This recent story by Cesar Milan has generated quite a few responses from my Newsday readers. Is he a much-needed wake-up call for a country of indulgent owners? Or an advocate of brutal methods that have long been abandoned by more enlightened trainers and behaviorists? What do you think?
COVER STORY
A 'tough love' dog whisperer spurs some yelps
Cesar Millan has plenty of believers, including celebs, but veterinarians snarl over tactics
BY DENISE FLAIM
Newsday Staff Writer
May 17, 2006
In the unpretty world of doggie dysfunction, Cesar Millan is the last resort, called in to deal with neighbor-chomping Rottweilers, mutts with hairbrush phobias and Shelties that yap obsessively at toasters.
But he's first in the ratings on the National Geographic Channel, which expanded Millan's "Dog Whisperer" show to an hour for its current second season and repositioned it in a prime-time slot (Fridays at 8p.m.). With an everyman vibe - he has no formal training in animal behavior, learning instead at his grandfather's side on a farm in Mexico - and a telegenic persona - complete with spiky salt-and-pepper hair and Clintonish ability to engage - Millan has earned the glib nickname "the Doctor Phil for dogs." And his media success neatly capsulizes the American dream: Entering this country about 20 years ago as an illegal immigrant, Millan started as a dog groomer and wound up training dogs for a Hollywood client list that includes Vin Diesel, Nicolas Cage, Scarlett Johansson and Hilary Duff. His slightly accented English is courtesy of actress Jada Pinkett Smith - he trained her Rotties, she hired him a speech teacher for a year.
An "alpha" bet
Millan's latest book, "Cesar's Way" (Harmony Books, $24.95), released last month, has been on the Amazon top 10 list ever since. And his "way" is in many respects a poke at the indulgence of his newly adopted country - at least insofar as far as its pooches go. Basing his approach on his grandfather's edict "Never work against Mother Nature," this 36-year-old dog rehabilitator (he rejects the label "trainer," except in relation to the owners) takes a tough-love approach that relies on dominance theory - the concept of owner as "alpha." To turn his stubborn students into willing "omegas," Millan sometimes exposes them to the "power of the pack," his good-natured gang of some 50 dogs, including Rottweilers, pit bulls and the odd Italian greyhound. He advocates projecting "calm-assertive energy," and has a deep appreciation for his own abilities - important for an alpha among alphas.
"I teach owners how to practice exercise, discipline and then affection, which allows dogs to be in a calm, submissive state," says Millan in an e-mailed reply to questions. "Most owners in America only practice affection, affection, affection - which does not create a balanced dog! ... You have to continue to practice being the pack leader if you want to help your dog become balanced."
Some of the methods Millan uses to return a dog to "balance" include pinning it to the ground, jabbing it with his hand to simulate the mouthed correction of a packmate, and administering the occasional smack to the head. A $25,000 lawsuit filed this month suggests that such hands-on tactics can take their toll, with a television producer claiming that his 5-year-old Labrador retriever Gator was choked and "overworked" on a treadmill at Millan's Dog Psychology Center in South Central Los Angeles.
(Millan did not comment on the litigation, though the National Geographic Channel released a statement noting that Millan had never worked with the dog and was not there when the incident occurred.)
Born during a hurricane that took off the roof of his family's home , Millan can inspire similarly torrential reactions among animal behaviorists and trainers, who argue that he is pushing human relationships with dogs back to the Middle Ages.
Veterinarians incensed
"To call his operation a psychology center is a total paradox," says veterinary behaviorist Nicholas Dodman, director of the Animal Behavior Clinic at Tufts University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and author of "Dogs Behaving Badly" (Bantam, $14). "I think, like a bullfighter, he understands how to approach and work around a dog, but thereafter he stops. He doesn't understand separation anxiety. I doubt he knows what obsessive-compulsive behavior is. Basically, with a smile, he's going to war with these dogs."
Dodman says Millan relies on two musty tools popularized a half-century ago by heavy-handed military dog trainers and considered out of vogue amid the current emphasis on reward-based training. One is "positive punishment," where an adversive action - "poking and jabbing and pulling and prodding" - is applied to get the dog to stop a behavior. The other is "flooding," in which the dog is "basically drowning" in something it doesn't like, sort of "Fear Factor" for Fido.
"Imagine," says Dodman, "if there was a new Dr. Phil for children, and he said, 'If your kid is playing too many video games, get a big paddle and whack him on the head.'People would be incensed."
This is the case with his colleagues at the prestigious American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, which shared its concerns in a letter to the cable network. (Among them: Nowhere on the show does Millan suggest that owners first rule out a medical cause for aberrant behavior.) And when news of the Gator lawsuit broke, Dodman says the chatter on the group's e-mail list was about volunteering to be expert witnesses against Millan.
"Envy factor"
You don't have to have a degree in psychology, human or otherwise, to see what's behind the current Millan bashing, says Marc Goldberg of the Chicagoland Boarding School for Dogs in suburban Chicago, who gets referrals from Millan and uses a spectrum of training techniques, from food rewards to "taps" from a electronic collar.
"There's an enormous envy factor at play here," says Goldberg, who credits Millan with heralding a "new world view" of dog behavior and tackling tough aggression cases that otherwise would be euthanized. "I've never had clients call me up and refer to dog trainers, famous or otherwise, like they do with Cesar Millan."
Manhattan dog trainer Andrea Arden says she finds it "upsetting" when prospective clients mention Millan because she disagrees strongly with his methods; but she sees a silver lining. "At least he's getting people interested in dog training."
"Dog Whisperer" episodes are riddled with disclaimers urging viewers not to attempt Millan's techniques at home. "I tell people this is not a 'how to' show, but it can create awareness [and] insight into different possibilities," says Millan, ducking a question about how often he has been bitten while rehabbing dogs; on-screen, it happens. "Being bitten comes with the job," he admits, "but it has never been serious."
Millan wannabes aren't always so lucky. "I have a client right now who did a lot of the stuff he ... [does on the show] - reaching out and pinching the dog, grabbing the scruff and pinning him down," Arden says. "And lo and behold, the dog caused 50 stitches in her face."
