hmmmm,
well I have studied dog behaviour and phycology and although a lot of the techniques that he uses are useful there are a few things that i have seen him use which I don’t agree with such as choke chains and really anything that involves you physically touching the dog in a negative way because when you cause your dog to feel pain the trust between you and your dog is broken, if you use a choke chain I would advise you to put it round your neck and get somone to hold it, then rush fowards, I have never come across anyone who has tried this and has continued to used the choke chain!

I think it is important to remember that every dog is individual and you need to really get to know a dog before you can determine a training method that is sutible for it, which is precisely why they say not to try the techniques at home.

My advice would be that if your looking to follow a celebrity dog trainer look towards Victoria Stillwell, who gets results just as good as Cesars if not better but does it in a kind and nurturing way, Or maybe just try reading ‘Bones Would Rain From the Sky: Deepening Our Relationships with Dogs’ by Suzanne Clothier.

I read the article too and although I seldom if ever bother to respond to publications or organizations (because they seldom read our comments or respond with anything other than an autoresponder), I sent a fax that night to People Magazine and an email the next day to National Geographic!

Once again, yet another media article that left out enough facts to distort the perspective a reader would get after reading the piece:

1) Cesar is NOT a dog trainer - has never professed to be. If anything, he’s a human “hands on” teacher who shows those humans who come into contact with dogs a better way of doing it. His shows never show an owner how to get their dogs to “sit, stay, roll over, down,” etc. Instead, he’s a ‘last ditch effort’ for dogs that have problems caused by ineffective and/or untrained humans.

2) Los Angeles has a major problem with roaming packs of aggressive dogs - the police call them “ghetto elk” because either they’ve been let loose (intentionally), are let out at night by their owners (as someone might do with a cat) and form up with other ‘bully-mix’ breeds. Police squad cars have been attacked by these packs of 30+ dogs at night in fact. It’s no surprise that Cesar’s specialty is taking dogs that would have been put down prior and turned them around to dogs that are contributing members to the canine world.

3) If the classical forms of dog understanding and training were so effective, why would there be thousands of books on this subject in the bookstores? The fact Cesar’s become so popular alone should show that the old ways just don’t work - because they didn’t address the human side of the bond between dogs and owners.

4) Over 600,000 dogs are killed in animal shelters each year in California alone - 8 million in the U.S. The number one reason these dogs end up in shelter or rescue is because of behavioral problems. Dogs aren’t born with behavior problems - it’s learned behavior from their owners. The fact someone has taken a hard stand to addressing the root cause of the high kill rate in this country should be applauded, not assaulted as it was in this article!

5) The “dog training” industry is a multi-billion dollar industry in this country. Cesar’s new and proven ideas are causing a dent in corporations’ and individual’s pockets - I’m not surprised they are attacking him. What I am surprised though, is to see National Geographic’s ‘bowing down’ to pressure… I thought more of NG than this.

6) I live in a town 40 minutes north of Los Angeles. When Cesar began on “The Animal Planet,” I started watching him and then continued over to NG after the switch. Four years ago you seldom (if ever) saw people walking their dogs. Three years ago I mentioned to my husband that I’m always seeing people out walking their dogs - and as our city has a large population of law enforcement and firefighters, you can see it happening at all times of the day and late night. Over the holidays, we went to AZ (and they don’t get NG on their cable there) - I didn’t see one dog being walked the entire time I was there. And I got many weird looks when I was out walking my dogs! This fact alone tells me the effect Cesar and his show has on the canine and human world.

7) NG and the Humane Association are “currently in talks” about adding a second dog “training” show to their lineup. The People article failed to mention how deeply the Humane Association has failed in their original goals concerning the quality of animal and pets’ lives. For YEARS, those of us who owned pets have loudly voiced our opinions about the laws in this country and the Humane Association portrays themselves as the largest national (political active) organization here - they should be our spokesperson when our voices on an individual basis aren’t being heard. The Humane Association formed in 1954. I lived through Hurricane Camille (’69), Agnes (’72) and Carmen (’74) when shelters would not take your pets when you were ordered to evacuate. You were forced to make a decision about your life or leaving behind a family member (as most of us feel about our dogs). It took Hurricane Katrina to arouse enough sentiment in this country to force a change in the laws - not the Humane Association - but they quickly stood up to take the credit for the change! The Humane Association was strangely quiet when China killed over 50,000 dogs in 4 days a few months ago. How can this organization portray itself as an international organization dedicated to the humane treatment of animals?

