Cesar Milan - Good or Bad?

I believe that his show is incredibly dangerous. It doesn#%92t tell the whole story, and doesn#%92t show the whole solution. It can#%92t; there isn#%92t enough time. So it#%92s edited together to show only the most dramatic parts and people are left believing that forcing the dog down on its back, popping its collar, and ‘biting#%92 its neck are miracle solutions, when in the hands of the typical viewer they#%92re nothing but a way to get people hurt and damage their relationship with their dogs.

Two things I do agree with: Dogs need lots of exercise and dogs aren#%92t furry children.

And once again......here we go.

I have respect for him because he truly loves dogs. No dispute about that.

There are many great trainers out there. Each with their own style, likes and dislikes. We have had many heated discussions on this forum about this man.  I cannot say I am totally sold on all of his techniques of training, becaue I also like some of these reputable trainers as well like Ian Dunbar, Jean Donaldson and many more. Each have their own strengths and weakness's

Formulate your own opinion of how or what you think of this man CM. Read some of his material.
 
Edit to add: There are a few great trainers on this forum which I have the MOST respect for as well.
 
To each their own.

Another question would be that if you have a fav trainer over CM who is it and why?

I was told to read the CM stuff while on this thread and dealing with problem issues with my dog. I can tell you that after reading his book "Ceaser's Way", I like this training method. My dog would not heel, he would pull towards other dogs, he would charge the front door, and he would growl and bite my husband. I adopted his techniques and our dog now likes to play in the park, no longer aggressive, heels well, and although he still has problems with other dogs, he mostly sits and barks at them instead of charging them.

This is not for a beginner. If you are not use to being around dogs, or training dogs, it can be very dangerous especially if you have an aggressive dog. You could get bit, and so could your family. You have to know the limitations to your dog, and if it is aggressive, I suggest you find a trainer.

His book gives insight to how dogs act and think. Dogs only understand dogs. That's it. Humans have the ability to understand humans, dogs, birds, cats, and all kinds of other animals. But so often we take a dog into our home and think of them as "furry children with 4 feet" This book helps you to see your dog for what it is. A dog. Once you understand the dog's needs, wants, and desires you can have a closer bond with your dog.

My dog is far from perfect, but he is only a year old. I believe that with lots and lots of exercise, discipline, and love, we can grow to live together as a big happy pack.

ORIGINAL: eley

And once again......here we go.

ditto!

this is a very loaded question.

Sorry, I didn't know this was such a dead horse topic.
 
I'm a new dog owner (meaning, I have never had a dog except when I was 4 years old and my parents didn't have the patience for a puppy).  The best way for me to take care of my dog is to see what other people do, read books, ask questions and do the best that I can for my dog.
 
And the underlying problem is...
 
Everyone has their own opinions.  Its extremely hard to extract fact from opinion when it comes to people's upbringing of puppies and dogs.  You hear many people say one thing then be told to do a completely different thing by someone else.

The only thing I can do is make my best attempt of weeding out what I feel is best for my dog considering my current circumstances.
 
When I see Cesar Milan on TV and him getting the results that he gets, I find myself having respect for the guy.  Mostly because I am an ameteur and his end product is outstanding.  However I do question if all dogs are the same.

It would be cool to see Blooper's of the Dog Whisperer.
 
Thanks for your replies, for those who did...
 
 

there have been many previous threads about cesar milan, just do a search.

in my opinion, one of the best books i read about living with and raising a dog was "bones would rain from the sky" by suzanne clothier. it doesnt so much go into training per se, but talks more about how to strengthen the bond between you and your puppy.

as for training, i wouldnt put much stock into anything you see on tv. look for trainers in your area that train using methods you feel comfortable with. check out one of their classes, maybe get some referrals from other dogs owners you know, and attend a class. seeing how to train a dog in person and being able to ask questions is much better than trying to extract something from what is presented in an hour long show or reading it in a book. [sm=2cents.gif]

good luck with your puppy, and he is adorable. []

pitterchi, if you want my recommended reading list for new owners, here it is:
"The Culture Clash"  Jean Donaldson
"The Power of Positive Training"   Pat Miller
"Clicking With Your Dog"  Peggy Tillman
"Bones Would Rain From the Sky"  Suzanne Clothier
"Don't Shoot the Dog"  Karen Pryor

Mostly everyone here knows I am not a fan of Cesar Millan, for the reasons that sooner posted, and then some.  I think that if you read the books above, and then watch his show and read his book, you will see why I am more impressed with the authors above, and their philosophies, than with him.

Sorry, I didn't know this was such a dead horse topic.

I'm a new dog owner (meaning, I have never had a dog except when I was 4 years old and my parents didn't have the patience for a puppy). The best way for me to take care of my dog is to see what other people do, read books, ask questions and do the best that I can for my dog.

And the underlying problem is...

Everyone has their own opinions. Its extremely hard to extract fact from opinion when it comes to people's upbringing of puppies and dogs. You hear many people say one thing then be told to do a completely different thing by someone else.

The only thing I can do is make my best attempt of weeding out what I feel is best for my dog considering my current circumstances.

When I see Cesar Milan on TV and him getting the results that he gets, I find myself having respect for the guy. Mostly because I am an ameteur and his end product is outstanding. However I do question if all dogs are the same.

It would be cool to see Blooper's of the Dog Whisperer.

Thanks for your replies, for those who did...

 
Pitterchi- Don't worry about bringing up the topic. . .the CM topic is not really a "dead horse". . . it just continues to wage battles whenever it is brought up because so many folks have different views on training techniques []
 
I commend you (as I am sure other i-doggers do) on trying to do your research. There are lost of great suggestions on reading materials that Spiritdogs and cyclefriend have given and you can learn a lot just from folks on this forum. I would suggest searching posts containing NLIF (nothing in life is free) and positive reinforcement and you will find MANY threads that give some great info.
 