Paul Owen of Burbank, Calif., was the original dog whisperer; he published his book of the same name in 1999, years before Millan started doing interventions with Oprah Winfrey's cocker spaniel. And he thinks the way people react to the show's techniques says more about them than about Millan.
"You can't blame National Geographic or Cesar Millan - people have a choice in how to train their animals," says Owen. "If people don't have it in them to pin or jerk or hit a dog, they're still not going to do it." Conversely, "I've had people walk out of my classes saying, 'I need something more hands on.' I had one guy slug his Rottweiler and say, 'See? He can take it.'"
Canine craving: "balance"
For Millan, the appeal of his show is simple: Misery loves company as well as redemption. "What people tell me is that they love the stories - the dogs and the owners," he says, ticking off the names of recent celebrity guests such as actress Denise Richards. "People like to see that even celebs and people with money have problems with their dogs. I like to say that your dog does not know or care if you are the president or the janitor. They just want to be balanced."
There's that word again. And in the end, it may be the key to Millan's cult status among the nation's exasperated dog owners. Yes, "Dog Whisperer" delivers high drama and seemingly magical transformations, and, yes, Millan has a high-octane Q quotient, fueled by a Simon Cowell-ish lack of equivocation tempered by a Julio Iglesias charm.
But the appeal goes deeper. Matter-of-fact and plain-spoken, not averse to using the rod if he feels he needs it, Millan's an antidote to the "fur kids" philosophy that's taken root in the past decade or two. In this age of supermodels posing with their pugs on the cover of New York Dog, of Internet boutiques that sell boas and barrettes for declawed trendsetters, of Prada dog carriers that cost more than a mortgage payment, perhaps we yearn for a simpler time, when men were men and dogs were dogs and Lassie didn't go to the spa or snack on carob-oatmeal cookies.
And perhaps Millan's assessment of our nation's dogs - overfed and underexercised, out of touch with their instincts and neurotic in their personal relationships - holds a mirror up to ourselves. Tough love, indeed.
Copyright 2006 Newsday Inc.
Story link: http://www.newsday.com/features/printedition/ny-etlede4743494may17,0,1617948.story
Comments (49)
Mr. Milan takes it a bit over the top for the average person. But I believe he has some good points - too much pamering makes dogs neurotic - and then just plain nuts.
And so do the pros with the psych. names for dog ailments. I hired a dog psychologist who wanted to put my pooch on meds and make her "Alpa" female/dog. The dear girl was just a teenager unsure of herself. I put her in the garage and in the back yard away from my other three and worked with her alone obedience and affection. Yes, it took some time, but now she is a dear - not perfect - but much happier and no meds. But I certainly didn't hang her or roll her or cause any trauma that I think goes along with the Milan approach taken to the extreme.
Then I had a younger little rascal that was giving me trouble, I just put him in the garage with the older female - and voila! The older female got that kid in line so fast it was unbelievable.
I don't think people have any business acting like dogs. Dogs will either work with another dog or kill it if it doesn't learn.
That seems a bit harsh for my blood. And hanging a dog to a state of dazed submission is just too extreme. I have Mr. Milan's video and have watched him many times.
Mr. Milan is out for money - and he will film a dog in a few sessions and then it looks like success. But he is right to some extent that most owners cause the problems, but the solution? Two alpha females fighting - no thanks.
Both camps need a heads up. I like the SPCA approach to dog training. No free lunch. Works for me gang.
I don't care very much for Mr. Milan. Cute? Yes. Some dogs require a stricter routine than others do. I took my dog to a trainer that specialized in tough dogs. For the most part the trainer was very good - mostly just letting the dog know what he could do and what was off limits. It worked for me. No confusion on my part no confusion on the dogs. I learned that mixed messages confuse dogs until they give up and just do their own thing. I think Mr. Milan uses his harsh methods for quick results - if results. People want to be entertained and he is very entertaining.
Cynthia
I agree that people need to establish a hierarchy with their dogs, but for me I find that food rewards/withholding food rewards motivate my dogs fairly well. I can't do physical harshness. It's just not in me. Different breeds have different motivators, so maybe there is a place for the physical harshness mentioned in the story. I don't know.
I agree with his methods but not the extreme choking. Too much affection can hurt dogs so can too much concern over a dog's state of mind or body. Dogs are not meant to carry emotional baggage from owners, and many times the well-meaning, loving owners dump on their poor pets more than the pets can handle and the outcome is neurotic behavior that so many now treat with pills. Stop the pills and take the dog on long runs, wear it out, rebalance him - all that is true. Sometimes even rename the animal.
So the Milan vote? I vote "yes" - like him. Just don't hurt the dog in the process.
The one thing I do that I learned from watching his show is that I always leave or enter my apartment or the elevator before the dogs, and they seem to respect that. My samoyed is such a strong puller and he doesn't pull nearly as much when I do that.
I have a Samoyed mix about 70 lbs that is the strongest dog for his size I have ever seen. His paw strenth is enormous. Are your Sammies strong like that? I know the Samoyed is a mix, maybe with a Malamute; he is all white; I do not know for sure his breed mixture; he is so headstrong too - with a long pink tongue and is the happiest dog I've ever seen - ever.
I don't understand the criticisms of cesar milan's techniques. he is never cruel or abusive. i watch his show and just finished his book which was great. he specifically says that you should never hit a dog and he doesn't scream either. as far as pinning the dog down, I learned the alpha rollerover technique in my local training class a few years ago. i can't believe that all these people that are offended have never screamed or gotten angry at their dogs. i know i have and i know how ineffective that is. i am trying cesar's methods which make much more sense, but require a lot of time and consistency. the criticism of cesar sounds a lot like the criticisms parents have concerning child-rearing techniques. i think people protest too much because just like in child-rearing people don't like to be told that they don't have all the answers and don't like being told that they have to change their ways.
I don't care for the alpha roll technique myself. That is me personally. Although when my dogs roll over themselves and expose their belly, I am right there rubbing it and giving soft affirmations at how very good they are.
I was taught that technique on a Pit Bull I had and it worked when he was a puppy and older too. The dog was very submissive to me, and a real problem dog, I don't know if I'd chance it.
