Cesar Millan, star of the hit series Dog Whisperer, and his wife Ilusion Millan have established THE CESAR AND ILUSION MILLAN FOUNDATION, a national, non-profit organization designed to aid and support the rescue, rehabilitation, and placement of abused and abandoned dogs.

“The Foundation, which has long been a dream of ours, is intended to benefit needy shelters and rescue organizations throughout the United States. Our many years of experience in the rehabilitation of dogs of every breed and background has taught us that most animals can make excellent companions, and all that many of them need is the proper care and a second chance.”  … Cesar & Ilusion Milan

Go to Millan Foundation to see how you can help.  You can become an Ambassador Volunteer or a Foundation Partner.

SIT. STAY. Jenny Hope and Simon Cote with their son, Rowan, 3, and Heidi. Ms. Hope applies lessons from the Dog Whisperer to raising Rowan.

AS far back as “Father Knows Best,” television has been an unintentional teaching aid for parents. To watch Mike and Carol Brady labor tirelessly to boost Jan’s wobbly self-esteem, or Cliff and Clair Huxtable corral Denise’s rebellious impulses with affection and wisdom, was to learn how to raise happy, healthy children. After all those hours in front of the set, you couldn’t help but absorb the lessons.

Today’s network lineup provides fewer idealized families and no shortage of questionable child-rearing role models (see “Gosselin, Jon”). For every take-charge SuperNanny, there’s a Homer Simpson, and who wants to raise a Bart?

It’s little wonder, then, that some parents, and even a few child therapists, have found themselves taking mental notes from a television personality known for inspiring discipline, order and devotion: Cesar Millan, otherwise known as the Dog Whisperer.

The suggestion that the Dog Whisperer is also a Child Whisperer of sorts has popped up — sometimes couched as a joke, but, well, not really — in parents’ forums like blogs, online discussion boards, magazines, Twitter feeds and podcasts. Some parents are starting to take notice.

“When we started watching his shows, we had intended to apply his advice toward our dogs,” said Amy Twomey, a blogger on parenthood for The Dallas Morning News who is raising three children under 10 with her husband, Matt. “But we realized a lot of ideas can be used on our kids.”

Indeed, Mr. Millan’s advice has replaced a shelf full of books on how to tame an unruly child. “It’s all the same simple concept: how to be the pack leader in your own house,” she said.

Certainly, an army, or at least a few divisions, of credentialed experts on human parenthood long ago stumbled on Mr. Millan’s philosophical holy trinity — exercise, discipline and affection equals happiness. And Mr. Millan does not hold himself up as a new Dr. Spock; he has never opined on how one should raise a creature with two legs in his show on the National Geographic Channel, or in his four books.

But some parents — particularly those weary of never-say-no techniques and child-rearing books suggesting that children should call the shots — say they find inspiration, and even practical advice, in Mr. Millan’s approach, which teaches pet owners how to become the alpha dogs by projecting his trademark “calm-assertive energy.”

DaddyCast, a series of podcasts published online by a father of two who identifies himself only as P.D., devoted an episode last year to discussing how he applied Dog Whisperer philosophies to raising children. In the episode, he recalled exchanging Twitter messages with a father who wrote: “Pampering and never punishing will make a child crazy and unlikable, never self-competent.”

MASTER Cesar Millan, aka the Dog Whisperer, uses discipline.

“That goes along with the philosophy of the Dog Whisperer,” the host added. Brenna Hicks, a child therapist in Palm Harbor, Fla., who writes an advice blog, The Kid Counselor, adapted Mr. Millan’s central idea, that dogs take their cues from their masters, and misbehave only when the masters fail to carry themselves, in body language and tone of voice, like pack leaders. In a post, “Raising Kids: Wisdom From the Dog Whisperer,” she wrote, “When we present nervous, angry or scared energy in front of our kids, they pick up on those emotions.”

Allison Pearson, author of the novel “I Don’t Know How She Does It,” which explored the stresses of modern motherhood, explained how parents would naturally envy the authority of dog trainers. “My generation got itself in a muddle about parenting,” she wrote by e-mail. “We thought that obedience was the enemy of love. We didn’t want the kids to be afraid of us, but after a while we found ourselves wondering: do we have to do what they say the whole time?”

“Unlike modern parents,” she added, “dog trainers don’t think discipline equals being mean. They understand that dogs are happiest when they know their position in the hierarchy.”

So is it “spare the rolled-up newspaper, spoil the child?” Not exactly. Many Dog Whisperer techniques — say, the push on the neck to get a dog’s attention — are best left to the kennel, unless you welcome a visit from Child Protective Services.

But other measures may yield an obedient child. Matthew Hranek, a photographer in New York, has a daughter, Clara, who is 6, and a Patterdale terrier, Charlie, who is a handful. Lately, Mr. Hranek said, he finds himself adopting Mr. Millan’s trademark “sshht!” sound — meant to snap dogs out of unconstructive patterns of thought or behavior — not just when Charlie jumps up on the kitchen counter, but also when Clara does. A bit of a joke? Sure. But it’s efficient. With none of the usual red-in-the-face parental haranguing, it reminds her who is boss in a syllable.

Mr. Hranek said that some parents he knows “do not allow the word ‘no’ to be said around the house. How absurd is that?”

“When you’re wishy-washy with dogs, they take advantage — ‘He didn’t mean don’t eat that biscuit,’ ” Mr. Hranek said. “Kids think the same way.”

In that spirit, Jenny Hope, a television producer in Los Angeles, not connected to the Millan show, applies Dog Whisperer lessons not just to the family dog, Heidi, but also to her son, Rowan, 3. On the show, she said, Mr. Millan lets the dogs know that he decides when they can run off to sniff a juniper bush, and when to heel.

When Ms. Hope’s husband, Simon Cote, recently installed a sprinkler system in the backyard, Rowan wanted to play in the mud. She relented. Fun is crucial, after all. But so is an end to the fun. She let him make his resplendent mess, then brought him in after a set period of time.

“It’s finite, and it’s what they crave,” Ms. Hope explained. “Children love structure, the same as animals love structure.”

Mr. Millan says parents question him all the time. “I’m going to give them my point of view — I’m a father myself,” he said.

