All over the world, dogs and people have been friends for thousands of years. Dogs originally looked wolf-like but selective breeding has produced an amazing array of pooches in all shapes and sizes, from the tiny Chihuahua to the gigantic Great Dane. Dogs have been bred as working animals, too. Think of the dachshund, hunter of badgers. Or how about the super-intelligent border collie, a dog that knows how to manage entire herds of sheep?
Most of us are more familiar with dogs whose only job is to be our companions. Much as they aim to please us, they still need some training. This usually isn’t too difficult: dogs are naturally receptive to conditioning and brainy enough to remember their lessons. But if you are having trouble training your dog, there are professionals who can help. And this brings us to the “mirror method”
In nature, dogs form large and surprisingly complex societies. “Model-rival training” is based on the idea that this makes dogs receptive to learning by observing. It’s a three-way dance between the dog, the trainer and a “model-rival” who models the desired behavior while simultaneously being a rival for the trainer’s attention. One variant of model-rival training is the “mirror method.” It focuses on working with dogs’ instincts rather than against them.
There’s a dog training school in Hungary that specializes in the “mirror method” and they made a cute little video to show how well it works! We’ve posted it below. A man tells his dogs be good while he’s away. They’re good, alright, and everyone is going to have a great Christmas!
Did you like this charming, festive little video? Wish your pets would do something like this for you? Tell us all about it in the comments at Facebook. Be sure to like and share so your friends can join in the holiday fun.
https://youtu.be/AUtPKbMwnRo