I had a bad experience with a dog that was difficult being choked by someone until its eyes turned bloody and bulged out the next day - it was all so horrible. That poor dog. So I will never hang a dog or even lift it off the ground by its throat. There are just better ways to get results. That is from my personal experience only.
Can anyone tell me if Sammies are stronger than regular dogs of the same size? My Samoyed mix seems unuaually strong? He is neutered and 8 months old at 70 lbs. Thanks!
I read a story the other day. That Cesar Milan is being sued by a Dog Owner. The dog he was training was put on a tread mill. The dog ended up getting very sick. He had the dog run to the point of exhaustion...
I have five dogs. They have been trained almost entirely on positive reinforcement with a few necessary corrections on some, but not all of them. My Border Collie has herAKC Master Agility titles and has never been harshly corrected, not once. She comes the instant she is called and knows right from left. These skills are not uncommon in agility in any breed. Agility is obedience training at a dead run and from a distance. I don't know one trainer who would consider choking a dog to be anything other than abuse. You need to choke your dog- then what you need really is to train your dog. These methods went the same way as beating children. Turned out these things not only are abusive but ineffective as well. Training and teaching a dog that you are unpredictable and scary are two different things. The difference between educating and scaring a child. I'd like to see Denise now start a discussion on a positive trainer. I bet Bonnie doesn't choke dogs.
Hanging? Abusing? Choking? What show are you guys watching? I have Tivo'd every episode and have never seen any of the above. Nor have I ever seen a dog on the show act like it was in pain or being tortured. What I have seen is dogs that respond beautifully to Cesar and subsequently, their owners. I have seen many dogs on his show that, without his intervention, would have been euthanized by most any vet I know. Cesar seems to understand the psychology of dogs more than anyone who has come before him. If someone else is out there who has achieved similar results, why haven't we heard of them? Why don't they have their own television show?
I think envy is the operative word here.
Milli I agree, We must be watching the same show! I got hooked on his show and has been very helpfull. Since taking my whippet on regulare walks he is much calmer and content. That is one of the things Cesar ask people to enforce, and it works!
I agree. The one thing Cesar ephasizes again and again is excersize. Remember - a tired dog is a good/happy dog! Terrie
My mom watched a few of his shows and thought the guy was out of line. Hierarchy is one thing, his methods seem over the top. And the episode where he "trains" a Newf sickened her so she won't watch him any more. That's good enuf for me. I say we turn him over till he gets limp and gives in. You do that to puppies while scratching their belly, not to grown dogs. There are other means.
My 2 cents so please no daggers please.
I am a Cesar addict. I tape his show and watch it over and over. I have NEVER seen him abuse a dog. He does not choke them...he uses their collar to control their aggression towards other dogs or people. Big difference. Many of these dogs would be DEAD (euthanized)by now in the average home. He rehabilitates these dogs and teaches their owners how to love them sensibly without indulging the neurotic behavior that many of them have allowed. Dominance training is gentle assertion, not abuse. Watch the show.
Also, imagine living with a dangerous dog and having it transformed into a manageable member of society. I think Cesar is incredibly intuitive and gifted. I doubt even he thinks he is perfect.
monica bowers
I have watched the "Dog Whisperer" but probably only about 7-10 episodes. I have not seen any abusive tactics on the shows I watched so I can't comment on that. I think he has good points: exercise, affection and discipline. I also think he has saved dogs that would have ended up being euthanized.
I have a female Akita who is extremely alpha and extremely protective of her home and family. I got her when I was with my first husband. She was 8 months old and already fully housebroken. When we first got her, she tried to challenge me for status in the pack. Never having a dog before, we were pampering her and allowing her on the bed. One day she was lying on the bed and I sat down on it and she began to growl and snarl at me showing her teeth! I called my husband and we both chased her off the bed and yelled at her. Afterwards we never let her on the bed again. She also never challenged me again either. We took her to a trainer and learned a lot. We would not let her in the kitchen when we ate dinner. She would be fed after us and also after the cats. (#1: they lived with us first; #2: I wanted her to respect them as they are so much smaller than her.) She ended up being a wonderful dog who loves all in the household (cats too!). However, she has always been and always will be extremely protective of the home. If a visitor she doesn't know comes in, she will follow the person around the house (even try and go in the bathroom with them!). If there is somebody outside she doesn't know she will bark. Otherwise she is quiet. When my father comes over, he tends to talk loud and use his hands when he is telling a story. She doesn't like that and has barked at him until I tell her to settle.
My first husband passed away and I despaired of finding someone else that would love my pets as I did. I am not the type of woman that will get rid of my pets for a man! I think that is despicable! Well I found a man who loves my animals too. He loves the dog too much however and spoils her rotten every chance he gets. I can see the change in her by being too spoiled. She has become much more willful. She has not challenged my place in the pack again though. She's 10 years old now and I do want her remaining life to be happy and comfortable. I just would like to strike a balance with my husband. He has stopped feeding her too much, thanks to a "hell and brimstone" sermon from my vet's office manager about her being overweight and it being bad for her joints.
Anyway, I agree with Cesar that too much pampering is not good, even though we love our dogs to pieces and they are like children in the household to us. (Well not to everybody, but I think the bloggers here understand.) However, think of a spoiled, willful child with no limits. I think that's doing a disservice to the child. Letting a dog become like that can cause big problems just like it does with a child.
