Cesar Milan "Dog Whisperer"

denice

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The lady on 'It's Me or the Dog' doesn't use a choker, on a large strong dog she does use a harness rather than a collar. The only thing I have seen her do is stop a dog from pulling and taking their owner for a walk rather than the other way around. As long as the dog isn't pulling she is praising them, when they start pulling she uses a sharp sound with her voice to get their attention and then starts walking in the opposite direction. Eventually they get the idea that if they want to actually walk somewhere rather than in effect walking in circles they have to stop pulling. She does a lot of distracting, focusing, and treating. She often uses a clicker followed by a treat.
 

KitEKats4Eva!

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I love that woman! I use some of her techniques to educate people as well. She's really very in tune with canine communication.
 

momofmany

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Originally Posted by KitEKats4Eva!

She's really very in tune with canine communication.
And I think that's what effective control comes down to. Being sufficiently in tune with your dog in order to effectively communicate with them. They do not understand human language, and unless you use a language that they understand, people will often confuse them.

I've heard people in this thread talk about aggression in the same sentence as alpha. An alpha dog is not always aggressive. An alpha dog will want to be dominant. Dominance and aggression are not the same in dogs. Just wanted to point that out.

And while dogs have been domesticated over a long period of time, they are still very much motivated in the same ways as a wild pack. It becomes very obvious with the more dogs you own. When we adopted our 5th dog, we realized immediately that if we didn't do something to change our behavior with them, we couldn't control them. We started using a lot of alpha role techniques back then and they work whether you have 1 dog or 10. It's not that you try to dominate the dog, you ensure they understand their role in your "pack" so that they don't feel compelled to be dominant. It is amazing how quickly they relax and just become good family members when you do this. This is the only part of the Milan theory I agree with, but I disagree with the approach he uses to achieve it.
 

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There are lots of good articles on the Internet that refute the popular dominance/aggression theory. One of my favorites is "Debunking the Dominance Myth" by Carmen Buitrago. It and several other good articles about dominance and training can be found here: http://www.clickersolutions.com/arti....htm#dominance
(The "Debunking the Dominance Myth" article is at the top - it is a Word document download link.)

I think head halters can be a useful training aid, but they need to be used carefully (there's a potential for neck injury if the dog is jerked suddenly), and the personality of the dog needs to be considered - some sensitive submissive dogs can be demoralized by having a head collar on their muzzle, and some may become combative when one is used. I like a plain harness or flat collar best, and just working with the dog to keep it focused and attentive as Denice mentioned.
 

momofmany

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Originally Posted by tuxedokitties

There are lots of good articles on the Internet that refute the popular dominance/aggression theory. One of my favorites is "Debunking the Dominance Myth" by Carmen Buitrago. It and several other good articles about dominance and training can be found here: http://www.clickersolutions.com/arti....htm#dominance
(The "Debunking the Dominance Myth" article is at the top - it is a Word document download link.)
The problem with this assessment is it is based on dominance studies from 1940, not current assessments. To be dominant doesn't mean that you show overt physical behaviors. With dogs, dominance is extremely subtle, which is what the more recent research has uncovered.

There are a number of things that place a dog at the top of their pack, but the 4 primary ones that show no physical interaction between dogs and their alpha:

1) An alpha always eats first (puppies are exceptions) and controls who eats and when.
2) An alpha always leads the hunt.
3) An alpha choses flea, fight or flight.
4) An alpha decides when to interact with other dogs.