As a native of Mexico, he said, he adheres to a more traditional, hierarchical child-rearing philosophy, which he considers effective in both the pack and the family. There, “for thousands of years, the elder has always been the pack leader, it’s never the child,” Mr. Millan said. “In America, kids have too many options when they only need one: ‘Just do it, because.’ ”

To some parents, however, moving Dog Whisperer theories into the human realm is not so much about changing their child’s attitude as it is about changing their own.

Take Elizabeth Meyer, in Columbus Township, Mich. She and her husband adopted a strong-willed 2-year-old boy from South Korea last year.

“Given that all of us were still adjusting, bonding and getting to know one another, there were times when my husband and I really struggled with parenting,” she wrote in an e-mail message.

Then one night she was watching the Dog Whisperer. Squaring off against a particularly difficult dog, he took its intransigence as an opportunity to teach proper behavior. “This is good,” he said.

For Ms. Meyer, it was a moment of epiphany.

“This is good?” she wrote. “Did I have that attitude as a parent? Was I focusing on the positives, the opportunities? Did I remember to take a deep breath, to be calm and assertive when dealing with a frustrating situation? I realized this was something I really needed to work on. And once I did, I saw a difference right away. Our son was calmer and more responsive. During those times when he did act up, being calm and assertive helped me deal with the misbehavior in a positive way.”

It also, she added, “left me feeling a lot less stressed out.”

Alex Williams, New York Times

__________

Full article and photos: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/fashion/22dog.html

Last night I made steak for dinner. I sure most of you have noticed that steak is not cheap. I figured I would splurge a little and Corvette loves steak.

I made potatoes and a salad to go along with it. It was all done and sitting on the counter. I went outside for just a minute. Corvette was in the bedroom.

That is when it happened. I walked back inside to find Lucie, my big red dog licking her dog bed. There was a brown stain were she was licking. I had a sinking feeling in my stomach at that point. I walked to the kitchen and looked at the counter and nooooooo! Actually yes, Lucie had helped herself to the steak.

As much as I did not want to do it I had to break it to Corvette. He took it pretty well. No blood was shed. Mostly he had a few choice words for the dog.

Note to self: Make sure food is not reachable by big red dog. Stop at store and get another steak.

Where is The Dog Whisperer when you need him?

Is your pet acting crazy and making your life miserable? Here is a potentially easy and effective solution

Anyone who knows me knows I am a complete nut for my dogs. Many of my friends are starting to call me “the dog whisperer.”They also know that I like some cutting edge alternative therapies and modalities (or weird, nutty, scary etc depending on your perspective). Personally I have always been willing to try many things and see if they actually work.

About 2 years ago, after playing around with a few techniques, I started formally doing “emotional coaching.” at my friends insistence. It involved using several techniques that the average person can learn. It can be simply described as a method of identifying and resetting the energy of certain emotions, with the idea that some experiences can blow a fuse emotionally. If you can accurately identify the exact emotional issue (using this and this) you can also easily reset it. (Using this and/or http://www.emofree.com/)

I had a blast using it on friends and family. It was especially fun to accurately tell people what their issues were instead of them telling you what the problem was. I told one friend that he had a trapped emotion of overwhelm from when he was 23 and he explained that it was the first time he killed someone in the military. When we released this emotion, the change in his life was significant and dramatic.

But how does this apply to animals? Let me give you an example. About 6 months ago my sister got another golden retriever to keep her other golden company. She called me distressed because the dog was driving her a little crazy. I did some testing for her dog over the phone. I told her I thought her dog had a heart wall emotion of jealousy from 2 years ago, and released it for him. I had no idea if this was accurate and neither did she. I told her to keep me posted on how the dog was doing. Several days later she called to say that not only was the dog doing much better but she had a talk with the previous owner. She asked the owner what the dogs history was and the owner replied that their daughter had gotten a little fluffy dog 2 years previously and quit paying attention to the golden retriever that my sister now owned. Very strange and very cool at the same time. I also used this technique on a friend’s mastiff who was scared of strangers. She is now doing much better.

To recap these techniques can be easily learned if you have an aptitude for this sort of thing. First buy this book. If you have a hard time learning the “muscle testing” techniques in the book you may need to use this method. For additional fine tuning I use EFT and there is a massive amount of free resources available here.

If learning and applying this seems overwhelming, I am also available for consultation.
Please see my coaching website:
www.dfwemotioncoach.com

Reviews from past clients can be seen here.

by Gracie Remington

I realize that this article appeared in Sunday’s edition of the New York Times, but found it worthy of note nonetheless: Alex Williams, jokingly referring to the lack of positive, influential families on modern television, discusses the rise in popularity of Cesar Millan, a.k.a. the Dog Whisperer, whose work with canines is serving as a source of inspiration for parents when dealing with their children. As Amy Twomey, a blogger for The Dallas Morning News, attests, “When we started watching his shows, we had intended to apply his advice toward our dogs, but we realized a lot of ideas can be used on our kids. Its all the same simple concept: how to be the pack leader in your own house.” Mr. Millan emphasizes the use of his personal trinity when training dogs: exercise, discipline, and affection, he argues, equals happiness.

The article goes on to detail the way in which multiple parents have adopted Millan’s rules for both dog and child training: “Matthew Hraneck, a photographer in New York, has a daughter, Clara, who is 6, and a Patterdale terrier, Charlie, who is a handful. Lately, Mr. Hranek said, he finds himself adopting Mr. Millan’s trademark ’ssht!’ sound- meant to snap dogs out of unconstructive patterns of thought or behavior- when Charlie jumps up on the kitchen counter, but also when Clara does.” The parents involved deliver mind-blowing conclusions such as “When you’re wishy-washy with dogs, they take advantage- kids think the same way” and “Children love structure.”

In this era of the Mommy Wars, where indulged parenting and especially motherhood is openly critiqued and derided, such an article only enforces the complete ignorance of this generation of parents. Do we really have to resort to screening dog training shows in order to understand the benefits of a little discipline and structure in the modern American family? Indeed, this article only reinforces the absolute cluelessness and self-entitlement that Lynn Harris attempts to dispel in her article. While she pinpoints class resentment and mothers’ physical presence and taking up of space as inspiring the backlash, the Times‘ article also highlights the arguments that Sadie over at Jezebel makes against Harris’ argument: that the combination of “smugness and obliviousness” contributes to a backlash against helicopter parents of both sexes.