Tara from LI
Have any of you Ceasar naysayers ever observed a well adjusted pack of dogs? I have... I have been an animal foster home for our local humane society for many years. A domesticated dog pack retains the same need for an alpha (read in-charge, not cruel despot) as feral packs do, but for different reasons.In the wild, it is an absolute requirement for the survival of the pack. In domesticated well cared-for dogs, it is a genetic need and makes them feel safe and stable in their environment. BALANCED! We take dogs out of the pack (their natural environment), replace their canine pack members with a different species (humans), then expect them to learn and value our preferences all without providing them with a teacher who speaks their language! As a person who is involved on a daily basis with dogs and potential dog owners I have many friends and colleagues who have learned much from Caesar Milan's tecniques. I have NEVER heard nor seen ANY of the so called cruelty described in this forum! He (Mr. Milan) doesn't "pinch", "hit" or "choke" dogs any more than a responsible mother dog abuses her pups. He uses his hands and body in a gentle physical correction. He teaches dogs in a language that they "speak". Over the years I have successfully raised and loved many dogs, all considered unadoptable" for behavoral reasons. Even so, I was recently was blessed with a new addition that I just could not make any progress with. "Baby" is a Border Collie and the wildest little beast I have ever met. Without going into the many details of his pushy and fearful behavior, after 2 weeks of following the advice seen on The Dog Whisperer I have a dog that now comes when he is called, is no longer is aggresive towards people or other dogs,(but still a great watchdog) is relaxed, happy and hasn't seen the inside of his "time-out" kennel for months. I didn't pinch, hit or choke my dog to achieve these results.... I simply followed Caesar's advice. The people who consider Mr. Milan's tecniques cruel are those either unwilling to commit time to the teaching or lacking the mental capacity to understand it. In regard to the dog that was allegedly abused at one of Mr. Milan's workshops, I think anyone would agree that it should never have happened...if it did. If it did happen, all it means is that Caesar better pay closer attention to the type and qualifications of the people he hires. Blaming the teaching philosophy instead of the employee is ludicrous and reactionary. Maybe we should outlaw treadmills!
I agree that Cesar should fire his inept uncaring employee for not monitoring a dog on treadmill until it tires and gets strangled but the attached rope.
I agree with Milli, TJill and Diana from Washington, when they say that Cesar has never hurt a dog on his show. I don't know what the naysayers are watching, but it certainly isn't the same show. They sound like bad dog owners who need training from Cesar. Cesar is the first person in the world to take in killer dogs and NOT give up on them, while every so-called dog expert simply says a dog should killed if it's aggressive or violent.
The last 2006 episode was about a Min-Pin owned by an animal-challenged couple who operated their insurance business from their home. They had 2 agressive Min-Pins (and maybe a cat) who ruled the house, barked and BIT clients. It was pathetic that they could not handle these tiny dogs! It was only because of their insurance risk of a lawsuit that they decided to do something about it and were told by their vet to euthanize their dogs to avoid any lawsuits. Some vet!
Cesar first had to work with the wife's insecure negative attitude by stroking her ego and giving her confidence to walk her dog. It was amazing. Cesar not only expends energy training a dog, he has to FIRST deal with the stubborn defiant owners who beg Cesar for help, then rebut everything Cesar tries to teach them, like a teenager gone bad. I wouldn't put up with these stupid owners. They waste Cesar's time and lead their dog to possible euthanizing.
The Min-Pins completely obeyed Cesar, and then the owner. For the first time I noticed that Cesar failed to correct the dogs inside their home where their aggression was the worst, but only worked on them outside. He normally rehabilitates at the scene of the problem but was also dealing with the wife's constant rebuttal. I believe this led to their impending doom.
At the end of the show, Cesar had a follow-up checkup on the owners in which he sadly reported that the owners had ended up getting their Min-Pin euthanized without following up with Cesar for any additional help. This was the first uncooperative owner. What a shame. Cesar cannot control people's actions and can only help a dog as much as the owner will be proactive in maintenance.
We have a Sheperd, a Sheltie-Chow mix and pit bull mix I found and foster. Talk about needing Alpha control, discipline and exercise. Spoiling them only fostered jealousy and Breaking up fights. Thanks to Cesar's shows, I learned that if I don't keep these dogs consistently disciplined and exercised, I can't keep balance and harmony in my household. So now pampering comes last and only if they earn it which is every day! They're less stubborn than humans so the changes happen almost immediately!
I am also a Cesar addict; taped and re-watched his shows; bought his book (audio) and listened to it twice through. Agree completely that Cesar's niche is to help dog owners who really do not know how to deal with their obnoxious (and sometimes agressive) dogs. I include myself in this category, even though I have been actively working to learn different training techniques and actually training my own 3 Whippets. (Maybe I am a slow learner.) Positive training definitely did not work in my situation. My dogs were so far beyond responding to anything positive; they needed something different. I think that's where Cesar's methods come in. The people and dogs he works with usually have behavior problems initially beyond reshaping with positive reinforcement.
Until you live with dogs who are trying to kill each other, or experience a dog with fear agression, you don't know what you would do to keep your dogs and have peace in the house again. To solve those problems, I'll use Cesar's methods any time. And save the treats for when the dogs are mentally ready to respond to positive training down the road.
I don't think much of Cesar Millan's rubber-stamp "This dog's problem is dominance" approach, but I fixed that in a hurry. I just stopped watching. If you like him, enjoy him. If not, that's fine too.
People just a heads up - We see only a small portion of Cesar's techniques on film - it's enough to wonder - what is done off camera or "cut" out - remember - It's a TV show - not "real" life dog system of dog training.
The happiest dogs, are those whose owners remember they ARE dogs. Far too many people in their own misery pour "love" on a dog that the animal is unable to comprehend. Cesar has helped bring the idiot faction under the microscope.
I have a chain of retail pet supply stores, and see everyday the effects of the "fur baby" mentality.
My dogs are my life, but I wouldn't insult them by treating them like a human.
The methods that work best are those the dog understands. I have learned everything I need to know about dogs from my whippets. I figured out pack dynamics by observing the mother and her puppies, and the way the adults interact.
I have a few "Cesar's" in the pack, and my household is happy.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I personally know the dog that was injured at Cesar's training center. He will never be able to eat normally again. The vet bills are already over $25,000. Even if Cesar was not present when the incident happened, he is responsible for what his employees do. It is his responsibility to see that they are properly trained. Of course, since Cesar himself has no formal training, how can he train anyone else? Cesar should have insisted that all medical causes for Gator's behavior be ruled out before attempting any behavior modification; he didn't.
Also, Cesar has been seen in violation of Los Angeles leash laws on more than one occasion; this sets a terrible example for other pet owners.
His program will not show anything like dogfights that may happen at his center. Why would they?
While Cesar may have a good point to make sometimes, I, for one, don't believe he walks on water.