I’ve been in rescue for over 20 years now - I have 4 rescues right now (one would have been put down 2 years ago because she was too aggressive - even at 3.5 pounds). Two weeks ago she and I graduated from dog obedience class at the shelter I adopted her from. I got her TO the stage of being able to attend dog obedience classes BECAUSE of Cesar’s calm, assertive approach - and my changing of the stuff drilled into me from the old classic ‘dog training’ instructions. This was a dog I could not get a collar on, let alone a leash when I brought her home. I can’t tell you how many people email me each week about the changes they’ve seen in their dogs, themselves and their community because of Cesar’s work the past years (I have an ezine with a readership of over 30,000+ nationwide, so I’d say this is a fair sampling of “everyday Joe Citizen”)… how many other of the large ‘dog training’ facilities or ‘well known dog trainers’ have done the things Cesar has done? Not many.

Finally, if you’ve granted me enough time to have read this far, I’m reminded of the saying, “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing the same way and expecting different results”. Cesar has taken the definition of dog behavioral problems and redefined the way it is done… throwing out the old ways and looking for solutions that do work - and has a proven track record. That should say it all.

Maybe in a few years, our ‘disposable’ human society will lower the kill rate we have in this country once more people learn the calm, assertive approach to their family dog members.

I’d just like to respond to the woman who stated that by giving a corrective touch to the dog, it destroys the trust between you, I don’t agree with that at all.
The reason being, a mother dog for instance would actually nip their puppy to correct it from doing something that isn’t right. Don’t get me wrong - She does NOT harm it and doesn’t do it hard so that it hurts, she just lets her puppy know that the current behaviour should not be done because it is improper.
That’s simply what a corrective touch is. You’re not harming it in any way whatsoever, you are teaching them. And that is much better for the dog in the long run. It’s like saying you cannot spank your child if they won’t listen. You’re not doing it hard enough to hurt your child at all, of course.
My point is, the mother dog is still their mother even when she corrects them, and they obviously love and trust her. You being their owner must be their parent, and in turn, their teacher, responsible for them behaving themselves to lead happier, healthier lives. They will respect you and in turn trust you with their lives.

I read Linda’s response and I completely agree. I applaud you!

I’ve recently begun watching Cesar Millan and am reading his book. I have a delightful pit-mix, Sara, who, thankfully is a relatively calm submissive dog to begin with. While there are a few things I differ about with Cesar’s take on dogs — Sara is the love of my life and my fur-child and always will be — What I’ve seen from his show and read in his book is not negative. I think anyone with even a basic knowledge of dog body language can see that Cesar’s pack is not showing fear. They probably view him as a sort of strange looking dog and you can see that they respect him and yes, even love him.

His calm assertive approach to dogs is amazing and something to be emulated. When I use similar techniques with Sara (especially sound and touch — and no I don’t hit my dog, ever), I see much more respect from her to me. Can’t argue with success!

I am sorry but I do not agree with Mark about Cesar’s techniques being negative. I find him just the opposite.

As far as Cesar goes he to me seems like more of a human psychologist than a dog trainer. I heard he has never studied psychology. I find that hard to believe because he is so knowledgable in it.

I own four rescued Great Danes, and also a Labrador and four cats. We have a balanced pack thanks to Cesars methods, and like many others, thank goodness for Cesar Millan.
Prior to becoming a student of Cesars methods, i never could have walked four or more extremeley large dogs in the neighborhaood my family lives in.
His methods work wonderfully, and after owning dogs for more than thirty years, it was a humbling, but enlightening experience to look at the world through a dogs eyes for the first time , thanks to one Cesar Millan.
I see many more dogs being walked each and every day now, and the owners invariably watch the Cesar Millan series on NG. My wife and i have four fenced acres, but it never occurred to me that my pack needed to not only walk, but to follow their pack leader on the walk every day.
I have been walking our dogs now for three years, usually twice a day, and have a truly balanced, calm submissive pack.
No way would this have happened but for Cesar.
I believe any dog owner that seriously believes that anything Cesar has ever done to a dog on the show, is cruel, simply has not had their eyes opened to the humbling fact that they are still putting human values and psychology on a memeber of the Canine species.
Exercise, Discipline and affection works folks. My dogs will tell you that, my gratefull neighbors will tell you that, and i will put my hand on the bible and tell you that.
Thank you Cesar, Thank you National Geographic!!!