Practically, when you apply these to behaviors to yourself or other pets in your household, you set up yourself as leader by doing these things (matched by numbers to the previous):

1) Eat a bit of food before you feed your dogs. Make a big deal of fixing their meal and after you give it to them, pick up the bowls after 15-20 minutes. They won't go hungry. I feed my cats before the dogs and only release them to lick the bowls when all the cats have walked away. My dogs understand that the cats are of higher rank than they are and now protect them.
2) Always walk thru a door in front of your dogs (you lead the hunt). Make them sit and calm down before walks. If they don't chill, put the leash away and try again when they remain calm. A dog confused by their status in the house will try to bolt out the door, then sled dog you once you get on your walk.
3) When the doorbell rings, how many of your dogs go berserk trying to get at the stranger? Walk to the door and release your dogs of the need to make the decision by thanking them for bringing it to your attention. If they don't stop, remove them from the situation. They can't make the choice to fight.
4) When you come home and your dog goes bonkers, don't even look at them until they settle down. They are to come to you on your terms, not theirs. This works particularly well with separation anxiety dogs. If you come in and immediately comfort them, you are only supporting their anxiety when you leave them.
 

calico2222

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Originally Posted by sharky

Very well put
.... lol some dogs WERE breed to go FIRST
That is my Brooke to a T! She is a samoyed mix so she was bred as a sled dog and, yes, she thinks her main job in life is too PULL when on the leash. We're trying to work with her to get her better at working on a lead, and in the meantime extended the fenced in yard to give her more room to run...and man does she like to run!!

Anyway, someone said whether you would prefer a military/dictator leader or a leader that leads with love and compassion (sorry, I forgot to quote it, but that is the general idea). I think it depends on the dog and the situation. Each dog is different and responses to different types of leadership. Some would rather go with someone nice and loving, others they would just try to get away with anything until the human stepped in and became dictator.

And the "Alpha" thing with holding the dog down. That was one of the things my MIL told me to do when training Snickers when we got her as a pup. NOT to show dominance, but because that's what mother dogs do when the pup won't listen or stop what he/she's doing that is wrong. Playing to hard, nipping, trying to eat the cats, etc. I would just hold her down by the back of the neck until she relaxed. And, it worked beautifully! And, I watched Snickers to that to her own pups when she was trying to tell them they were doing something wrong, or if they were just playing too hard. While I would NEVER try that with a seriously agressive dog, it works with mine.

I haven't read a lot or seen a lot of Ceaser Milan, but I have read Jan Fennal's book, and her approach makes a lot of sense.
 

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I have a book on dog training which points out that if you told your dog to get off your bed and it growled at you, you'd know it had alpha issues.
If it acted the fool, ran around the bed, rolled onto its back and clowned around until you gave up and let it lie on the bed, it has still said no, just in a different way.
I'd never thought about it like that until then.

Aha! I've just unearthed it. Its called 'Why does my dog...?' by John Fisher, and its very much in the 'Its me or the dog' style of training. I've never had a dog, and I doubt I will ever have a dog, but its a good read none the less.
 

KitEKats4Eva!

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Originally Posted by Momofmany

And I think that's what effective control comes down to. Being sufficiently in tune with your dog in order to effectively communicate with them. They do not understand human language, and unless you use a language that they understand, people will often confuse them.

I've heard people in this thread talk about aggression in the same sentence as alpha. An alpha dog is not always aggressive. An alpha dog will want to be dominant. Dominance and aggression are not the same in dogs. Just wanted to point that out.

And while dogs have been domesticated over a long period of time, they are still very much motivated in the same ways as a wild pack. It becomes very obvious with the more dogs you own. When we adopted our 5th dog, we realized immediately that if we didn't do something to change our behavior with them, we couldn't control them. We started using a lot of alpha role techniques back then and they work whether you have 1 dog or 10. It's not that you try to dominate the dog, you ensure they understand their role in your "pack" so that they don't feel compelled to be dominant. It is amazing how quickly they relax and just become good family members when you do this. This is the only part of the Milan theory I agree with, but I disagree with the approach he uses to achieve it.
Absolutely - exactly. Pack behaviour is different to `dominance' and laypeople can just assume that everything is a sign of `dominance' without actually knowing what it means in canine terms. Or they can misinterpret canine signals in an anthropomorphic way, which is dangerous and inaccurate and leads to confusion. Dominant does NOT equal aggressive. It's just not even in the same ballpark. Therefore using aggressive techniques to combat (often wrongly) perceived dominance behaviours is a recipe for disaster.

