Marc Metral is a French inventor and animal trainer who is best known for teaching his dog, a Poodle named Missy, to talk. He first gained attention in 1999 when he appeared on a French television show with Missy, who was able to speak basic words and sentences. Since then, Metral has become something of a celebrity, appearing on talk shows and giving lectures around the world.
The Early Years
Marc Metral was born in Paris in 1961. His father was an inventor and his mother was an animal trainer, so it’s no surprise that Metral followed in their footsteps. He started working with animals at a young age, training his family’s pet cats and dogs. After studying engineering and computer science at university, Metral opened his own animal training business in 1989.
The Discovery of Missy
In 1997, Metral heard about a poodle named Missy who was living at a nearby animal shelter. He decided to take her in and train her, and it was then that he made a startling discovery: Missy was able to understand some basic words and phrases. This made Metral curious, so he began to work with Missy to see how far he could go.
The Training Process
Metral’s training process was a combination of classical conditioning and operant conditioning. He used a reward system to encourage Missy to learn new words and phrases. Metral also used a technique called shaping, which involves reinforcing small steps towards a desired behavior. So, for example, if he wanted Missy to learn the word “hello”, he would reward her for any attempt at making the sound.
Missy's Amazing Abilities
After months of training, Missy was able to understand and respond to simple commands, such as “sit” and “stay”. She could even answer simple questions, such as “what is your name?”. But most impressive of all was that she was able to say several words and phrases, such as “hello”, “goodbye”, and “I love you”.
The Breakthrough
In 1999, Metral and Missy appeared on the French television show “Les Animaux”. It was an instant hit, and it wasn’t long before the pair became a celebrity. People were amazed at Missy’s ability to speak, and it wasn’t long before Metral and Missy were appearing on television shows around the world.
The Inspiration
Metral’s work with Missy has been an inspiration to many. He has shown that animals can learn and understand language, and that with enough patience and dedication, we can all make a difference.