Tell me more about Cesar Milan

Some people like him, some people don't. I like him, and I think he does care for dogs. But I'm sure he's in it for the money as well.
 
But you shouldn't use any of his training techniques without consulting a trainer. Somethings he does look easy on tv, but you could do it wrong with your dog, and cause problems, etc etc. So it's better that you just seek a professional trainer locally.
 
I think the reason for his show is for profit, and to show people that even dogs with major problems can get help.

I have watched the Dog Whisperer.  I understand what he does, and it seems to work; but I wonder what happens after he leaves.  Some of the people have no common sense with their animals, which it comes down to most of the time.
I would also like to know how he manages his 35 or so dogs, and is able to do his television show?!   How does the man have time?   If other people are taking care of "his" dogs, are they really his, and his training?   

I've never seen his show, what kind of training methouds does he use? Is it just him and the dog or does he use a clicker or training collar?


I know when I take my dog to a trainer and the trainer has control over her, she listens like she's always know how to do that. But when my dog returns to me, I have to work with her several times to get her to do that. Is tha what you mean by after the dog goes home? You can't just teach a dog once and exspect it to know for the rest of it's life. Don't know, I guess I would have to watch the show to see what your really talking about.

ORIGINAL: jen_s
I would also like to know how he manages his 35 or so dogs, and is able to do his television show?!   How does the man have time?   If other people are taking care of "his" dogs, are they really his, and his training?   

Those dogs aren't his dogs.  They're at his center, but he has only a few dogs that are his family's pet dogs.  I don't know about his center but it sure sounds like there are employees/trainers besides him.

CM is a dog behaviorist, not specifically a trainer. He will often suggest that you seek a trainer and that you do not try his techniques without the supervision of a trainer. I agree with jen s. He can come into a house and assume alpha status and get a dog to behave, once he's gone, that dog may revert back because of the humans, which illustrates his point that most dog problems are actually human problems.
 
Others disagree with his methods because he uses physical control and the alpha model of ranking and behavior.
 

I like to watch the Dog Whisperer, I think he's an interesting character. But, as someone else says, he's going into the dog's homes and solving problems, what happens when he's not there. 

My neighbor has a papillon and a toy poodle that will bark to death anyone who enters the house.  They will bark at you as you walk in and not stop until you leave.  It's obnoxious.  When I go in there, I do a Cesar Milan thing--I stand as tall as I can, and slowly move myself into where the dogs are standing and "psst" them, pointing with my finger.  They shut up immediately.  In Cesar Milan talk, what I'm telling them is "This is not your space, it's mine, and you can't bark at me while I'm in it."  That works really well for me, the casual visitor in their house.  But, when the home owner tries to use this technique to stop the dogs, he's not as successful--the dogs long ago took ownership of the house from him and it'll take alot more work from him to ge the dogs to stop  the barking. 

So, I believe in alot of his techniques, but am not so naive as to believe they can work for the dog owners in as short a time as they do for Cesar M. 

CM is a dog behaviorist

 
I agree with you on most things, but not on this one.  The title behaviorist should only be used to describe eople with formal university education in animal behavior.  Cesar has a load of experience, but no specific education in animal behavior.
 
Cesar has some good philosophy's such as "Excercise, Discipline, and Affection" and "rules, boundaries, limitations".... but if you look specifically at the methods he is a pretty typical "yank & crank" trainer that has managed to mystify something very simple.  Dogs work for CM out of fear.
 
In some dominance aggression cases fear is the most effective method.  However, I watch him apply these techniques in inappropriate scenarios, and it just speaks to his one sidedness. 
 
It is good TV, but his process's and methods are misleading.
 

Here's what I know about Cesar: He has no formal training. He was born in Mexico and was raised on a farm with dogs. He spent his childhood observing the pack of dogs and their behaviours. He always had a natural way with dogs and seemed to understand "how they think." When he came to the US, he worked as a groomer and at a shelter, where he was able to "control" aggressive breeds better than anyone else. Eventually he started his own business showing people how to become the "alpha" in their pack using calm assertive energy. His fame came largely as a result of his encounters with Jada Pinkett Smith, who was so impressed by his methods that she recommended him to friends and helped him start his Dog Psycology Center.
 
At any one time, Cesar has 30-40+ dogs at his center. Some are his family's pets and go home with him at night. Some are rescues that he rehabilitates and either keeps or tries to find homes for. And some are there for boarding or "therapy." He has many assistants to help with the dogs, but he interacts with them daily. Every morning he and an assistant take the pack up in the hills and run/walk for a few hours. He feeds them lunch at the center and after that is when he usually does his consultations. In the afternoon, he takes 10 or so dogs at a time out rollerblading.
 
I've been watching the show for a year or so and have read his book, so I'm pretty familiar with his techniques. I try to take some of the basics and apply it when I deal with my boys, but of course I remember that Cesar is dealing with extreme cases and many techniques that he uses on his show are not necessary for most dogs. I have strong willed boys, so I use some techniques to establish myself as the alpha in the house, such as eating first and going out the door first--but that's just my personal preference. At the beginning of every show, there is a disclaimer that says not to attempt the methods that Cesar uses without professional help. If you are dealing with an aggressive dog and don't have the experience that Cesar does, of course you could get hurt by using his techniques. Mainly what I take away from his teaching is the "exercise, discipline, affection" philosophy and think like a dog instead of a human when dealing with dogs. Sorry, this is so long, but that's my two (or more) cents!

