Casar Millan, The Dog Whisperer, National Geographic Channel. (The Dog Whisperer)

Member Name: RocketFuel

Product:	The Dog Whisperer
Date:	19/06/09 (131 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Brilliant advice for a happy peaceful life with your dog.

Disadvantages: If his methods are not used correctly they may do more harm than good.

The Dog Whisperer program on the National Geographic Channel is my addiction!! I record every single episode. I have learnt loads from watching the charming and caring Cesar Millan in action with the various dogs with behavioural issues on his program.

I am no expert and am just passing on my own experiences. No dog is the same and each dog will probably benifit from different training methods. Don't take any one persons advice as gospel. Find what works best for you and maybe adapt the methods slightly to suit yourself.

I have found Cesar Millan's methods brilliant and would highly recommend them. Be sure to make up your own mind if you think the methods are suitable for you and your dog. Also, if your dog is very aggressive make sure you get proffessional help. If you can't read your dogs body language, as a professional could, then you may get bitten.

Cesar's catch phrase is that he `rehabilitates dogs and trains people'. He makes you realise how much you might be doing unknowingly as an owner that actually influences your dogs behaviour. Some of his clients do not want to hear what he has to say as they see their dogs as little, fluffy, four legged humans. He explains to them that dogs have a completely different way of thinking to that of humans so treating them like a little human does not respect their needs. What dogs really want is someone to lead them. If they have no leader then they will often try to take the role of leader upon themselves. Such as growling at you when you ask them to get off the sofa. When really as soon as you say `off' they should get off. But by changing some of the ways that you interact with your dog every day you can make them listen to you first time. Cesar shows you in the program how to set `rules, boundaries and limitations' for your dog. If your dog knows exactly what the rules are from the offset then you will not have to keep repeating yourself.

Some people have negative things to say about him. Thinking that his methods are aggressive etc. Cesar is certainly not aggressive with the dogs that he deals with. It's just that a lot of the dogs have never been told what to do before. If a dog lashes out aggressively and actually bites then he gives them the greatest punishment and pins them to the floor, waits for them to submit to him and then lets the dog they attacked sniff them. This teaches the aggressive dog to be more submissive. This may look severe, especially to people who treat their dogs like royalty. But you can see on the dogs faces after he has worked with them that they are much more content, happy and ballanced. Dealing with the problem there and then properly rather than constantly half-heartedly telling your dog off is surely much better.

He does say in the show that if your dog is very aggressive then you should consult a professional to be safe. And that the worst thing that you can do with two dogs who have had a fight is permanently separate them as this will just increase the tension between them if they meet again. It's far better to deal with the problem there and then and move on.

How many people do you know that can get a pack of 40 dogs to follow their lead on a 6 hour walk off lead? As he establishes himself as the pack leader the dogs follow him as they respect him. I agree that there is a fine line between respect and fear. But I truly believe that Cesar has a natural connection with the dogs. If he didn't have he would never have built up such a successful business from nothing. He started out his life in America by jumping the border from Mexico. He then got a job in a dog grooming shop. He had showed an affinity with the dogs there and could handle the dogs that everyone else found difficult. Not by force but by building up a trust and understanding with the dogs and being patient. He then started walking dogs for a living and gradually started to help people with their problem dogs. Through word of mouth he gradually built up a business including celebrity clients. He then set up his Dog Psychology Centre in Los Angeles where he worked with `red zone' dogs. These were very aggressive dogs that would have been put down if he hadn't helped them. He managed to turn these dogs around proving that even the most aggressive dog can be helped. It is just a behavioural problem that can be worked with. Just because they are showing aggression does not mean that they always will. But the easy option unfortunately is usually to put the dog down. He also says that the dog's breed should not be blamed for it's behaviour. As he proves in his shows with the pit bull that he uses to help other dogs. The pit bull is the calmest, coolest and relaxed dog ever. He hardly ever has to tell it off because it is clear about what the rules are.

He believes in `the power of the pack'. He uses the pack of dogs that he has at the centre to help him to rehabilitate clients dogs. This seems to really work. He believes that dogs want to be in a healthy balanced frame of mind, not aggressive or fearful. Being a member of his pack does seem to make the dogs a lot more balanced. They all look up to him as the leader and what he says goes.

You do not need to be aggressive with your dog. They won't respond well to that anyway. Just be firm and let them know you are the boss and won't ask them twice. If your children were running wild and not listening to you, would you just say `come here, come here, come on, here's a treat, come on'? I know dogs and kids are different things but kids also look up to their parents for guidance and leadership. If you are not consistent with them they will try their luck with you. Just as a dog would.

As well as the dogs he seems to have a very good way with people. Which is half of his struggle really because lots of the people that he deals with pass on their stresses and fears to their dogs. Some of them find that it turns out to be quite a counselling session for themselves at his consultations. Many people seem to get dogs to try and fill a gap in their own human relationships. Dogs don't question you after all. They will accept your attention but will end up quite neurotic. The attention is more for the owner's benefit than the dog's. Once the owners sort out their own problems often you can see an improvement in the dog.

Cesar often stresses the importance of remaining calm and assertive with your dog. This is the frame of mind of a good leader and is what your dog will respond to best. He says that dogs pick up on your body language as this is their way of communicating with each other. So if you are worried about another dog approaching you whilst out walking, thinking that your dog might lunge for it. You project that nervous, fearful energy and your dog senses it. Thinking that the other dog is something to be afraid of. So just by thinking that something is going to happen can make it actually happen. You should walk with your head and shoulders up and chest out. Have your dog by your side or behind you and lead your dog confidently on the walk. I personally hate it when I take my dog for a walk and this lady is on her mobile phone with her dog at full stretch on a flexi-lead. She has no control over the dog. Her dog is leading her `pack' whereas she should be.

Cesar says that we should give our dogs exercise, discipline and affection in that order. But most dogs only seem to get affection which does not make for a balanced dog. Exercise is very important. If they don't get enough exercise they will divert that energy into something else like destroying your sofa.

He says that dogs living with lots of other dogs do not show these behavioural problems. It's only when they live with humans. We screw our dogs up. We aren't patient enough in sorting out the problems and being a good leader for them. We expect a quick fix and if that fails the poor dog ends up in a rescue centre. They are not commodities, they become part of the family and it is so cruel to give them up.

He believes that the more you understand your dog's mind the better you will be able to connect with them.

I found the program very inspiring and it helped me come to the decision to adopt a rescue dog. I had been debating it for quite some time. When I got Kimmie, who was 6 yrs old at the time, she actually had some problems with being aggressive towards other dogs. Because of this she was adopted and returned to the rescue centre twice. I think she might have been attacked by another dog at some point in the past whilst on her lead. Off the lead she was fine with other dogs. The problem seemed to be on lead she would go wild when another dog came near her. I was lucky enough to find some other dog owners who were happy to help me socialise her with other dogs. I worked with her and made sure I didn't let her get away with any bad behaviour at all for the first few months of having her and tried to gain her trust. I tried to make all the rules clear in my house and be consistent. Now, after a year of having her, life is easy. She knows her `rules, boundaries and limitations' (another one of Cesar's sayings). She is a pleasure to live with. She is happier because she knows exactly what I expect of her rather than having to guess all the time. It's also amazing how a few of Cesar's rules applied around the house all add up to have a big change in your dogs behaviour. She isn't perfect, it's an ongoing thing. But the way she has turned out is so rewarding.

I know that some dogs are naturally very good. But they will still be looking for leadership and would probably benefit from treating them as a dog and not a human which is only respectful.

Summary: Great TV program that even people without dogs seem to find entertaining.