Original Posting: Wednesday, October 1, 2008

I have found that while positive training has its place for dogs who have fewer challenges, that I have been able to save dogs unable to be helped by others using those traditional models. I am up to 31 now, many of which are on my youtube.com/cjanderson site.

ALL of those were dogs who were going to be euthanized without help that apparently was not available or helpful using these softer solutions. Of course one of the challenges as well, appears to be that most people will not take the extended time that the positive training can take with these more challenging dogs as well.

Also there is a challenge as well, when one only takes one piece of information to analyze because supporting documentation available in SO MANY other sources – print and video to answer the questions raised here with success documentation are missing.

I also agree with you unfortunately that many people will simply snag a “quick fix answer off of one article or answer as if one size fits all.

Fortunately I also run a 2700 international yahoo email list dedicated to helping people understand how to CORRECTLY use Cesar solutions. It is actually the only list (#6)of the top 15 email lists, in yahoos “training and obedience” category of 1254 dog groups, which has open archives for the public to use without joining this high volume list.

Now you can easily find the explanation of what he means by “red-zone” with examples by using the wonderful index in his first Book “Cesar’s Way”. You will find these references specifically 66, 147-148, 155,170, 171-195. The picture showing a redzone is on page 170.

Also his teaching on fight flight, etc allowed me to spot the real problem dog of a two dog pack. The WRONG dog was going to be euthanized as a problem dog when actually the other was the real problem. It helps me as well to pay more attention to what is happening in the environment – both with animals as well as humans!

Cesar has also demonstrated and explained in many of his shows the many KINDS of aggression including fear aggression and ALWAYS tells the audience how completely important it is to go to a professional for this problem for both a proper diagnosis as well as appropriately applied solutions that do NOT harm the dog. Dog owners can go to his new video educational site:
“SeesionswithCesar.com, to learn the basics.

Yes, isn’t it wonderful that Gavin has gotten over his great fears and anxieties? He was of course retired from service and now is living a wonderful life as a normal dog free of chemical medications which affect the internal organs with long term use! (I have taught safety and health professionally for 30 years now which includes chemical safety.)

Of course you are right in that there are so many people who only see the cute celebrity. How ironic that he is one of the most friendly, helpful modest people I have ever met who refuses to “go Hollywood” and in fact live in a very modest home!

I am also glad to let you know that the behaviors are not suppressed! They are cured, because they do not come back when the proper human behavior is maintained as laid out by Cesar! Again, I know you must understand as I am sure that there were plenty of your clients who have ignored your instructions in order to maintain the training you invest your energy to create good dogs for them!

Also there is zero documentation by any vet, clinic or emergency room showing that any dog that Cesar has helped has been injured in any way by his solutions! If you are thinking about one lawsuit – that actually was about a trainer, not an employee of Cesar Millan Inc who asked Cesar if the trainer could borrow the facilities in Cesar’s absence. That trainer got careless with his own clients dog. Cesar wasn’t even on the property!

I also know you will be glad to hear that Cesar requires a vet assessment of medical condition before he works with the dog for the Dog Whisperer Show. So when a dog is diagnosed with a neurological or any other medical problem, it is by a qualified, certified vet. Cesar does not diagnose medical conditions about dogs. You can learn the specifics of how he does this in 38 pages of Chapter 7 of his fourth book coming out next week “A member of the Family”.

Finally, not only are his techniques replicatable for those who take the time to study them and learn them as you have learned your skills,, but there are several tools – not the least of which are the great lessons available at the Sessions with Cesar website, but also the Dog Whisperer shows now on Season videos, books, DVDs, at least 10 different web locations where free information is readily available as well as on his Nat Geo Show site. On my list alone we have had over 124,500 people come in solve their problems and leave – but you can read their success stories in the list archives from the outside of the list!

Please don’t hesitate to contact me from my youtube site or yahoo site if you would like any further documentation, clarification, sources or resources to assist you with understanding accurately the applications of Cesar’s way, which does NOT harm the dog when done correctly or it is NOT Cesar’s way.

Thank you for providing this forum to clarify those misunderstandings!
Respecfully,
CJ Anderson

October 2, 2008 7:39 AM

CJ Anderson said…Just wanted to clarify a typo that there have been over 14,500 members on my list, not the larger number I accidently hit! Thank you for allowing me to clarify that error.

October 2, 2008 7:43 AM

Charlotte said…I believe Mrs. Rogers has done an exquisite job at analyzing this interview by adhering to concrete, scientifically tested, proven, and applied methods of learning and psychology. Her comments on Cesar are spot on, and she justifies her arguments in a non-threatening and professional manner.

I too am deeply concerned by the amount of clients I have witnessed try Cesar’s forceful techniques, and have in my own experience seen behaviors arise with worse intensity due to suppression.
I find it my duty as a dog trainer to educate myself in all realms of the field, and have read “Cesar’s Way”, have subscribed to his podcast, and watch his TV show “Dog Whisperer”. Although I do not endorse his methods, I do find it my responsibility to explain to my clients what went wrong after they have failed with their application.

Yes, CM does suppress, and I am worried about the following comment: “hey are cured, because they do not come back when the PROPER HUMAN BEHAVIOR IS MAINTAINED as laid out by Cesar!”

People and animals both act with greater intensity in some situations, and with less in others. Maintain is to “keep at the same level or rate” and it is simply impossible for any human or animal to mechanically maintain anything 100% consistently. Especially with punishment, it has been proven that even a fraction of delayed response can effect the wrong behavior. It burdens me to think owners believe that by constantly assuming the role of alpha (which by the way is not properly researched) and with consistent force can solve a behavior. The definition of cure is to eliminate with treatment – however, if owners step out of the alpha role, or are not consistent, the dogs behavior issues resurface … what part of that is not suppression?

I believe that it is in the best interest of all canines to have some form of training, however I endorse and support the application of scientifically tested, and proven application of positive training techniques (such as classical and operant conditioning). Although, based on the methods of intimidation and suppression some dogs are capable to be suppressed throughout a lifetime, I wish Television did not give Mr. Milan the status he has, and I hate to think of the amount of abuse that viewers inflict on their dogs, without the help, control, or input of a true certified professional dog trainer.

I do not mean to insult or slander any individuals with my feedback, but would merely like to express my concern for the methods used by aversive trainers. With this I say methods – I have no issue with Mr. Millan as an individual, just with the methods he uses to suppress dog behavior. “We are not dogs, we are humans, and our canine friends are well aware of this.”