Originally Posted by cata_mint

I have a book on dog training which points out that if you told your dog to get off your bed and it growled at you, you'd know it had alpha issues.
If it acted the fool, ran around the bed, rolled onto its back and clowned around until you gave up and let it lie on the bed, it has still said no, just in a different way.
I'd never thought about it like that until then.
That is exactly, absolutely SPOT ON. It's just like a two-year-old trying to get its own way. So yes, in one sense they are trying to dominate you by being the one that makes the rules - or by just disobeying the rules - but there's rarely anything malicious or calculating in it. They're pushing their boundaries, that's all. Pulling your dog off the bed and forcing it into an alpha roll as a response to either of these behaviours would not only be damaging, idiotic and ignorant in the extreme, but would be like grounding your teenager for a month for not turning off the TV when asked. Totally out of proportion and inappropriate.
 
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cocoalily

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Originally Posted by KitEKats4Eva!

There are several ways to teach a dog to heel without using chain collars. Our dogs heel beautifully and they were trained to do so using positive reinforcement - the way I train all dogs. By holding a treat down near my leg and teaching the dog that that position - with its head next to my thigh and slightly back was the `good zone'. The zone where it needed to stay to have good things happen - i.e. get a treat.

It takes a little more technique and patience than yanking on your dogs neck with a choke collar, so I admit I can see how people would prefer the quick-fix, easy way, but it's just as effective (well, I think more so - because it is consistent with the way they are trained to do everything else as well), doesn't involve outdated and cruel forms of correction and teaches you a better way to communicate with your dog that doesn't involve any kind of physical punishment.

We wouldn't put a collar around our child's neck and yank it whenever the child didn't please us, I can't imagine why it could be seen as acceptable to do it to our dogs. They certainly don't do it to each other and dragging in front of you on a leash is only very rarely a form of `dominance'. Mostly they're just excited to be out of the house.

As for finding some way to `teach a dog you are its owner', that's easy too. Firstly, they already know - seeing as you're the one who feeds them and decides their every move. Secondly, if you practice a technique like NILIF or something similar, they learn to respect and obey you, and learn their place, without it being assumed that from the second they come in your door they are going to try to dominate you, so you'd better beat that attitude out of them from the start. Really, the whole thing is just repellant.
When you say cruel, I suppose you're referring to the term 'choke collar'? If Shaggy choked himself on the chain collar when I used it I wouldn't be using it - he stopped gagging himself on the leash as soon as I put it on. If he were a hundred pount lab that was hopping around every which direction, I could see why the choke collar would be considered cruel. However, Shaggy isn't a hundred pound lab with excess amounts of energy, he's a thirty five pound nancy dog that can run for only five minutes before he's tired out. Just like Cesar's techniques, it's good when applied to certain situations...in some I would call it cruel, in some I wouldn't.

I won't even get started on the 'would you do this to a child' topic so this doesn't turn into an IMO topic. I never meant it to be, I just want to see what people thought of Cesar Milan.
If I would have known it would have turned out like it is now - like earlier stated, it's somewhat like an IMO topic - I would have never created it in the first place.
 

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There is one pretty awful video on youtube where he is talking about an Pit Bull who is in the "red zone" and demonstrating "aggression. If you want to see it here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAJkF...eature=related
This is not a dog showing dog-on-dog aggression. This is a dog who has terrible leash manners and poor socialization who is trying to PLAY. Dogs who are aggressive will stare with their head held down or give a low growl, not bounce up and down at the end of the leash and yap.
So what does Cesar do, lift up the dog by her collar, fling her to the ground, practically choke her. I can't believe he put this on TV this is so bad.
 

nekochan

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I do not agree with his methods. For one thing the explanations he gives for why his methods work are often not based in fact. For another he relies heavily on "alpha theory" and techniques, many of which have been disproven in recent years. He uses "dominance" too often and attributes many behaviors to dominance issues when in fact the behaviors are more accurately attributed to other issues such as fear, lack of training or over-excitement.