I doubt there are many people who have ever coexisted among more than two dogs consistently, but for anyone who has, Cesar's methods ARE TRUTH. We as people live among wolves in dogs clothing. And behind every dog's face is the instinct that drives it to do what ever purpose it was bred for--a prey drive that over a milennia has been refocused on different aspects to make them compatible with life among humans. Anyone who has ever seen wolves interact, and even "wild" dog packs running abroad, there IS a definitive level of hierarchy. A weak dog/wolf is a DEAD dog/wolf. And hierarchy brings family bonds closer and more able to function as a unit to accomplish monumental tasks such as raising a family and hunting prey. I believe the same thing has happened with dogs as has been happening over the last 60 years with children. Our children of the ages are becoming increasingly defiant, rowdy and "aggressive". Super Nanny shows are a testimony to that the same way Cesar's show reveals reality about dogs. The TRUTH is that SPOILED dogs or children are that way because: 1)they get what they want, how they want, when they want. 2)they have little to NO boundaries as to what is acceptable or NOT acceptable.3)are often coddled into a tolerable state. 4)and modern society makes us work like dogs to be able to have them, which becomes a viscious cycle in the form of NOT ENOUGH TIME. SO our solution is often, with dogs, to banish them to the back yard or a chain, or a crate, or a kennel, or a laundry room, pat them when we feel like it, dump susstinence in their dishes and shoo them when they demand entertainment or activity. How is this SOO different from plopping a toddler in front of a television to get them out of our hair? Or sitting a grade schooler in front of a computer or video game, and then deny them recess at school? Children who SIT all day with no expenditure of energy are OFTEN not only overweight, but are also ping-ponging off walls at innappropriate times. SO,this "fur baby" thing lives, and it stands out among American children and our DOGS.
A woman is charged into a corner by a domineering alpha type dog. Why should this woman fear her husband's Rottie? People hear stories about these things all the time that are common with our "love'em or leave'em" philosophy--but then this backfires in the form of "temper tantrums". How is this different than a 14 year old boy cornering his mother (or beating her up-it HAS happened) because she took away his game boy for poor grades? The answer is that there was never established a BOSS in this situation. Maybe the dog or son would never behave this way toward dad, but do so to mom because she never "stood up" (or doesn't know how to) for herself or only let dad do the "dirty work". Cesar is CORRECT, dogs/wolves do NOT follow an omega, they follow and ALPHA. But at the same time he is not bumping the dogs he is rehabilitating into immediate "exhile" or omega positions, he is placing them in "BETA" positions, where "owner and family is leader, then come dogs" I would be lying to say I don't buy my pets cool "things" and pamper them (within reason). It is fun to teach funny pet tricks, and dress up our pooches and get them fancy toys, collars, dishes and what have you, but do so as an ALPHA. Not as "mommy, wommmy pwaying wiff her wittle baby waby schnookums puppy poo."
I must also say that Cesar's techniques, though possibly viewed as "old school", work. I believe some dogs, and some breeds are more adept to play games and do tricks based entirely on love, affection and treats; BUT MANY headstrong breeds (ie:rotties, pits, german shepherds, malamutes, wolfdogs, terriers and extreme hunters) NEED ADVANCED stimulation in order to thrive and feel useful. They need more than sit, stay, laydown, heel--they need fun games, skill builders, and often a "job" to do. If you have time to teach agility, flyball, frisbee and go for 10+ mile runs everyday with your companion animal, by all means do so and have FUN...but the FACT of the matter is that MANY of us who enjoy having dogs DON'T have the neccessary TIME to keep them stimulated and active enough to NOT develop behavioral issues, and CODDLING them for being insecure, or YELLING from frustration never did ANY favors. Consistent rules, boundaries and reinforcement or consequences for good or misbehavior is what develops good individuals, in both people and animals. The analogy is that people who grew up with reasonable rules and limits, and parents who were willing to compromise (also, within reason) without losing their heads became more well rounded individuals than the spoiled brat on hollywood boulevard, or the bully who gets nonsensical nightly beatings from dad. SO here we have come to a much needed compromise. Many people don't know how to use prong collars, choke chains, slip leads or martingale collars properly, and not everyone is going to seek to be trained how either. In many of Cesar's episodes he uses what ever the people are using, but shows them a new way to do it. I personally like dog Halters, because it controls the head without "choking, pinching, or tugging" but ANY tool, even the right tool, can be abused if a person isn't paying attention, so maybe people who don't know how, or don't want to learn to use training tools shouldn't have dogs. A "correction" as Cesar uses it is used more to distract and refocus a dog's negative energy on something else for a second to inhibit them from reacting poorly.A short, quick and simple movement works better than fighting to pull a dog away from a situation. But as he does it he works to get the dog in the right state of mind before asking it to behave in an unstable situation.
As far as being master in MY domain, it works for me, and will always work for me. It may be dissagreeable for some, and they are entitled to that opinion. At least I know my dogs respect me, my things, other animals and other people. They suffer less from anxiety because they HAVE a pack leader and aren't fighting amongst eachother or me to create one. They have reasonable rules to abide by and there is consistency. We have playtime, long walks and runs, we chase bunnies and interact cohesively as a pack unit. Who would I be to argue with results? Keep up the good work Cesar, there should be more of US out there.
PS As far as the incident being talked about...Gator probably was one of those "headstrong" dogs that will not relent until his displacement from his state of mind is complete. Some dogs take a breaking down to be able to build back up appropriately. It sounds to me like a horrible accident, and a poorly tendered situation--on the part of an employee. No dog should be injured into hospitalization, but at the same time there were probably a few things noted that had nothing to do with the incident. If a dog is bleeding from the mouth it says to me it was either tethered unattended, or lathered itself into a frenzie by throwing a temper tantrum and biting its tongue hard enough to cut it (I have seen this happen before). Caesar is his own person, the acts of a person trying to follow/but not completely grasping a situation or method is NOT Cesar's fault.
If Andrea Arden disagrees with Millan's methods, then I am all for Millan! The trainers who work for Arden are the worst and clearly have no understanding of dogs or dog behavior! Arden's classes are way over rated!
A few years ago I took Arden's puppy obedience class with my four month old, four pound little dog. In the first class, my puppy was run over constantly by a much larger, rambunctious Border Collie. The trainer did nothing at all to encourage the collie's owners to maintain control over their dog. My dog was so intimidated that he curled up into a ball and refused any treats from me. The following week my dog was separated from the rest of the class. He was confined to a smaller area while the other handlers in the class were instructed to say his name and toss him a treat if he looked at them, as though he were a zoo animal! This was not what I paid for, so I complained to Arden who then transferred me to another class.