ORIGINAL: mrgmfoster

CM is a dog behaviorist

I agree with you on most things, but not on this one. The title behaviorist should only be used to describe people with formal university education in animal behavior. Cesar has a load of experience, but no specific education in animal behavior.

Cesar has some good philosophy's such as "Excercise, Discipline, and Affection" and "rules, boundaries, limitations".... but if you look specifically at the methods he is a pretty typical "yank & crank" trainer that has managed to mystify something very simple. Dogs work for CM out of fear.

In some dominance aggression cases fear is the most effective method. However, I watch him apply these techniques in inappropriate scenarios, and it just speaks to his one sidedness.

It is good TV, but his process's and methods are misleading.

I agree 100% with Mic on this. I think the whole "alpha" business is entirely overblown, in general, too. I've been reading a book by Kevin Behan called "Natural Dog Training." Behan notes that there is far more to wolf culture than just who is alpha, there have to be other things going on, ways of cooperating, that are something other than who is more alpha than who. I agree.

I've never found thinking about dominance or alpha status to be helpful in any way in training. All dominance implies is that the submissive animals let the dominant one have first access to food, toys, and nice sleeping spots. Dominant dogs never tell submissive dogs to lie down and stay, or to sit, or to stop barking.
CM uses rather rough and violent methods to "shut down" dogs. Dogs treated this way tend to stop doing anything on their own initiative and thus appear to be better behaved. At least temporarily.
I do agree with his message about exercise. I suspect more than half of doggie behavioral problems could be instantly cured if only the dog's owners would provide them with sufficient physical and mental exercise. 

I suspect more than half of doggie behavioral problems could be instantly cured if only the dog's owners would provide them with sufficient physical and mental exercise.

 
Probably more like 98%!

Okay, here's a question for Mic and others that really understand the doggie mind, and it ties in with the alpha issue. 

Our darling adopted Teddy, who we've been working very hard with for almost 5 months, is submissive and repressed to the extent that he is absolutely joyless.  He does not play at all and his greetings when we return home aren't ones of joy and YAHOO you're home, they are ones of total desperation.  He came from a home where there were 7 dogs and was obviously the bottom of the heap.  Also, he was bounced between a woman and her daughter's home so (I don't think) ever had the opportunity to strongly bond with just one person, as a toy poodle typically will.  He is incredibly needy, there's not enough attention in the world for him.  He's desperate.  But, I must say, he's not as desperate as he was when he first came here, now that he sees that there's 4 people here who give him lots of love every day.  Before coming here, he spent the majority (like up to 20 hours) a day in a crate. 

In our home, he is at the bottom of the heap, under 5 pound Misty.  I work very hard to give them each equal attention, equal walks, equal lap time, equal everything.  But, he will always allow her to push him around, take a stick from him, what ever.  We had a behaviorist at the house yesterday who suggested that his little light isn't going to shine unless he is in a one-dog only home.  The discussion involved a whole lot more than that, but that's the part I ponder right now.  (We took him with a commitment to rehabilitate and train him and possibly keep him for good.)

Today, I had a discussion with a friend who's a very experienced dog owner and a Cesar Milan fan (Note:  she has alot of submissive peeing among her clan, that tells you something about that method).  Her opinion was that someone always has to be on the bottom of the pecking order and his little light won't shine in a home without any other dog because he'll be miserable without another dog around, even though he's the one getting pushed about.

What do you think?  I don't know what I think, I'm all too emotionally wrecked by the last few months of getting this guy's house in order. 

I agree with you on most things, but not on this one. The title behaviorist should only be used to describe people with formal university education in animal behavior. Cesar has a load of experience, but no specific education in animal behavior.

 
I suppose a correction is in order. The show describes him as a behaviorist and he may be a self-described behaviorist. I was not aware that he didn't have academic credentials. Of course, here, academic credentials have varied importance. I suppose having credentials in training means you are worth listening to and having credentials from a major vet school or the ACVN means a person is still not educated. I'm not saying this to be facetious or start a huge debate, I just don't know when the rules apply as to when credentials apply. Perhaps it is due to the difference between what is considered a field of expertise or special interest.
 
Anyway, thanks, Mic, for correcting me.
 

Her opinion was that someone always has to be on the bottom of the pecking order and his little light won't shine in a home without any other dog because he'll be miserable without another dog around, even though he's the one getting pushed about.

 
That's a bit of a stretch. Someone is always going to be at the bottom of the pack, but I don't think that is your issue. 
 
I think you are trying to look at a dog problem via a human perspective.  I can't determine precisely what the dog problem is, but you are applying thoughts and feelings that dogs just don't have. 
 
If you want some more input in this department, please give me some more back ground info on the dog.  (ie. age/training/exercise/etc.) 
 

  I'm all too emotionally wrecked by the last few months of getting this guy's house in order. 

 
It is extremely important to keep your emotions out of the mix when dealing with situations like this.  The dog will get over the problems more quickly if you get over them first.