October 2, 2008 11:54 PM

Charlotte said…In a comment to the above blog you post: ” i come from a background of horses and dogs and psychology bsc and personal development, so the concepts Cesar uses were not new to me.”

If this is true, then you must be familiar with the studies done by people like Skinner and Pavlov? Skinner has identified four quadrants of learning – positive reinforcement, positive punishment, negative reinforcement and negative punishment. These four principles is the way any living organism learns. You must also be aware of Pavlov’s study on salvation of dogs and how classical conditioning can cause an involutary response to be evoked by a conditioned stimuli. If you have studied psychology, then you are also aware of cases like Baby Albert, where a child was conditioned into fear by the repetition of an aversive sound and a white rabbit – the child soon began to cry when rabbits were around, white objects, or anything white or resembling a rabbit (generalization). If you have covered developmental psychology at all, then you will know of attachment theories and various degrees of separation anxiety. You will also understand about object permanence and the perspective of young children. If you have ever in your life looked at a case studied of someone with a phobia, fear, or anti-social disorder, then you will value the importance of counter conditioning (classical) and systematic desensitization. You will also know that flooding a given person with a phobia is not an appropriate way to change behavior. Put a person scared of spiders locked in a room full of spiders with no way out, and they will have a panic attack.

So I now ask you – why on earth would it be any different in dogs. There was a psychological study conducted on a dog with shock plates in an exam room floor. Psychologists quickly learned that the dog not only shut down in the room plated with shock flooring, but on other flooring as well – the result: learned helplessness.

Cesar does not stick to neither ethological, biological, or psychological facts. HIS method is just that – his view of how to raise dogs when he lived on his grandfathers farm as a child. The science of ethology has taught us how animals have evolved and how domestic canines adapted. Biology can show us how various breed types can effect behavior and purpose. And psychology can show us how to change behavior – look at the variables, and rearrange the equation to reinforce or punish behavior.

Almost all studies that evolved into human research in psychology has a basis in animals. And it is universally understood under certified trainers around the world. Cesar Millan does not commit to “pack hierarchy”. His techniques can all be disassembled into psychological explanations, from flooding, to negative reinforcement and positive punishment. By SCIENTIFIC law, punishment is defined by the decrease of behavior do to a stimulus. Well, in Cesar’s case, behavior is not decreased of diminished, rather suppressed, resurfaced, and with greater intent.

Forcing a fearful dog to interact with provoking stimuli, all on top adding aversive stimuli for signs of fear is putting poor baby Albert with a white bunny in a box with a shock collar around his neck, all while whacking him for every cry he gives.

The dogs shutting down on the show are not “submissive”, but under learned helplessness – the sam thing as breaking a horse. Both are cruel and unethical.

July 16, 2009 9:51 PM 

Charlotte said…Why punish a dog for being a dog? Worst of all is there is not option for an alternative. It’s all avoidance. Don’t bark, and avoid a correction, don’t pull and you avoid a jerk, don’t lunge and you avoid being hung by the neck. What kind of life is this for a dog? How about, instead of bark, go to bed, instead of pull, follow me and give me eye contact, instead of lunging, sit pollitely and we will say hi.

I find it appalling how so called “Educated” and “rpofessional” people give in to CMs antics. How dense must one be, to not apply what is learned. People who have not only read psychological textbooks but have applied the studied principles would be able to apply the tactics to all animals and humans.

I have studied a BSc for Psychology for 2 1/2 years with an interest in earning and behavior modification in animals and humans. I have recently switched over to a BSc in Animal Management. I have trained dogs for the past 7 years using SCIENCE, principles of learning from psychology, to train animals. I have trained dogs, cats, and horses using the clicker. Clicker training is based upon Skinner’s findings and has been around since the 1940s. I have rehabilitated over 100 dogs, both with fear / aggression issues, puppies, adult dogs, and even animals with neuroogical difficulties, OCD, signs of Autism, and animals seized from puppy mills and pet shops.

I recommend books from scientists, including: Pam Reid, Jean Donaldson, Pam Dennison and other certified trainers. These proposed people have all at least an MSc or PhD in animal science, behavior, ethology, or psychology.

I do not mean harm, I am just frustrated by the repeated ignorance and harm that these mythical methods have on dogs and owners. The CM show is highly edited and manipulated, and in fact CM has had several lawsuits against him for injury to dogs.

Just as a reference. I am in fact a crossover trainer. I was raised using alpha methods in my household as a kid on our dog, and was lead to believe dogs needed to be dominated and submissive. I also have used a shock collar for correction training and other devices such as choke chains, prong collars, etc. I have been force-free for 7 years now and will not look back.

July 16, 2009 9:52 PM

Anonymous said…hello, alison -

i would like to abstract one quote from the post:
>> when the research has been undertaken and the ‘proof’ is out there, so to speak, will the appropriate people be willing to listen? <<

evidently not -
as the * appropriate people * would be the owners, handlers and trainers of the dogs we (theoretically) love so much, and many of them are not listening.

the RESEARCH is the body of more than 60 years of scientific research into PUNISHMENT and its fallout; punishment and aversive stimuli are the single most studied topic in the entire body of psychology, behavior and learning studies.

evidently you have not read much of it, either. positive-reinforcement is more efficient, has far fewer opportunities for serious damage if we humans miscommunicate or misconstrue, and is safe for even the use of pet-owners and children over the age of 7 or 8 years to use.

please see Bailey, Breland, and other well-regarded researchers, whose studies date back to the second World War, and who trained (among other things) pigeons to find gun emplacements under camouflage, and downed airmen in the open sea; pigeons are extremely visual and highly accurate sensors.

happy training,
signing with my FULL name -
terry pride, APDT-Aus, apdt#1827, Certified Veterinary Assistant, member Intl Positive Dog Trainers Assoc and Truly Dog-Friendly;

* change behaviors – not pets!*
[trademark 1985]

July 16, 2009 9:53 PM

davetgabby said…Alison, when you look at all the organizations and professionals that have spoken out against Cesar, you might come to wonder why they are so dead set against his methods. It’s simple ,they do not work well long term and they can ruin the temperament of a dog beyond repair. Like they say, ” If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” And the argument that he has saved scores of dogs does not hold water. I believe the harmful methods that people are learning from his show are causing far far more problems.