When I showed up for the new class, that trainer told me that my dog needed to toughen up (Really? And was she going to pay the vet bills if he got hurt by an uncontrolled larger dog?). She also informed me that because my dog would not lick her face he was going to become aggressive by the time he was six months old! Huh??? That was truly the dumbest thing I had ever heard and I knew right away that the new class would not work. The trainer's constant sarcasm towards me throughout the class further confirmed that Arden's methods were not for me!
I later enrolled my dog at St. Hubert's in Madison NJ where they have special classes for small dogs. These classes were very informative and well controlled. I learned a lot, and even though there were some aggressive dogs with behavioral issues in our classes, the trainer was able to meet everyone's needs with no danger to the dogs. Instead of curling into a ball and shutting down like he did in Arden's class, my dog loved going to St. Hubert's where he excelled!
Arden and her trainers should understand that puppy obedience needs to be fun for both the handler and the dog. It is the foundation for a lifetime of training and bonding. Her puppy class focusses too much on socializing the dogs to other people, and completely misses the boat when it comes to owner-dog bonding and teaching owners how to communicate, train, and control their dogs. Arden's method of humiliating owners is far worse than anything Cesar Millan can dish out.
And as for the little puppy who risked becoming aggressive simply because he would not lick the trainer's face? He grew up into a wonderful, sweet dog who eventually became a certified therapy dog and who competes in a variety of performance activities. I am so glad that we dropped out of Arden's classes as I beleve sticking with it would have done more harm than good for myself and my dog! Arden and her team should watch the Dog Whisperer. They might actually learn something about dog behavior!
I just wanted to add that my dog did indeed "toughen up". He did so not by being intimidated from larger dogs running over him, as Arden's trainers advocate. Rather my dog toughened up by becoming much more confident as a result of positive social interactions with his doggy classmates at St. Huberts, combined with his participation in performance events.
First, dogs need other dogs, a fundamental message in Ceasar's analysis of most dog misbehavior.
Second, most dog problems are caused by owners who think they can have a dog, put it in a cage or locked in a house all day, and do little else. Dogs need attention, exercise, and need to be socialized with other dogs and people.
It's so unfortunate that people buy dogs (especially from pet shops) and have no idea about the breed, or the pedigree, or how to handle the animal. Instead, they see a dog on a TV show or a movie, and decide to get one just like the one they see on the screen -- not realizing that dogs in film or TV are usually well trained and adjusted animals.
Most people with problem dogs need only look the mirror to find out who is at fault.
Ceasar tries to help people with problem dogs. He has to help the owners understand that dogs are not people. Much of the training done by Ceasar is owner oriented intended to demonstrate to an owner that interacting with a dog is different than interacting with a child.
When a dog is afraid, it may become aggressive. This scares the owner, the dog then decides to dominate, and the problems begin. And why do dogs become fearful and insecure and turn to aggressive and unruly behavior? Watch a dog owner with a problem dog - the source of the bad behavior is usually painfully obvious.
Hal
Finally someone is sticking up for animals! Cesar reinforces that most of the behavioral problems with dogs are that they aren't living the life of a dog. You think Cesar is cruel? No, owners that barely take their dogs on proper walks and then expect their dogs to be 100% behaved are cruel. Most dogs are locked up in a house for at least 9 hours while their owners are at work then their only enjoyement is a half an hour walk each day. FINALLY a dog trainer that thinks like a dog, his methods would be cruel to use on children...but somebody out there has to toughen up because there
are more and more dog attacks each year...He's kind, understanding and very respectful. I'm glad he's in the world - he really does give owners confidence and hope for improving their dogs behavior. he has over 30 dogs, 7 of which are pitbulls that 95% of the time live in harmony and a relaxed state of mind..he must be doing something right! I have a female Akita that needed some improvement in some areas but after his show I understood her more and although she's always been laid-back and non agressive it was nice that someone focused more on the dog getting rid of energy and working with the owners instead of completely blaming everything on the breed and their tendencies. I love Cesar!
Finally someone is sticking up for animals! Cesar reinforces that most of the behavioral problems with dogs are that they aren't living the life of a dog. You think Cesar is cruel? No, owners that barely take their dogs on proper walks and then expect their dogs to be 100% behaved are cruel. Most dogs are locked up in a house for at least 9 hours while their owners are at work then their only enjoyement is a half an hour walk each day. FINALLY a dog trainer that thinks like a dog, his methods would be cruel to use on children...but somebody out there has to toughen up because there
are more and more dog attacks each year...He's kind, understanding and very respectful. I'm glad he's in the world - he really does give owners confidence and hope for improving their dogs behavior. he has over 30 dogs, 7 of which are pitbulls that 95% of the time live in harmony and a relaxed state of mind..he must be doing something right! I have a female Akita that needed some improvement in some areas but after his show I understood her more and although she's always been laid-back and non agressive it was nice that someone focused more on the dog getting rid of energy and working with the owners instead of completely blaming everything on the breed and their tendencies. I love Cesar!
Finally someone is sticking up for animals! Cesar reinforces that most of the behavioral problems with dogs are that they aren't living the life of a dog. You think Cesar is cruel? No, owners that barely take their dogs on proper walks and then expect their dogs to be 100% behaved are cruel. Most dogs are locked up in a house for at least 9 hours while their owners are at work then their only enjoyement is a half an hour walk each day. FINALLY a dog trainer that thinks like a dog, his methods would be cruel to use on children...but somebody out there has to toughen up because there
are more and more dog attacks each year...He's kind, understanding and very respectful. I'm glad he's in the world - he really does give owners confidence and hope for improving their dogs behavior. he has over 30 dogs, 7 of which are pitbulls that 95% of the time live in harmony and a relaxed state of mind..he must be doing something right! I have a female Akita that needed some improvement in some areas but after his show I understood her more and although she's always been laid-back and non agressive it was nice that someone focused more on the dog getting rid of energy and working with the owners instead of completely blaming everything on the breed and their tendencies. I love Cesar!