Another thing that bothers me is he introduces all these methods as if they are brand new things that he has come up with himself when in fact they are mostly identical to outdated techniques which were used 30 years ago by many dog trainers and which have in many cases been abandoned since then. For example the alpha roll was made popular by the Monks of New Skete and they have since renounced it. Some trainers have commented that he has set dog training back 20 years... Most of the advice I have seen him give which was not based on those old punishment-based or "dominance" methods is common sense which every good dog trainer should be advocating such as making sure your dog gets enough exercise and being calm and confident during training.


Here is a website with a LOT more information on the topic:

The Dog Whisperer Controversy

That site includes links to many other articles which are very informative.
 

cata_mint

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I felt for that poor dog! Even I could tell it wasn't mean and aggressive!
No wonder it reacted like that, its owner basically rewarded it for barking and getting hysterical at the sight of another dog. I bet that dog never got the chance to play with other dogs at the park, in case it bit them, so of course it would want to interact with them.
 

yayi

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Originally Posted by Cocoalily

If I would have known it would have turned out like it is now - like earlier stated, it's somewhat like an IMO topic - I would have never created it in the first place.
Aww, do not feel that way. I am glad you created this thread!
My sister worships Cesar Milan, I do not... Our arguments are very similar to what has been posted. A thread like this one gives readers a way to see both sides of the story.
 

2dogmom

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Originally Posted by yayi

Aww, do not feel that way. I am glad you created this thread!
My sister worships Cesar Milan, I do not... Our arguments are very similar to what has been posted. A thread like this one gives readers a way to see both sides of the story.


What was that saying again?
"The only thing you can get two dog trainers to agree on is that a third one is doing things wrong."
 

KitEKats4Eva!

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Originally Posted by Cocoalily

When you say cruel, I suppose you're referring to the term 'choke collar'? If Shaggy choked himself on the chain collar when I used it I wouldn't be using it - he stopped gagging himself on the leash as soon as I put it on. If he were a hundred pount lab that was hopping around every which direction, I could see why the choke collar would be considered cruel. However, Shaggy isn't a hundred pound lab with excess amounts of energy, he's a thirty five pound nancy dog that can run for only five minutes before he's tired out. Just like Cesar's techniques, it's good when applied to certain situations...in some I would call it cruel, in some I wouldn't.
But if there are any situations in which you would call it cruel, then clearly it can be, and therefore it's a method that shouldn't be used. And in the examples you cite - such as the 100lb lab with excess amounts of energy - well, Millan uses the choke collar in these situations and if you say that that is cruel, then you must concede that Millan's methods can be cruel. In which case I cannot understand how you would advocate them, let alone use them.

The thing is, people who have absolutely no understanding whatsoever of dogs will try to emulate him and get things totally, totally wrong, and in the vast majority of cases will either mentally or physically damage their dogs. That is the number one reason he is so dangerous.

The video posted by 2DogMom really illustrated this.

I won't even get started on the 'would you do this to a child' topic so this doesn't turn into an IMO topic. I never meant it to be, I just want to see what people thought of Cesar Milan.
If I would have known it would have turned out like it is now - like earlier stated, it's somewhat like an IMO topic - I would have never created it in the first place.
No, it's actually really good that you started it. If it can help educate people on the dangers of this man - because clearly you can see there are many, many people (laypeople and experts alike) who abhor his methods - then it's always a good thread to start.

I agree, if you wanted it to be a thread where everyone said `I think he's great!' then I can see how you would be disappointed. But if you wanted honest opinions and (hopefully) some insight into the reality about this man, then you've done a very good thing by starting it.
 
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cocoalily

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Originally Posted by KitEKats4Eva!

But if there are any situations in which you would call it cruel, then clearly it can be, and therefore it's a method that shouldn't be used. And in the examples you cite - such as the 100lb lab with excess amounts of energy - well, Millan uses the choke collar in these situations and if you say that that is cruel, then you must concede that Millan's methods can be cruel. In which case I cannot understand how you would advocate them, let alone use them.

