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Big Top Dog

Circus Chicken Dog is the big top equivalent of a one-man-band. Performing in a tuxedo shirt, sparkling red bow tie, and sometimes even bright red tail coat, Darren Peterson acts as the show’s master of ceremonies – as well as the musical accompaniment, animal trainer, unicyclist, and juggler. Other acts feature the show’s namesake, a spotted part dalmatian/part blue healer named Chicken Dog. Rounding out the cast, the circus menagerie also includes a shaggy mixed-breed dog named Jumpin’ Jack and a multi-colored parrot by the name of Lauren Macaw.

One of the show’s signature tricks involves Chicken Dog jumping rope, which she performs with the aid of “her human,” Darren Peterson. The duo has even performed the feat as part of the Stupid Pet Tricks segment on the Late Show with David Letterman. In addition, they have appeared on the Donnie and Marie Show and an American Idol-style animal show on the Animal Planet television network, as well as a number of commercials.

Like many artists, Chicken Dog’s path to the stage has been long and difficult. After seeing Chicken Dog in performance, it is hard to believe that such an accomplished performer got her name because of her nervousness. When she first came to live with Peterson, Chicken Dog was very jittery and high strung. For a variety of reasons, five other homes had given up on her. Luckily, Peterson was able to provide her the attention and direction that she needed. It wasn’t long before the two were entering and winning Frisbee dog competitions around Texas.

Peterson got his start performing as a juggler while attending the University of Texas at Austin. After graduating with a degree in Mathematics, he ran away to join the circus – literally. He spent about a year traveling around the southwest with the Royal Lichtenstein Quarter Ring Sidewalk Circus, performing as a unicyclist and juggler. At times the circus’ ranks became slim and Peterson was even commandeered to drive the big top’s big rig from town to town. One of the key lessons that Peterson learned from his year with the circus was that the actual performance wasn’t necessarily the biggest part of the show. The traveling, setting up, and then packing up were just as necessary and important. He sometimes considered himself a “glorified furniture mover.”

After leaving the circus, Peterson began working in front of one of his most difficult audiences to date. He earned his teaching certification on the job, while teaching high school math in Dilley, Texas, south of San Antonio. In Peterson’s words, the kids were “pretty rough” and were proud of the fact that they had run off the previous teacher midway through the year. However, Peterson’s time spent performing with the circus turned out to be an asset with the kids. It soon became apparent to Peterson that “Any teacher is a performer.” He realized that rather than trying to change the kids, it was better to change his lessons to make them interesting. At times Peterson would work juggling into his lessons and “the kids would be amazed.”

It wasn’t long before Peterson realized that teaching wasn’t the right career for him. He was taking the kids’ problems home with him and thinking about the kids all the time. After a year and a half in Dilley, Peterson decided to move back to Austin and gradually began focusing on a career that would eventually combine both his love for performing and his love for animals. The lessons Peterson learned as a teacher have contributed to his philosophy of animal training. In much the same ways as the kids in his math classes, Peterson says “the animals look for ways to control their environment.” Since he controls the treats that the animals receive, Peterson says “the animals are much more attentive to what I’m doing.”

At a recent performance at the Howson Branch library in Austin, Peterson started the show with a series of feats centering around Lauren. The parrot both spoke and sang, with Peterson providing accompaniment on the accordion. The show proceeded onto a series of complex yo-yo tricks, which Peterson joked was the “warm up act for the dogs.” Soon Chicken Dog and Jumpin’ Jack took the stage and the audience was quickly won over. The dogs performed a series of tricks woven into a story involving singing, dancing, climbing mountains and battling monsters. The unpredictable nature of performing animals is a big part of the show’s charm. Half of the fun is seeing the dogs get so excited that they miss their queues.

Peterson tries to find the best in each routine and to condense his shows down as much as possible. The 3-ball juggling routine which he says used to last five minutes when he traveled with the Royal Lichtenstein Circus, has now been reduced to just the best minute and a half. That gives him more time to work new elements into the show.

With the help of the animal cast, the show packs in just as many elements as you might expect in a three-ring traveling circus. There’s more juggling, with impressions of monkey and ape juggling, as well as Jackie Chan as a juggler. Lauren reemerges for another story involving crooked pirates and a shanghaied crew. Later, Peterson’s math teacher roots surface when he gets the audience to chant “Algebra. . . Al. . . ge. . . bra” as he blows bubbles on stage. The bubbles gradually get bigger and bigger as the audience is encouraged to work up to “Calculus” and “Differential Equations.”

Peterson prefers to perform for a mixture of adults and kids, since “adults appreciate everything on another level.” Peterson notes that they will catch some of the lines that the kids don’t understand. For the younger members of the audience, he hopes that they will be amazed by something they have never seen before, such as accordion playing on a 5-foot unicycle, new-fangled no-hand yo-yo tricks, or a brief sonic interlude on a didgeridoo. He hopes that some kids might remember his antics later and eventually try to learn some of the circus skills.

Peterson encourages interested kids to visit the weekly meetings of the Texas Juggling Society. Peterson is a long-standing member of the organization and for the past several years has helped to promote the association’s annual festival by organizing showcase events for local media. He and his performing animals are a regular highlight at the festival’s public show. Peterson is also a founding member of the recently organized Austin One Wheelers Unicycle Club and is a regular on the club’s cross-town rides.

Peterson clearly loves and pampers his animals. He uses an RV with a customized interior to transport himself, his animals, and his props from place to place. The RV provides a safe and comfortable place for the cast to relax before going on stage. Also out of a respect for his animals, Peterson eventually stopped taking work in commercials. Generally, a props manager was put in charge of coordinating any animals. They often didn’t understand the needs of live animals to be nurtured and would want them to perform for hours on end. Peterson’s experience as a trainer has shown him that 15 minutes per hour is a more realistic target.

After the show, Peterson puts on his proverbial furniture mover’s hat and begins packing up. Some kids stick around after the show to talk while Peterson packs up the RV. Proving that there is something in the show for everyone, Peterson jokes that for some, the amount of stuff he can pack into a trunk becomes the most memorable part of the show.