July 16, 2009 11:42 PM

Tara Choules said…True behaviour professionals are highly successful at what they do and respected in the field are inundated with behaviour cases. Sadly too many for us to cope with. It also makes it very difficult for us to work with dog owners and dogs who have had the Millan methods inflicted on them.

True behaviour modification requires a holistic approach.
Understanding animal learning theory: (positive and negative reinforcement and punishment) which Millan clearly does not have since he relies on one explanation or variation of that for every problem.
Understanding canine body language: again something he cannot read since he lacks even understanding simple distance increasing and decreasing signals.
Understanding the dogs needs: a dog does not really need to be chased by a human on roller blades to be mentally stimulated.
Methods: counter conditioning and desensitisation. Millan uses flooding as his preferred technique.
Pharmacology: Drugs to treat serious behavioural issues and working closely with the vet.
Diet and Nutrition: A dogs diet and nutrition also has a huge effect on behaviour.
Hormones and breeding: Areas that greatly affect a dogs ability to cope, develop etc.
None of these are ever discussed on any of Millan shows. Why? Because all dogs are dominant. Gosh we have SO many dominant dogs. Oh please wake up.

Sadly every single episode I watch of Millan is about DOMINANCE and CALM ASSERTIVE energy. I don’t want a submissive dog thank you. I want a confident dog with excellent coping and social skills and I won’t get that from following Millans methods.

I watch as Millan suggests a dog is trying to be dominant over light totally missing the fact that the owners have created a compulsive disorder by training the dog to become aroused by a laser light. The dog is reinforcing on the feeling of catching and chasing the light. Oh no though the dog is dominant over light??? A serious problem now and a complete misdiagnosis. I watch as a cat trying to defend itself from a dog running after it is termed dominant, I watch as a dog who is seriously dangerous rips Millans clothing and bites him. The dogs air supply is cut off and he ends up exhausted and lying on the ground.

Why is it that the dogs end up lying on the ground suffering exhaustion in almost every series? Why is it that most dogs display whale eye, lip licking, penile erection, air sniffing, look aways and other stress and anxiety signals in many episodes? Why is it that distance increasing signals are punished? Growls are muted to create even more dangerous dogs, humans hold down and man handle the dog putting them in danger, collars are hooked right up behind the dogs ears in the most painful position… Should I go on?

Thankfully there is a way to train your dog successfully and humanely. That cannot be argued with as there are millions of successful trainers all with MASSIVE email lists by the way
You do not need to inflict pain or fear into an animal in order to get results.

But lets face it there will always be people who hurt other people and there will always be people who hurt other animals. I guess you could call them bullies. They get a good feeling from overpowering a species of less intelligence or a weaker being.

Be proud that you are NOT one of those people and that you can say “I trained my dog well, my dog loves me and I have never hurt my dog in the process”

July 17, 2009 10:39 PM

Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Meaning me, of course.

I had read about clicker training several months ago but I was skeptical. Venus doesn’t always come when she’s called even with the promise of Pupperoni. The notion of her responding to a clicking sound made me laugh. And Zeus? With all his noise issues, it would be just my luck the clicker sound would scare the crap out of him. Or he might be insulted. I dismissed the clicker as not for us.

Two months ago I bought a copy of Aggression in Dogs: Practical Management, Prevention & Behavior Modification by Brenda Aloff. It is the bible on dog aggression. I highly recommend it. Aloff covers all types of dog aggression, how to recognize it and how to deal with it. She has lived with dog aggression and handled all kinds of dog aggression training situations, therefore she writes from true life experience.

I have been skipping around in the book as I’ve been reading it. I started with Chapter 53: “Aggression Directed Toward a Canine Housemate” – of course – because that’s the kind we’re dealing with. According to Aloff, it is the most difficult to deal with. Tell me about it. In the case of housemates, the aggressive dog has plenty of opportunities to make life miserable for the other dog in ways we humans have no way of deciphering because we don’t live in the dog world and we don’t know how they communicate unless we constantly observe their behavior, which is impossible. That’s why housemate aggression is such a challenge. That’s why life with Venus is like a roller coaster ride.

Because we’re about a year into our housemate aggression, I found this chapter a validation more than anything, which is important. It’s the same reason we have become Dog Whisperer addicts. Tod and I have been on our own through this. In part because CCD is still being studied so we lack good information beyond the advice of Drs. Pearce and Langegger. We have looked to Cesar Millan and authors such as Jon Katz and Brenda Aloff for advice on behavioral issues. We have also chosen not to marry ourselves to any one training method but rather to expose ourselves and our dogs to several different methods to see what works best for all of us. We rely quite a lot on our own instincts, which is why validation from expert resources is so important.

For example in Chapter 53, Aloff emphasizes how important it is to separate the dogs after an altercation, then bring them back together gradually under strict supervision. Even though that’s what we did, and that’s what Dr. Pearce agreed was best, it was validating to know we did the right thing.

Aloff also issues a stern reminder that housemate aggression rarely goes away. “You need to be ever watchful,” she warns. “Resist complacency when the dogs have ‘been good’ for a month or a year. This problem is not one that you can put to bed. You can manage, minimize, modify. But you can never [italic] rest on your laurels!” I’m a happy, clappy person. I tend to cling to the best possible outcome. Aloff’s warning has helped me adjust my thinking. Instead of directing all my energy toward believing that Venus’s aggression will go away, I simply believe that we can handle the challenge of maintaining a peaceful coexistence. While at the same time silently appealing to her better angels to make her a good girl.

The next chapter that grabbed me was Chapter 35: “Establishing a Communication System – The RM/NRM and Release Cue”. I am all about learning how to better communicate with my dogs. According to Aloff this method is useful because it teaches the dog to understand “that a RM/NRM (Reward Mark/No Reward Mark) gives him information. The dog understands when he is on ‘your time’ and working vs. ‘on his own time’.” The purpose of an RM is to serve as a memory aid, “Remembering to do a certain behavior at a certain time or on a particular cue.”

All of that spoke to me. Even though we take Venus out and let her run wild inevitably there is a point at which we want or need her to come back under our control.

Aloff recommends, “Clickers make an excellent Reward Mark. Because the Clicker is a unique sound in the dog’s environment, it is very salient for the dog.”

I thought about the problems she had with her sense of smell at Trappers Lake. Suddenly the clicker seemed like the perfect “cue” to distract her and remind her to come back from her wanderings. 

Tod found them for less than $2.00 at Petco, so he bought two.