The thing is, people who have absolutely no understanding whatsoever of dogs will try to emulate him and get things totally, totally wrong, and in the vast majority of cases will either mentally or physically damage their dogs. That is the number one reason he is so dangerous.

The video posted by 2DogMom really illustrated this.
Would you consider it cruel if it was used as a tool - not how he's using it? After reading everyone's replies I can see how he sometimes handles thing wrongly, cruelly, however you'd like to say it. However, I'm going to disagree and say that it's not cruel in all cases. When I'm walking Shaggy it's not choking him - it's never tight enough to, and while I may tug at it, I would never pull it tight enough to choke him. I won't say they're right for every situation, but when they're used as a tool instead of a punishment it wouldn't be considered cruel.

I'll agree with you on the fact that the situations he practices his techniques in are not what the usual dog is and most should not be practiced on the average dog. However, I won't say he's wrong in everything he does.

Originally Posted by KitEKats4Eva!

No, it's actually really good that you started it. If it can help educate people on the dangers of this man - because clearly you can see there are many, many people (laypeople and experts alike) who abhor his methods - then it's always a good thread to start.

I agree, if you wanted it to be a thread where everyone said `I think he's great!' then I can see how you would be disappointed. But if you wanted honest opinions and (hopefully) some insight into the reality about this man, then you've done a very good thing by starting it.
I was expecting controversy, I just wasn't expecting five pages of debating.
Maybe a few replies, but not this much. Regardless, I do feel like this thread has been worth something - though I'm not going to completely shun his methods for doing what he's doing, I have seen things in a new light since people have been replying. Like stated earlier, there're some good ideas, some bad - they change depending on the situation.

2dogmom - perfectly illustrates this thread - thanks for sharing it.
I'd also like to thank everyone who's shed some light on Cesar Milan's methods. There's no way possible that everyone it going to agree on a certain opinion, idea, or method, but it was interesting to hear what everyone's thoughts were.
 

KitEKats4Eva!

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Originally Posted by Cocoalily

Would you consider it cruel if it was used as a tool - not how he's using it? After reading everyone's replies I can see how he sometimes handles thing wrongly, cruelly, however you'd like to say it. However, I'm going to disagree and say that it's not cruel in all cases. When I'm walking Shaggy it's not choking him - it's never tight enough to, and while I may tug at it, I would never pull it tight enough to choke him. I won't say they're right for every situation, but when they're used as a tool instead of a punishment it wouldn't be considered cruel.
No - certainly not. I mean, they were developed as a tool, as you say. And used properly they can be effective - I don't deny that and they wouldn't have been around for as long as they have if they weren't. But the problem is, many people are NOT going to use them properly - I see it all the time - and many people are not going to understand how they are supposed to be used. There is too much room for abuse and misunderstanding and that is one of the reasons they should not be used at all.

Plus, just generally, it's not nice or kind to jerk on or pull at a dog's neck. They have delicate necks and throats as we do, and there are several alternatives to choke collars - I mean, even their name! CHOKE collars. Not very nice, don't you think? They were developed with one thing and one thing in mind only - to choke the dog if it pulls. That is fundamentally cruel - even if they can be used in a gentle way. There are other methods, and other tools. Choke collars need not be used at all.

I'll agree with you on the fact that the situations he practices his techniques in are not what the usual dog is and most should not be practiced on the average dog. However, I won't say he's wrong in everything he does.
He isn't. He has some good ideas such as exercise, discipline etc. It's just that his fundamental understanding is flawed. He has worked with many thousands of dogs and that has given him an affinity that I do not deny. But many of his methods are outdated, cruel and misinformed - and that makes his whole approach dangerous, even if a small part of it isn't.

And the fact that he has worked with many thousands of dogs actually means that the `usual dog' as you say, IS his subject more often than not.

I was expecting controversy, I just wasn't expecting five pages of debating.
Maybe a few replies, but not this much. Regardless, I do feel like this thread has been worth something - though I'm not going to completely shun his methods for doing what he's doing, I have seen things in a new light since people have been replying. Like stated earlier, there're some good ideas, some bad - they change depending on the situation.

