When eight dogs were left home alone with a bare Christmas tree, huge boxes of tinsel, baubles, and ornaments, and a generous stash of presents, the end results could have been disastrous.
Most pet owners can vouch for the fact that Christmas is an exciting time for animals, and they often have to be a part of putting up the decorations. Unfortunately, an animal’s idea of “helping” usually has the opposite effect – though when our cat pulls down the half-decorated tree for the third time, we try to grit our teeth and pretend that it’s all in the joy of the holiday season.
But these eight dogs have been specially trained to put up the Christmas decorations, all by themselves!
The video of these Good Boys at work was shared on YouTube by Nora Vamosi-Nagy, with the title “A doggy Christmas surprise,” and it has over 15.4 million views.
In the video, we can see each dog – big and small – working hard to make sure that the decorations are put up perfectly. They help each other out with hanging the ornaments on the tree, rolling up and putting away rugs, wrapping tinsel around the tree, and adding presents to the pile beneath. At one point, one brave poodle even ascends a ladder!
By the time they are finished, the tree looks beautiful, and we’re not in the least bit surprised that all of the dogs are worn out.
If like us, you’re left wondering how on earth people can train their dogs to do such complex activities like decorating a tree, then we have the answer for you. It turns out that if you want your dog to produce some cool tricks, then first off you have to practice being a good example to them.
According to The Bark, “The main idea is that everything is up to the owner. So, if you have a dog who’s not behaving or if you have a problem, then we usually say that you should look at what you are doing wrong and not put it on the dog. A dog is a mirror in this whole process, mirroring what you are doing wrong or good.”
The method behind this theory is called Mirror Method, and it has three parts.
The first part is being the leader in the group or the pack.
Apparently, dogs are more like children and look at us as parents more than leaders. But even so, it’s important to assert your dominance if you want to master the Mirror Method.
The second part is teaching, and The Bark suggests that “the best way today is clicker training.”
They add that, “once you can shape something to the dog you start to look at the dog a different way, you start to see things that you didn’t see before, and start to use your hand and your movements consciously.”
The third part of the method is lifestyle.
Keep your dog physically and mentally engaged by taking them on walks, playing with them, and teaching them new tricks regularly. In fact, lifestyle factors are so important, that experts even suggest that, “If the dog is not mentally engaged, it can get sick and ill.”
Well, if this video proves anything, it’s that the Mirror Method can definitely work! Take a look at these clever dogs in action below.
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