Aloff recommends that you not ask for any particular behavior when you install – or introduce – the dog to the clicker. And using treats is optional. We tried out the clicker the next day at Dogland. I forgot about not asking for a behavior and I didn’t use treats. I jumped right into it. When Venus disappeared, I took out the clicker. “Well this will either work or it won’t work,” I told Tod.

Zeus was walking with us. I figured if he didn’t like the sound he’d let me know. I clicked it several times. He didn’t mind the clicking sound at all. He was curious and I showed it to him. The real surprise was that Venus showed up, also curious about the clicker. In short, they loved it. And it has been working out very well ever since. They really do like the clicking sound. They both come running to us when they hear it.

I had forgotten to bring the clicker for our hike on the West Elk trail when Venus herded the sheep. After that we hooked one to our day pack so we can’t forget it. When rifle hunting season began we took them hiking at Sunlight Mountain to avoid any possibility of meeting up with hunters. I used the clicker to get them to stop chasing a deer that crossed our path. Zeus stopped immediately, Venus stopped about a half minute later. The more we use the clicker the more they like it and the quicker they respond. So far we only use it when they are off-leash because we’re training them that the clicker means “come back”.

I’m always amazed when the dogs teach me a new trick. I am humbled by the ways in which they show me that no matter how well I know them they are still eager to surprise me and try something new.

Sometimes I wonder if I expect too much from my dogs. Then something like this happens and I realize that I probably don’t expect enough from them.

“You don’t have to train a dog as much as you have to train a human.”
– Cesar Millan

Zeus spent his 9th birthday camping near Moab. Happy Birthday, Zeus!

Read the Crazy Bitch series. Or click on the handy links provided on the left.

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I broke my back.

Ok I didn’t break it but I have done something terrible to it. I am also amongst the uninsured Americans right now, being the entrepreneur that I am, so I am stuck with Midol and a heating pad to get me through this. I am lying on the couch right now feeling sorry for myself and watching the Dog Whisperer. How does this happen, the throwing out of the back?? It is horrible and I would like to apologize to all the people I have ever snickered at… ok laughed at… that threw their back out. I now feel your pain and I realize that this is no joke.

I have 3 dogs… that’s right… THREE dogs, and they are driving me absolutely insane today. They keep wanting me to let them out and do things for them… I need the Dog Whisperer at my house right now to make these crazies behave. I am hobbling around like I am 100 years old trying to take care of these beasts and it is not going well. I need to be permanently on the couch with my heating pad for a while and they just do not want that to happen.

Anyway… just thought I would let you all in on the horribly painful day I am having today.

Secrets to Dog Training – Stop your Dog’s Behaviour Problems!

What Is This All About? …..

Secrets to Dog Training presents an unusually detailed and thorough look at how to both prevent and deal with the more common problem behaviours exhibited by dogs. As the owner of a moderately troublesome mutt myself, I’ve spent a fair amount of time searching the Net for reliable resources on this topic, and I have to say that the level of knowledge and detail contained within the pages of this compendium is unusually exacting for an online book.

Not only that, but – again, unusually for this medium – the information at hand is actually (gasp!) reliable. Yes, that’s right – this one’s a whole new kettle of fish. Written by a seasoned dog trainer, you can relax in the knowledge that all the tips and advice included are tried and true, and come from Stevens’ real-life experiences as a professional dog trainer. There is also a straight-talking, easy to follow 30-minute downloadable video which provides real-life examples of doggy bad behavior along with solutions and remedies to change them.

What’s Covered?

There’s a pretty impressive range of information packed into this guide. It’s not just the problem behaviours that are covered: the book starts off with new-owner advice (how to choose a puppy/dog, the best places to get one from, breed information, puppy/dog-proofing your home, the first vet visit, housetraining, etc) and then moves on to the more advanced stuff: behavioural problems (such as aggression, dominance, chewing, digging, excessive barking, separation anxiety, to name a few), intermediate-level obedience commands, health-related dog problems (allergies, cat/dog coexistence, fleas, heatstroke, and so on), and advanced commands and tricks.

<a href=”http://www.kingdomofpets.com/dogobediencetraining/?aff=chess7156&type=nohop”>Secrets to Dog Training – Dog Training To Stop Your Dog Behavioral Problems!<br /></a>

The 30-minute downloadable video gives a great insight into a dog’s quest to be the alpha dog and how you can prevent this. Its quick steps to stop bad behaviours such as housebreaking right through to leash pulling are so simple you can start trying them out on your dog straight away.
Particularly Good Parts

In addition to the contents listed above, there’s also a pretty impressive section on dog whispering, which – in case you haven’t heard of it already – is a method of dog training based on a philosophy of clear communication and mutual respect. It’s been popularised in recent years by Cesar Millan (“The Dog Whisperer”), and is becoming increasingly well-known as an alternative and humane method for disciplining and training your dog. Secrets to Dog Training has dedicated an entire section to dog whispering: Daniel Stevens explains the background of the technique, how to utilise voice and body language to your best advantage, and how to use the technique to calmly, assertively, and effectively correct and train your dog. Step-by-set instructions are included for the common commands (sit, down, come, stay, quiet, etc).

It makes for some pretty interesting reading – and, after trying out the basics on my own recalcitrant pooch, I was amazed at how effective the techniques suggested are. Highly recommended!

I Love Freebies (Who Doesn’t?)

There’s just something about getting something for nothing. And, although my magpie-like acquisitiveness may have led me into less-than-productive purchases in the past, in this particular case I’m happy to report that Secrets to Dog Training hasn’t let me down: the freebies included with this book are not only numerous, they’re actually useful(wow!)

The book itself costs $39.95. For this price, you get a complete and detailed manual on training your dog, preventing and handling behavioural problems, and a whole bunch of general-knowledge tips and advice.

You also get a handful of practical freebies: four bonus books, dealing respectively with advanced housetraining how-to’s and troubleshooting (including both the crate- and paper-training methods); a detailed study on resolving canine aggression; how to effectively groom your dog (including information on coat care for specific breeds, dental care, and nail-clipping how-to’s); and finally, how to begin training your dog for security work.

As mentioned earlier, there is a bonus 30-minute downloadable video which takes a no-fuss approach to practical solutions for dog obedience issues.

