Népszigeti dogs mirror their owners' behavior.
These dogs are socialized with other dogs.
And they are encouraged to just be dogs.
Over the past couple of years, some very charming videos have circulated the email rounds. The first one starred a diverse group of dogs trimming a Christmas tree. The latest one involves the same pack of dogs spending a day at the beach.
These videos come from Budapest, Hungary, and were produced by a group of first time dog owners who met in dog training classes. They forged a strong bond of friendship with each other based on their love of dogs and desire to incorporate their dogs into their social lives. Like the Japanese group, D.I.N.G.O. (Dog Instructor’s Network of Great Outcomes), this group of friends trains together, plays together and performs together, proving that the love of dogs can be a great way to meet new friends and build relationships with other people.
The Hungarian group called Népszigeti Kutyaiskola or People Island's Dog School (translation thanks to my dad who is Hungarian himself) call their method 'the Mirror Method' and use clicker training as well as mirroring to train the dogs.
What they mean by mirroring is similar to what you may have heard about the psychology of human communication. For instance, if you are negotiating a deal with someone who is leaning forward in their seat, you lean forward too. If they cross a leg, you cross your leg.
The 'Mirror Method' training concept is that dogs instinctively learn by following. As you'll see in the top picture and in the videos, when they want the dogs to sit, the owners themselves will crouch down, leading their dogs by example. On a deeper level, the dogs' quiet, confident and respectful behavior reflect the way they are trained. Dogs trained with aggression or brutality will display fear or aggression in their own behavior.
From their English version website, is this description of their methods:
The Mirror Method's name comes from the idea that dogs reflect their owners behaviour like mirrors.
The Mirror Method consists of three parts:
1.To build up required relationship and ranking order in everyday life
2.Teaching with clicker using only positive reinforcement and no force
3.To ensure the required lifestyle to our dog, specially giving opportunity for him to work down his intinct-energies
This video taken at a performance of Népszigeti Kutyaiskola includes English subtitles that explain their training program. Important aspects of their method are:
- positive reinforcement / clicker training
- including the dog in all aspects of the owner's life, not just daily walks
- socialization of dogs with other dogs
- allowing dogs to run free in the forest or swim in the lake - in other words, encouraging the freedom to just be dogs
- respecting a dog's natural instincts to hunt, defend, guard or retrieve by incorporating those instincts in play and training
More about this topic:
http://www.nepszigetibemutatocsoport.eoldal.hu/oldal/english
Review of the DVD 'The Bamboo Clicker'
Photo credits:
http://www.nepszigetibemutatocsoport.eoldal.hu/
The copyright of this article is owned by Eve Alexander. Permission to republish in print or online must be granted by Eve Alexander in writing.
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Comments
Amazing! Your articles are so informative that I usually have no immediate comment. I have to study them for a week or so, reading and re reading, checking out all your links and ruminating on all of it.
Thanks for the push toward deep thought!
These great dogs and their great people always amaze me--I love these videos.
Thank you for your article! :) You got one thing wrong, mirroring doesn't work the way you write it. Mirroring is not the teaching part, only it means, that is you don't teach or communicate the right way, the dog won't understand and do what you want him to do.
We don't have any material in english yet, first we need to finish some work in hungarian. We are planning to translate and publish everything and there are many requests.
If you want to be updated about how we are doing with the english materials, sign up for our mailing list here: mirrormethod@googlegroups.com
What breed is the big white dog? A Pit Bull or an American Bulldog or ? I LOVE HIM!
The white dog is a Dogo Argentino, also known as Argentine mastiff. A beautiful specimen of the breed! Congratulations to the team and to all the dogs, I saw you the first time today and I was very very impressed! Nagyon ugyesek vagytok! Udv: Kata
WOW! What fun! Couldn't help but smile & tap my feet through your videos. Your group is a true inspiration.
Great article. Thanks.
Hello !
What you are doing with your dogs looks magical to me.
I just adopted a dog from Illatos ùt two Months ago and he is actually a very kind dog, he is just very dominant towards other dogs and also attacks them right away when they are on a leash.
Well with this dog my live is not very easy and I would love to train him, so that our both lives get easier.
Are there dog schools in Budapest that speak englisch that I could contact?
My Email is turnbeutel_vergesser@gmx.net I would be happy to hear from you soon.
Best regards
Anna
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