Personally I feel there are things I agree with CM on and others I don't. I have watched more than 75% of his episodes, own the first season DVD and have read ceaser's way so I have seen enough I feel to form an opinion. I take from what I think is good (and safe) and leave the rest.   
 
Good luck in your search and welcome to i-dog. . .do you have any other piccies of your baby??  What is his/her name? Very cute pup!
 
 

He has some strengths and weaknesses, as do others.
 
Strengths: He has an astounding love for dogs, especially the ones with a bad rep. He is vocal against breed-specific legislation.
 
He is all for spay/neuter.
 
He claims no dog is too far gone for him.
 
He calls himself a dog behavior specialist, not a dog behaviorist.
 
Weaknesses:
 
Because he tries to rehab every dog, he uses techniques that have worked for him in the past, though it leaves him open for criticism, here. Drastic events sometimes call for drastic measures. The problem with most dogs he deals with is that they have not been trained or even diverted from unwanted behavior. This is lack of leadership on the part of their owners. Leadership gets misunderstood. He uses terms that are basic and general, though he could use all the scientific terms and go way over their heads.
 
Though I'm not sure it's a weakness, he uses the alpha-pack model, which is losing popularity these days.
 
Definite weakness: his physical methods are not for the timid or frightened or that average owner. So, his show has a disclaimer shown, more than once, to consult a professional near you before thinking about using any of the stuff on his show. At times, it is misleading if it seems a dog's issue was cleared up in one afternoon, but I've heard the same thing about using Easy Walk harness, and Gentle Leader, then later, hear how those didn't work out so well, and someone else has had fabulous resuts with the prong collar. It's not that he's doing anything magical. He is teaching the owners what to expect of their dog. As one family on the show put,  "We know this is going to take some time, doing the same thing every day, but now we know what we want from the dog and to expect him to do it every day." That's the key right there. It's not the collar, it's the attitude and persistance.
 
His terms are simplistic but no one wants to hear the scientific jargon. How would like me to tell you how a t.v. works, in explicit detail? I would put you to sleep. So, it seems like he simplifies things, which he does, for the biggest audience. Hence "Always consult a professional in your area."
 
I value some of his obersvations and insights but I don't use his methods. Watching his show makes me read more from other authors.

Anyone who makes training dogs interesting for Americans has to be given a hand. Only 5% of all dogs in America have been trained at all, and this leads to an enormous overpopulation problem.

CM's real weakness is that most of his "techniques" are just variations on forcing the dog to do what he wants them to do. The little dog does not want a haircut, but is forced to get his haircut, even though CM's fingers are practically taken off. The terrier does not want to take a nice walk, but can be made to. This makes for fast results and conflict, which are staples for good television. But what does the dog learn, exactly? And what do people learn, exactly?

IMO, people learn that the dog-human relationship is fraught with conflict, that they must "dominate" their dogs and be very macho. This does not sound like very much fun to me, I would rather have a nice relationship with my dog that is based on leadership instead of bullying.

And dogs learn that their owners are bullies, that they are not safe from scary situations and that their owners are therefore not to be trusted. This seems counterproductive. You want your dog looking to you for guidance and coming to you from far away. That kind of behavior requires trust.

There are better ways to train a dog. Ways that work better, for longer, and are more fun and don't involve getting all bullying with your dog. And FWIW, clicker training is almost as instant gratification as CM. But there is very little conflict involved, so it's not good television.

I have to agree with some here. If you only watch his shows and try to do what he does to dogs, you are up for a bad time. The TV shows don't give the whole thing. They can't. I admit it is amazing to watch him train a dog not to attack a kid on a bike after having done so for years, but he is a professional. If you only go by what you see on TV you are going to miss the big picture. I think reading his books are a much better way to go. I can't speak for both books as I have only read one.

But you are on the right track in reading different books, and talking to different people and choose what is best for you and your dog. I wish you luck in doing what is right for her/him.

On a side note, we took our dog to a trainer who taught us to use treats to train. When it came to "heel" Bullet would not listen even if roast beef was right in front of his nose. After 6 months of this with no results, I felt it was time to try something different. What I did with Bullet worked for me and for him at this time. That is why I like it.

Clicker training actually has very little to do with treats, although treats are a good motivator for many dogs.

Oh, god.  Here we go again for the millionth time...  I usually stay out of it. 

I wouldn't be posting on this forum right now if it weren't for Cesar Millan and the show "The Dog Whisperer".  However, I learned about Postive Reinforcement here and bought some books ("The Culture Clash," "The Power of Positive Dog Training and "The Other Side Of The Leash") which were recommended by people here.  I am nearly done with Jean Donaldson's book.  I am now a volunteer at a very large animal shelter where I will be trained to be a trainer under the guidance of experienced trainers.  They use +R.  Further down the line I will learn Traditional in case I ever need it.  But that is way down the road from now... 

Having read most of Donaldson's book, I am still not convinced what Cesar does is bad.  In my opinion, the +R eople on here are using Millan as this scapegoat to blame who feel as though Tradional Training is inhumane.    

How many epsisodes have the anti-Cesar people actually seen?  I watched every single episode of Season 1 (2004) which I own on DVD, and quite a few from Season 2 (Early 2006).  A lot of the dog owners from Season 1 were at the end with their dog.  Many of them had gone through trainers already and Cesar was their last hope.  Everyone seems to ignore this fact here, and like to point out the two times Cesar was bit.  Biting happens, accidents happen.  Get over it.  Don't judge a man's career on two bites.     

Now watch the Cesar bashers get all revved up on the offensive...