Another particularly useful freebie: a personalised consultation with a member of the Kingdom of Pets team. If you’ve got an issue with your dog that you’d like some individual attention on, you can flick them a quick email and receive a personalized, thorough reply packed with expert advice and practical tips.

Secrets to Dog Training: A Thumbnail Sketch:

Altogether, I’m pretty impressed with this package. I’ve owned dogs on and off my whole life, starting from when I was ten – I would have thought that I was better-prepared than most to handle the quirks and caprices of my canine friends.

But since reading this book, I think my pre-Secrets to Dog Training self was (embarrassingly) perhaps a trifle more complacent than knowledgeable – I’ve learned more since reading this manual than I’ve picked up in a near-lifetime’s worth of contact with dogs (do you know how to stop your dog from tugging on the leash, without using a check-chain? Well, I do – but until I got my hands on a copy of this book, I certainly didn’t!)

Several of the training techniques present a refreshingly common-sense, down-to-earth approach to dog training; others require a little more effort (take dog whispering as an example) but yield some pretty dramatic results. I liked the way that more than one training technique is detailed, to allow the reader to pick and choose the techniques that best suit themselves and their individual dogs.

I have no qualms in recommending this package to anyone who owns, or is thinking about owning, a dog. You don’t need to have a “problem pet” for the manual to be of assistance: there’s information included that’ll be useful to any and all dog owners.

In a nutshell: highly recommended.

Everything I need to know, I learned from the Dog Whisperer.

Yes, that’s a bit of a stretch, but there are some wonderful life lessons that Mr. Cesar Millan has taught me; not the least of which is how to work with my precious puppy on occasion. One of his best lessons is living in the moment. I’ve been thinking quite a bit lately about the breadth of that statement, but his topical explanation is that your entire frame of mind and thinking should be almost exclusively considerate of your experiential moment – the moment you are in ‘right now.’ Indeed, you should be maximizing the ‘now.’ In your moment, you should not be concerned with the past, nor let it affect your success in the now.

Millan’s principle mostly pertains to people’s attitudes and states of mind as they interact with dogs, who, as he explains, only live in the now. When people who have been bitten by a dog approach one nervously, for example, their anxiety contributes to the degradation of the situation, where the dog senses a person’s nervousness and thus becomes more unpredictable itself. He says that a dog relies on reassurance and leadership from its humans, and when that charisma is lacking, they begin to distrust their environment and act more defensive. Under these circumstances, the dog might become uncertain enough to bite. Cesar’s instructions to most of these clients are to forget the past, because dogs don’t consider the past, and approach each situation with calm energy and existing only in the now.

I think this is a great lesson for life too. Living in the moment – maximizing each breath and poignantly taking stock of each situation you find yourself in – should theoretically lead to an extremely rewarding life, and perhaps fewer regrets. It’s no small task though, and thus it will require some practice.

I am going to work on living in the moment as much as possible. If I am not satisfied with my situation or surroundings, why not change it? Hence, I have the radio on as I am typing this post. I am comfortable and enjoying the program. The kettle just finished boiling. It’s now time for me to make the best tea I can, and soon I will very much enjoy that too.

Check out the Porch Potty at www.PorchPotty.com

This is a great potty training device and it’s perfect for latch-key dogs. I’m not sure how it works with older dogs that are already accustomed to certain potty habits. You can even get it with real grass (which my dogs would probably be into) and automated sprinklers.

Creative idea – perfect if you have a puppy that you’re trying to train. Or, if you just want a weird box that has fake grass. If you’re lazy and you hate taking your dog outside, you can train him/her to pee on this box. Or, if you’ve had a couple of beers and you want that “I’m peeing outside” feeling without going outside, the Porch Potty is perfect for you.

DAS ist ja mal eine tolle Neuigkeit!

http://www.apbc.org.uk/blog/CM_Italy

Ich denke mal, dass bestimmt einige von euch schon über die Videos von Cesar Millan auf Youtube gestolpert sind. Die wirklich “netten” sind auf wundersame Weise verschwunden, aber einige Highlights lassen sich doch noch finden.

Und das nenne ich Vergewaltigung…

Es gibt noch mehr zu finden, aber ihr könnt selber weiter suchen, wenn ich euch noch mehr antun möchtet. Die Videos mit diversen Alpharollen, massiven Einwirkungen über Stachelhalsband und starkem Bedrängen sind jedoch mittlerweile schwer zu finden.

Cesar Millan schmückt sich gerne mit aggressiven Pitbulls, welche er z.B. heroisch via Alpharolle besiegt… Wie sollen Menschen-Frauen das machen? Gar nicht, war seine Antwort… Frauen wären nicht in der Lage, solch einem Hund körperlich so entgegenzutreten, drum sind große Hunde auch nichts für sie. Leider habe ich dieses Video nicht mehr gefunden. Sollte es mir über den Weg laufen, setzte ich es hier nochmal dazu.

In Italien wurden nun seine so hoch gelobten und vom National Geographic gesponsorten Folgen ausgestrahlt und die ersten Stimmen werden laut: STOP Millan!

Ich hoffe sehr, dass der Obermacho der “Hundeflüsterer” (Schlegel ist nicht wirklich besser) mit seinen Methoden wirklich mal unter die Lupe genommen wird. ER mag vielleicht mit seinen Techniken durchkommen – mich wunderts schon, dass er noch alle Körerteile besitzt – aber gefährlich wird es, wenn die Menschen vor dem Fernseher dieses nachzuahmen versuchen.

DANKE Italien! Ich hoffe ihr kommt weiter Deutschland. In Deutschland sind Schlegel, Hesterberg und Co im TV “gerne” gesehen. Menschen haben sich gegen diese Sendungen eingesetzt… was antwortet die Justiz? Die sind Hundetrainer, die dürfen das. Diese Begründung ist kein Witz..

Hunde sind keine Menschen, dass ist richtig – aber… Menschen sind auch keine Hunde und ihr seid nicht in der Lage, unsere Sprache zu sprechen, dafür fehlen euch die körperlichen Voraussetzungen!!!  Genausowenig können wir an eurer Sprache teilhaben bzw. mitsprechen. Wir müssen gemeinsam einen Weg finden, eine neue Sprache ohne den Einsatz von Gewalt zu entwickeln. Menschen wie Cesar Millan, welche sich als Alpha-Hündchen aufspielen, sind gewalttätig… und nichts passiert. Wehren wir Hunde uns, was passiert dann….?

