Comments on: Does mimicking Cesar lead to dog bites?

By: Sylvia

Sylvia — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 23:40:37 +0000

‘Shut up until you know what you’re talking about’ y say to you Mario. César Millan is completely overpast and you who defend him don’t know nothing about canine behavior.

By: Mario

Mario — Fri, 20 May 2011 23:44:53 +0000

Everybody who watched AND understand The Dog Whisperer already knows what the walking guy did wrong.
Alas, I meet a lot of people who watch the show all the time and don’t get it. They still try to apply human psychology on animals and see their dogs as human. The same people try then to explain other people what they do wrong with their dogs. The warning not to try this at home should be extended with ‘if you can’t listen or have learning disabilities’.
I rehabilitated a so called problem dog within very short time and she is the most popular dog in my area. All this after reading and understanding Cesar’s books.
To the sour critiques I just can say this: Cesar has video proof of hundreds of dogs he rehabilitated. How many dogs did you fix?
An old teacher of mine always said: Shut up until you know what you’re talking about.

By: Kristy

Kristy — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 19:04:17 +0000

I have to say the criticisim of Cesar sound more like sour grapes than anything else. People get a dog and expect it to act like their furrychild! Dogs need to know what is expected of them and have a direction or purpose to be healthy mentaly.The negitive comments from so called professional Vets and Trainers is irrresponsable,because if people treated their dog correctly, trainers would not be nesesary. EVERY issue Ive seen Cesar deal with is generated from the behavior of the owner. Its a dog not a furry child, yes love it but give it direction and porpose too.

By: S. Musial

S. Musial — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 06:31:14 +0000

This is one of the many poor articles I have seen written about Cesar. I have seen countless vet’s on the show not know anything about dog behavior. Then stating that someone watched an episode and it did not work for them when Cesar has 40 years of experience is crazy.
If there is a better trainer out there, why have they not ever become known? Look at how many dogs including Pit Bull trained fighters, that he saved. When someone has those amounts of “saves” on their chest, then I will listen to the babble of any negative press towards Cesar.
His love for dogs, his family, and, people are very evident.

By: Cathy Bagnera

Cathy Bagnera — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:58:52 +0000

Well everyone, I have been training dogs privately at the owners home since 1977. I’m at their house for 8 weeks and visit twice a week and I wouldn’t do it any other way. If I had my choice between the lady in England and Cesar I would pick Cesar. I like Cesar train of thinking most of the time but I don’t like the fact that he puts his hands on the dog even the slightest because the hand has to be a good association with the dog not a bad. I can tell all you one thing, no matter what problem you are having with your dog, I don’t care what it is, once you go through formal dog training, one on one as I do it, 99.9% of their problems go away all by themselves. Why? Because once you go through formal training, not at some group training, etc., one on one with a trainer who knows what they are doing (that’s another area), the dog becomes a much more confident dog, happier dog, his entire personality changes and most of his old habits will disappear. Now people, listen up, there is no such thing as a licensed dog trainer. No state licenses a dog trainer. Trainers can be certified through some organization, but don’t let that fool you that doesn’t mean they know what they are doing. Just to show you, I contacted a trainer close by me who I don’t know who went and spent $4000! To become a dog trainer at some fancy school in Texas. I told her I would like to send her some aggressive dogs because I don’t handle aggressive dogs and would she like them as I get them. She said yes. Then I asked her if I could give her some questions to answer so I can feel comfortable knowing she knows what she is doing before I send her anybody. She said sure. I sent her 5 basic questions, situations, and I never heard back from her. So much for spending $4000 and getting certified at some fancy dog training facility. So beware and use your gut feelings with dealing with a so-called dog trainer. Not all dogs are handled or trained the same way with the same problem, they are all individualized. But again, if you don’t find the correct dog trainer no your problems won’t go away. When you get your dog trained make sure your dog gets trained and your not only paying for lessons and getting nothing out of it. Any questions! Feel free to send me an email.

By: Jackie

Jackie — Sun, 24 May 2009 03:23:51 +0000

I agree that many people who watch Cesar Millan don’t always get the whole picture of what he does and either try his techniques in the wrong way or else see him as punishing or hurting the dog. Both these perceptions are wrong. Cesar is a total package — technique, philosophy and energy projection all form a total enrivonment in which he rehabilitates dogs. I am happy to hear others point out the Rachel Ray or Martha Stewart comparisons — truly, we can learn things on television but we need to know what we’re doing and WHY we do it before we “try it at home.” And Cesar does recommend that people seek professional help to rehabilitate their dogs. He also is quick to recommend many methods of training or behavioral rehabilitation, including clicker training, positive reinforcement and specialty training for dogs — such as agility or retrieval training. Cesar is a multi-purpose, holistic dog psychologist. He is not a scientist nor is he a trainer. I have seen him use massage, reward-based techniques, and even call in an acupuncturist for a dog that needed it.