I watch The Dog Whisperer Regularly. Cesar is authoritative, but I've never seen him be cruel. I think he's nothing short of amazing, and I think that those who criticize him are just jealous of his "pack leading" abilities and his success with his human fans. He truly is "the dog whisperer" - it is my favorite show. Go Cesar!
Boy, do we need help. We are desperately in need of some advice. We have done some foster care for a local humane society. We have a little dog that the local animal shelter asked us to take because they could not try to place him for adoption because he had been brought to the shelter for biting the owner. They had gotten him from a free dog add in the paper. The previous owners had been cautioned about his agressive behavior and biting. We brought him home a few days ago. We have two very sweet dogs that we had rescued several years ago and they are wonderful. Our home has been turned upside down into a war zone. He bit my husband last night and has attacked our dogs several times for various reasons. Some regarding their food, his food, toys, territory etc. Sometimes he is sweet and then he just goes crazy and attacks. We cannot give him to anyone like this, if we return him to the shelter he will be put down, they have already told us this. How can we save him? Please help us! Marilyn Hendrickson
How much does it costs to have Ceasar Millan come to my house and see if there's anything he can help me on with my dog. My dog is a 3 yr old Pit Bull , but she's non-aggressive just very hyper and when it comes to other dogs she gets jealous and I get nervous..I am aware that she feels my nerves,but I'm willing to do anything that I need to ,to change this behaivor. Thank you for your time.
Being someone who has become in love with Cesar and hearing all this critcism about him i decided to put my love aside and do some research. Wolves or any animal do not speak to each other the way humans do. They also do not think the way humans do. What they do is use either pyshical force or intimidation to achieve a certain action(common sense). Humans do not use physical force at least socially acceptable physical force which brings us to a crossroad.
For those who say that Cesar's ways are inhumane are either not educated or see animals from a humans point of view which is a mistake. He sees dogs from an animal's point of view which is what they need. If a dog bites or barks or does a behavior thats not acceptable it needs to be corrected right away. Pulling on the leash in the animal world is equivalent to punishing a child. It is not abuse.
Abuse comes from a different place for all you psych majors. I don't know about Cesar's past or his homelife but when he corrects a dog, that action does not come from an evil place. You can see in his body language and in his state of mind. It is not intended to intimidate or fulfill something Cesar needs. It is intended to show the dog "I am your leader and I will lead you." It brings trust and respect and out of that comes love and a friendship.
There are millions of other ways to correct a dog and Cesar makes that pretty clear. Whichever way suits you and your dog is up to you but Cesar's ways whether or not theyre from way back when or not work just as well as any others.
If you don't like Cesar you are GAAAAAAAY
Hey Gay Mike, you talking to yourself...this blog is almost a year old........check the date!
I must be gay too because I like Cesar M.
No, no, Roooby. Are you in that Vanilla Vodka again girl (haaa)? Mike said, "If you don't (DO NOT) like Cesar you are gay." If you like Cesar you are NOT gay.
Send me some of that Vanilla Vodka please. I really need it! I hate to be dumb, but how do you drink it. Is it mixed with something, or just straight over rocks, or what? Can you tell I'm not much of a drinker (hee, hee)? Sure love a good margarita though!
Hey, forgot to mention that the guy at the Mexican restaurant was going to teach me how to make a margarita, but my ex-husband stopped him. He told him he felt that was definitely not a good idea! Damn ex-husband, spoils all my fun!
Ohhhh, my bad...I need to have new glasses...Sorry Mike! haaaaa
KathleenSssss, I drink it with 7up..a shot of the vaniller vodka and some 7 up..Its quite tasty in moderation...
What are we doing in this very old blog? lost perhaps?
how in the heck did you end up here.......what you been drinking? Heck, now I'm lost in the past too
Hey, maybe we are traveling the Time Machine with our vanilla vodka! Going to bed ladies. Roooby, I'm going to try that vanilla vodka and 7up. Sounds good! Doggie kisses (and kitty kisses) from the Memphis Mob :)
HEY GIRLS!!!!!!!!!!! I JUST GOT NEW PICTURES OF THE CHI TOWN 5 - YES 5 NOW!!!!!!! THEY ARE JUST AMAZING AND OF COURSE I WANT ALL OF THEM!!!!! PORK CHOP JUST KILLS ME!!!!! AGAIN - THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART FOR HELPING THEM GET OUT OF THAT KILL SHELTER!!! YOU HAVE NO CLUE WHAT THIS DOES TO BE EMOTIONALLY - YOU GUYS HAVE FILLED MY HEART WITH LOVE AND CARING AND I WISH I COULD HUG EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THESE STUNNING PITTIES, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. I WILL BE VERY PROUD TO SEND YOU THEIR HAPPY PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AGAIN, I BOW TO ALL OF YOU - THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!!
WAIT A MINUTE - WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING HERE???
ROOOBY - SEE WHAT YOU DID?? HEE.
Re: Cesar Millan's "pro" ab 1634
LET’S BE SENSIBLE,
For over a century, (circa: September 17, 1884) the American Kennel Club has been recognized as the foremost authority on the care and well being of dogs in the United States. If one chooses to reject the opinion and credulity of honorable and widely trusted institutions, others are left with a difficult task of pondering exactly what standards that person employs, if any, to discern the actual truth. When I compare the gleaming achievements and sterling reputation of The American Kennel Club to that of the radical organization known as “PETA”, it seems clear that the animal extremist group, put in kind terms, pales in comparison.
This bill, as it is written, is not what it is advertised to be. It will work against all who are trying desperately to responsibly manage dog ownership. I submit the following press release to you. Please consider this important message for the sake of defenseless animals that can not speak for themselves.