2dogmom - perfectly illustrates this thread - thanks for sharing it.
I'd also like to thank everyone who's shed some light on Cesar Milan's methods. There's no way possible that everyone it going to agree on a certain opinion, idea, or method, but it was interesting to hear what everyone's thoughts were.
And that's where you're absolutely right and this thread is a very important one. Nobody is ever going to agree but there is a vast majority consensus that Millan is not a good trainer and that his methods should not be followed. If you are discerning enough to take what you can from his and other people's methods to develop what works for you and your dogs, then that's wonderful, and that's what many people do. But I would prefer to see that people didn't try to emulate him at all, because his attitudes towards aggression and dominance are very wrong, and if people try to follow him and don't do it with as much experience as he has (which happens all the time) it's a disaster waiting to happen.

No trainer expects every dog owner to have as much understanding and experience as we do - otherwise they'd all be trainers, wouldn't they!
And so we try to teach people in a way that makes sense to them, in a way that they will understand and can emulate safely. I don't think this can happen with Millan's followers because he doesn't get it right, either - so how can people who try to copy him? I have to be honest, watching his show really makes me feel so anxious and sad and angry. It scares me that people think he knows what he's doing.

Positive and gentle methods of training have been consistently proven to work - over and over and over - even with very aggressive dogs. There's just no need to treat them the way he does.
 

tuxedokitties

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Originally Posted by Momofmany

The problem with this assessment is it is based on dominance studies from 1940, not current assessments. To be dominant doesn't mean that you show overt physical behaviors. With dogs, dominance is extremely subtle, which is what the more recent research has uncovered.

There are a number of things that place a dog at the top of their pack, but the 4 primary ones that show no physical interaction between dogs and their alpha:

1) An alpha always eats first (puppies are exceptions) and controls who eats and when.
2) An alpha always leads the hunt.
3) An alpha choses flea, fight or flight.
4) An alpha decides when to interact with other dogs.

Practically, when you apply these to behaviors to yourself or other pets in your household, you set up yourself as leader by doing these things (matched by numbers to the previous):

1) Eat a bit of food before you feed your dogs. Make a big deal of fixing their meal and after you give it to them, pick up the bowls after 15-20 minutes. They won't go hungry. I feed my cats before the dogs and only release them to lick the bowls when all the cats have walked away. My dogs understand that the cats are of higher rank than they are and now protect them.
2) Always walk thru a door in front of your dogs (you lead the hunt). Make them sit and calm down before walks. If they don't chill, put the leash away and try again when they remain calm. A dog confused by their status in the house will try to bolt out the door, then sled dog you once you get on your walk.
3) When the doorbell rings, how many of your dogs go berserk trying to get at the stranger? Walk to the door and release your dogs of the need to make the decision by thanking them for bringing it to your attention. If they don't stop, remove them from the situation. They can't make the choice to fight.
4) When you come home and your dog goes bonkers, don't even look at them until they settle down. They are to come to you on your terms, not theirs. This works particularly well with separation anxiety dogs. If you come in and immediately comfort them, you are only supporting their anxiety when you leave them.
I'm sorry, I'm confused


The article I posted is an argument against physical dominance - it begins by explaining the old logic and old studies, then points out their flaws and advocates the more accurate approach of benevolent leadership using resource control. I hope you didn't read the first page and think I was advocating for the ineffective old style of physical dominance.
Or perhaps I misunderstood this comment?


I've found the "nothing in life is free" method of benevolent leadership using resource control to be very effective. It worked wonders for my shy dog, who gained confidence from understanding I'd be the one to look out for her. It's also helped with foster dogs whose personalities ran the gamut from shy to pushy. It's amazing to see how a rude, stubborn, pushy or even possessive dog can blossom and become a model of good behavior once you find the right motivation and establish yourself as a benevolent leader - the light goes on in its head that it's working WITH you, the leader and keeper of good things, rather than against you or in spite of you.
 

