The idea that an ordinary person -- not a dog professional -- could train his own pet was a new idea, which is partly why Rin Tin Tin's performances in movies and onstage were looked upon as extraordinary.”
― Susan Orlean, Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend

“Television wasn't getting rid of animals, but they were no longer cast as creatures that were omniscient and heroic. They were talking horses like Mr Ed or an absurdist pig like Arnold Ziffle...Just like the heroic animals in silent films became comedians in talkies, animals on television were becoming jesters, something Rin Tin Tin had never been.”
― Susan Orlean, Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend

“And now, in conclusion, may we be permitted to point out the excuse for this book? It is not the story of Rin-Tin-Tin, for, after all, the real story of Rin-Tin-Tin can only be written when he, like all his forbears, goes to the happy hunting grounds. History cannot be written of those who live, only of those who have departed, for then only do we have the true perspective.

No, the reason for the book, is the pictures therein, beautiful reproductions of the life of this dog, colored to add to their values. Lovers of Rin-Tin-Tin will love these pictures; lovers of all dogs will appreciate these wonderful reproductions of man's noblest friend.

This, then, is the story of Rin-Tin-Tin, merely an outline, a sketch, for the real story is yet to come.”
― Warner Bros. Productions., The Story of Rin-Tin-Tin. The Marvelous & Amazing Dog of the Movies.