I am sorry to see respected dog professionals write him off so casually. It is because of Cesar that I got up enough personal courage to volunteer at our local animal shelter — which uses positive, reward based training ONLY, by the way. Now I am involved in walking and socializing dogs, socializing and feeding cats, playing with puppies, taking photos for the shelter website and will soon begin adoption counseling and I hope to be able soon to foster elderly dogs. Watching Cesar has helped me cultivate the calm assertiveness to believe that I can do all this despite the fact that I am almost 60, have some mobility and weight problems and suffer from depression and anxiety.

I have a Plott Hound who we rescued when she was starving and near death. She had severe food aggression due to her desperation around resources. Using some of Cesar’s techniques (before we even knew about him and after as well), we have helped Eve overcome her food aggression and learn to live with five cats — as a hound, she would normally consider them as prey. Now they are her “pack” — albeit they have some language and communication barriers to overcome. But our household has profited immensely from Cesar.

By: Shaamex

Shaamex — Fri, 22 May 2009 03:41:12 +0000

Maybe there is a way for people to learn to apply Cesar’s methods properly so “Dummies” don’t get bit. It would probably be easier that getting the oh so scientific crowd dissing Cesar to understand he is no more at fault for others behavior than is Martha Stewart is if someone gets burned in their kitchen for trying out her recipes.

By: Sue C

Sue C — Thu, 21 May 2009 18:43:51 +0000

Kudos to all of you who have successfully used Cesar’s methods with your dogs.

But, as a professional trainer, I can tell you that the vast majority of dog owners who have problem dogs HAVE gotten in that position be “inadvertantly” rewarding or allowing the dog to be rewarded by the wrong behavior.

The posts here would suggest that those of you who have written are good students of both dog and human behavior – you can read “doggie” signs and you understand the nuances of Cesar’s preaching about calm assertive energy.

But, the everyday dog owner that I see, can not read the dog, they have escalated aggression by “trying” to mimic the corrections that they see Cesar using. And they are using corrections out of anger and frustration.

They are getting bit!

There is a reason that NatGeo runs the “don’t try this at home” disclaimer! This stuff can be dangerous to dogs and to people. (BTW, that disclaimer didn’t work for Jackass and it doesn’t work for Cesar – dummies will try it anyway.)

I don’t use Cesar’s methods, I prefer to look to scientifically based methods of behavior modification. These too work and have much less chance of getting my clients bitten.

By: Kevin Myers

Kevin Myers — Thu, 21 May 2009 15:33:50 +0000

The position of Dr Yin and the AVSAB are valid. Especially when you consider that many people do not have the ability to be a strong assertive pack leader without crossing over to anger and aggression themselves.

Being calm and “confident” around animals is always the best way to interact with them. Calmness and confidence are easily read in body language which is the natural language of dogs. But when someone who is not calm and confident, tries to employ the methods promulgated by Caesar, can anyone really be surprised that a dog would bite in reaction? There is a difference between fear based aggression and aggression based on dominance. Treating them the same is an invitation to be bitten or worse.

I think we have a responsibility as the “more intelligent” species to use humane, positive, reward based training as our preferred method of behavior modification for our dogs. I admit that Caesar’s way, does work for some dogs and owners, but I would argue that for most there is a better way. One that is safer and more humane for both dogs and humans.

By: Indy Rich

Indy Rich — Thu, 21 May 2009 02:37:34 +0000

I want to thank you for this opportunity to ask this question from your blog quote: “The AVSAB, meanwhile, believes undesirable behaviors in dogs are most frequently due to owners inadvertent rewarding them, and a lack of consistent rewarding of desirable behaviors.”

My question is since when does political correctness favor “ignorance” by an inadvertent reward… you guys are kidding right? A human mindset as “inadvertent” reward to an undesirable dog’s behavior? People have for centuries been serious mauled by that conclusion. “Knowing” how to be a calm & assertive pack leader works especially when you leave out the inadvertent part…
This selective-ism by the AVSAB concerning Cesar’s-way tells me that not only has our education system failed those AVSAB members but a refresher course must be in the offering to re-establish what the Zen Master’s have taught for over 10,000 years. You are what you attract… Be a Calm & Assertive pack leader your dog will understand… nothing inadvertent about it..

thanks
Indy Rich
QiGong & Meditation Master
PS: remember our dogs can learn through your energy either good or bad, for they don’t have American Idol to follow…