Steve Carey
AKC Delegate Body Passes Resolution Opposing CA AB 1634
PR NEWSWIRE
NEW YORK, June 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A resolution proposed by the American Kennel Club(R) Board of Directors opposing California Assembly Bill 1634 was unanimously adopted by the AKC(R) Delegate Body at its quarterly meeting, held Monday, June 11, 2007, in Las Vegas. The bill would require all dogs and cats over the age of four months to be spayed or neutered unless the owners qualify for and obtain an intact animal permit. The AKC Delegates, who represent 599 member clubs out of the nearly 5,000 AKC affiliated clubs nationwide (more than 460 of them in California), issued the following resolution on Monday in response to proposed Assembly Bill 1634:
"Be it resolved that the Delegates of the American Kennel Club declare that the enactment of AB1634 in the State of California would 1) be detrimental to the sport of purebred dogs; 2) fail to achieve the humane results it purports to espouse; and 3) cost the State of California and its communities tens of millions of dollars in lost revenues.
"Be it further resolved that the Delegates of the American Kennel Club urge the Governor, the Senate and the Assembly of the State of California to defeat AB1634."
"This resolution represents our steadfast opposition to this bill and any others which unfairly target the responsible breeders that make up our constituency," said AKC President and CEO Dennis Sprung. "We are deeply concerned about the problems irresponsible dog owners, irresponsible breeding, and inadequate animal control can cause a community; however, mandatory spaying and neutering has proven to be an ineffective solution because it fails to address the heart of the issue; irresponsible ownership. The AKC and its clubs support non-discriminatory, fair, effective and enforceable legislation that addresses the pertinent animal issues in the community. "
The American Kennel Club, founded in 1884, is a not-for-profit organization which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the sport of purebred dogs in the United States. The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function. Along with its nearly 5,000 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well- being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership. More than 20,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt tests, field and earth dog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Companion Animal Recovery and the AKC Museum of the Dog.
For more information, visit:
http://www.akc.org
AKC, American Kennel Club, the American Kennel Club seal and design, and all associated marks and logos are trademarks, registered trademarks and service marks of The American Kennel Club, Inc.
CONTACT: Daisy Okas of American Kennel Club, 1-212-696-8343
SOURCE American Kennel Club
4 stand:
I watch the Dog Whisperer every chance I get and I love Ceasar. His methods make sense when you know how wild dogs or wolves co-exist in the wild. Every pack has its Alpha, Beta and unfortunately Omega, but even the Omega is a valued member of the pack. I have had dogs ever since I can remmber (I was probably about 7-8 years old when I had my first dog) and I always used the old methods, if a dog had an accident and left a parcel in the house, his nose would be rubbed in it and he would be thrown outside. Since watching The Dog Listener and The Dog Whisperer I have learnt that these are the old ways as passed on by my parents and their parents before them and so on and so forth. Ceasar Milan has taught me such a lot and it has all worked so far. I have a border collie who I used to yell and scream at to get her to do anything I wanted her to do, she was (and still is in some ways) a very dominant nature and wouldn't take orders from anybody, she was also very obsessed with balls and sticks. Since watching these programmes I now have a dog that goes and lies down with me just pointing away from me, will bring me a stick sometimes, but will go and lie down away from it, giving me the chance to instigate the game. She also walks perfectly to heel and if we stop she lies down by our side, she is friendly to other people and animals (of any kind). All in all she is the ideally trained dog. All without using the training methods that I was taught most of my life, and only by using the methods recommended by The Dog listener and The Dog Whisperer. My husband and I are now the Alphas in our household and both of our border collies (the first was trained the old way and is very well behaved and obedient) are loving, friendly, happy and confident followers of the pack. Even people who come to our house who aren't dog lovers leave thinking my dogs are lovely as they don't jump up or crowd people at all.
I say to all those people out there who think that Ceasar's way is wrong have never had problem dogs and should experience it before judging.
You go Ceasar, you have my devotion and I will continue to use your way whatever dog I have in the future.
I came onto this site because I was trying to find a course that uses Ceasars methods of training so that I could use this method myself and become a qualified dog trainer.
I love Caesar and what he is all about. As many people have attested to is that he has NEVER HURT ANY DOGS in his process of excercise,submission and then affection. I have seen on his tv show that he only handles them like their mother dog does,at the scruff of the neck. He lets them first wind down their aggression on their own leash. He knows what breed is a rescuer and who is a hunter and we as humans bring our own nerosis to these wonderful pets that often can save their owners life. The only reason the kennel clubs are angry is that they see him as competition and give dog owners another route to go using his ideas for treatment and not immediately put the animal down for our own mistakes in humanizing an animal that is an animal first. You should never use some of his ideas when it means calming an aggressive dog into submission. The tricks you can use are the ones that the dog might need to be walked more to socialize the animal to others and to allow the neurosis to dissipate itself. Even to work the dog out so it becomes tired and far less aggressive/neurotic. As Caesar states do not try this at home with a severely aggressive pitbull or german shepard. I love Mr Milan, he came to America with nothing more than a dream and he has made himself an American citizen. If more illigal immigrants do what he has done this world would be a much better place. Ceasar if you read this I wish to meet you and give you a great big hug. You deserve it. Mary
I am so tired of hearing how physically violent Caesar is; I've seen greater violence aimed towards children in Wal-mart (Not that that is a particularly good thing). He simply has an effective method of appealing to the very real nature of canines: the pack psychology.
Critics simply get mad at Caesar for not treating his dogs like people. They don't understand that only the best suited dog in the wild can become "Alpha"; and if the wrong canine becomes Alpha, it can well lead to their, and the pack's, demise. This is what happens when a pet becomes the pack leader.
As far as the alleged "flooding" technique, its nothing more than the same technique humans use to cause the extinction of phobias. If a dog is a afraid of skateboards, make the pet confront skateboards so that the pet can see skateboards won't hurt him. The "flooding" of fear doesn't teach helplessness, it teaches confidence. If a human has a phobia of snakes, the eventual final step to overcoming the phobia is the same: Make that person hold a python for an hour so that he/she can overcome their phobia. Hell even Caesar helped a woman with a dog phobia on his show. She was forced to confront large dogs and pet them, thus reality overcame her phobia as she said so herself. His critics are jealous, and I'm so sick of his peer's trying to take stabs at him.
Hail Caesar! ignore the envious "experts", they are are no better than Brutus.
Joe V
jodabomb13@yahoo.com
Why do I keep hearing about this extreme choking in alot of these posts, I have been watching the dog whisperer and have never seen anything remotely close to choking, you people are over sensitive and that is why your dogs are neurotic.