Wenn ich mir manch seine Videos anschaue und in sein Gesicht blicke, wenn er von zig Hunden begleitet gefilmt wird, dann glaube ich, fühlt er sich ähnlich, wie ich, wenn ich eine gut duftende Hunde-Dame in der Nase habe !

Bevor ich es vergesse…. UNSERE Cesar Millans…

Ich bin so glücklich, dass meine Menschen einen anderen Weg gehen!

My dog Pekaso gets a little help from Cesar Millan, watch for his surprise…

A Preview of Tonight’s Episode…

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/dog-whisperer/4507/Videos/07400_00

Wilmer Valderrama, o Fez de That 70’s Show, vai retornar ao mundo das séries de comédia. Ele será o protagonista de Dog Whisperer, novo projeto da Fox.

A série é inspirada na vida de Cesar Millan, conhecido mundialmente pelo seu talento como treinador de cães. Cesar comanda há 5 anos o programa, “The Dog Whisperer”, no National Geographic Channel, que mostra ele adestrando cachorros de pessoas famosas como Oprah Winfrey, entre outros.

Walderrama será Cesar, a série vai mostrar o lado engraçado da vida de um adestrador, enfrentando cachorros nada bonzinhos. A série terá produção-executiva de Emily Kapnek (Hung).

Fez eera um dos melhores personagens de That’s 70s Show, esse sucesso não aconteceria sem o talento de Walerrama para comédia, o blog torce para que a série faça muito sucesso.

Prima di tutto mi scuso per la lunghissima pausa estiva, ho avuto davvero tante cose da fare Ma non mi sono dimenticato di voi, vi prometto tantissime nuove guide.

Oggi vi voglio far conoscere i consigli di un addestratore che sta spopolando negli Stati Uniti: Cesar Milan

Molti consigli li ho già scritti io nei precedenti post, ma non fa mai male ripeterli

1. I cani non sono persone. Quello che fa felici loro non corrisponde necessariamente a quello che fa felici noi. Per far felice un cane basta poco: esercizio regolare, un capobranco stabile e affetto debitamente guadagnato.

2. Fate passeggiare il vostro cane ogni giorno per almeno 45 minuti. Una passeggiata strutturata e regolare è vitale, specie per i cani con problemi comportamentali, ed è lo strumento più potente a vostra disposizione per instaurare un legame sano e forte con il vostro cane.

3. Siate coerenti. Accertatevi che tutti i componenti della vostra famiglia stabiliscano le stesse regole, gli stessi confini e gli stessi limiti nei confronti del vostro cane.

4. L’affetto nel momento sbagliato può favorire l’instabilità mentale del cane. Manifestate il vostro affetto al cane dopo che ha fatto esercizio o che ha mangiato, oppure quando cambia un comportamento adeguandosi a quello da voi richiesto, obbedisce a una regola o a un comando, o quando assume uno stato rilassato, quieto e remissivo.

Amy Wallace of the NY Times just offered up a rambling, poetic tribute to Cesar Millan, better known as the “Dog Whisperer,” for the NY Times business section.  Millan has an extraordinary personal story.  He was a poor kid from rural Mexico who crossed the border illegally and now presides over a dog-themed media empire that grosses annual revenues in the “mid seven figures.”  He counts Oprah and Michael Eisner among his clients.  He wants a plane.  For the dogs, of course.  Flying cargo is degrading.

Millan is in the “dog rehabilitation business.”  Or as he likes to clarify, he rehabilitates dogs and trains people.  He’s brought in to correct canine mischief, but to get there he has to teach humans how to become better leaders of their dogs.  The dogs have typically taken over the household, and he shows his clients how to reclaim and maintain their pack leader status.  The change is often instantaneous, sometimes as soon as Millan walks in the door.  This makes for great television, which is why 11 million people tune in to watch his show every week.

An uncomfortable amount of his advice is relevant to leading people, too.  According to Millan, dogs thrive with generous amounts of exercise, discipline and affection.  They love to be led, and are less anxious and more productive when someone else is clearly in charge.  They have an overwhelming preference for pack leaders who bring “calm, assertive energy” to the task.  (Millan’s worldview gave me a new lens on the showdown between No Drama Obama and John “The Maverick” McCain.  Senator McCain has many strengths, but “calm, assertive energy” is not among them.)

What doesn’t translate from dogs to people?  According to Millan, dogs “won’t be around unstable energy. That’s how much integrity they have.”  One of Cesar’s favorite observations, in fact, is that human beings are the only animals that will follow unstable pack leaders.  That’s how much integrity we lack is the not-so-subtle implication.

I agree with the observation, but I read it a bit differently.  I think we’ll tolerate instability in our leaders not because we lack integrity on a mass scale, but because we’re so hungry for leadership, even hungrier than our four-legged friends.  Our progress as individuals and organizations and nations is so dependent on it, in fact, that we’ll override our basic instincts and follow people who aren’t really up for the task.  Close enough, we seem to conclude, with sometimes devastating consequences.

Kai, flat-coat/chow mix, and Rustle, miniature poodle

I used to worry about my dogs mis-behaving, until I realized there was no such thing. There is only behaving. Very quickly thereafter, I picked up on one of Cesar Millan’s tips: You can’t teach your dog unless it behaves. Every behavior is an opportunity for training.

That freed up our walks tremendously. Suddenly we could go anywhere, and we did. I wanted them to deal with bicycles, kids, other dogs and animals, people, traffic, and anything else the world was likely to throw at us. That’s why I took them to the Seattle AIDS Walk. I knew that I should see opportunities to train, not frustrations.

I wish I’d known that when I was a manager. Back then, I always looked for the quiet moments, when everything went according to plan. When I thought I needed to train someone, I would push them into training situations. For example, if I wanted to make sure my assistant manager was ready to take my place, I’d take him to meetings with me or send him to meetings in my place. I wish I had known that my job, as a leader, is when things go horribly wrong. In the midst of chaos, where I’m actually happier, is where training opportunities – and therefore leadership opportunities – abound.

So this week, keep your eyes and ears open. Not just to reward success (because you look for that all the time, right? Right?), but to greet mistakes with a smile and a training lesson.

A pit bull lab mix. The kind of dog Cesar worked his magic on.

I learned a great lesson from Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer.  Learn all about it here.

http://lostandfoundhound.blogspot.com/2007/11/found-labpit-mix.html