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There is one pretty awful video on youtube where he is talking about an Pit Bull who is in the "red zone" and demonstrating "aggression. If you want to see it here it is:
This is not a dog showing dog-on-dog aggression. This is a dog who has terrible leash manners and poor socialization who is trying to PLAY. Dogs who are aggressive will stare with their head held down or give a low growl, not bounce up and down at the end of the leash and yap.
So what does Cesar do, lift up the dog by her collar, fling her to the ground, practically choke her. I can't believe he put this on TV this is so bad.
What on earth?! That dog IS NOT dog aggressive. Yes, she's incredibly excited to see another dog, but she is not aggressive. I like how he'd yanked up on the collar, choking the dog by letting her pull on the collar.
Makes me feel terribly sorry for the dog.

Want to see aggressive? This is aggressive(OK, possessive in this pic). This is a dog who did bite someone over something completely stupid. This is a dog I loved with all my heart & soul. This is a dog I killed, I held his head as he died. Following this picture (I was taking pictures, and he did "his thing" over the toy as you can see) I reached for Jack...he thought



This might not have to deal directly with Cesar Milan, but I don't think his "methods" would have worked for Jack. There's a guy at the shelter who uses his methods, some of the dogs he's "helped" are worse off after him helping.

I hate using a choke chain....because even the professionals, like Cesar....they're choking the dog when they use it. You can buy no-pull harnesses from Wal Mart that are more effective, because they aren't choking the dog. Use a Halti or Gentle Leader.

I've just seen soooo many dogs euthanized at the shelter for damaged windpipes due to being choked so severly with a choke chain from being walked improperly. People think they're great, but they aren't using them right & harm the dog.
 

liza24

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everyone is going to have their OWN opinions, and as they say, opinions ae like buttholes, and EVERYONE has them, and LOVES to tell others.

I LIKE C.M. I think he has done ALOT of good work with dogs that otherwise would have been put down, or ended up in shelters, because people couldnt handle them.

I dont agree with all his methods, but then again, not all his methods are for EVERY dog. Each case is diff. If you dont agree with him, thats fine. I dont agree with everyone on here, but i dont go around saying what i think of them, ya know?

If C.M was such a horrid man, then he wouldnt be on TV with his shows, and PETA and ASPCA would be all over him. He must be doing something right, to have as many success cases as he does. Their are warnings on his shows, and NOT to try his methods without consulting a professional first. Those warnings are their for a reason, and whoever dosent heed them, well then its THIER fault if something goes wrong, or they hurt their dog, because they did something on there own, without help. Those kind of people i dont feel sorry for.

In regards to being " alpha". IMO it makes perfect sense. YOU are the top person in your home, family comes first, dog 2nd. No if's , ands or butts in that respect. Dogs need structure. they need to know their place in the household. Walking BESIDE you is a show of respect to you as you being as it were " TOP DOG" in the household. I have had to use some of the agressive tatic's he has used in his shows and books, ( along with a dog trainers help) when my dog was younger. He thought he walked into my house as ALPHA. WRONG. I am tops in my house. He still tries once in a while, like when i have to clip his nails, but he knows, when it comes down to it, *I* am tops. If you dont take the lead, then the dog will walk all over you, and you will have a stressed, unruly dog.

In regards to choke chains, most people dont ever use them CORRECTLY. They are to be worn up behind the ears, not loosely on the neck, thats where 99% of your windpipe injuries come from, not that the chain itself is the problem.

I use a prong collar with my rottweiler, and its been a LIFESAVER!! He is 4 years old, and a bundle of energy. THe prong collar is dull, and give him jsut a nudge, to say, hey bub, your pulling, calm down. Ever since i have used that, he walks like a perfect dog. He sees it and KNOWS its time to walk nice for Mom. I have NEVER choked or abused my dog, but i have held him down, till he got the idea that he isnt tops. But i also had direction from a dog trainer to help, as well as learning C.M's methods.

All in all, not everything works for every dog, but just to have a little help from someone that has been there and learned, helps alot.
 
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