Weird Question because I am bored. Am I the only one that doesn't hate Cesar Millan?

Question

I have nothing against Cesar Milan. In fact I have used some of his methods on my own dogs and they work as far as I've seen. I see nothing wrong with using the "bite" to correct a dog or using a knee or foot to the side to stop a dog from acting nuts. I also have no qualms with grabbing my APBT when she is in mid launch for another dog and putting her on the ground on her side while the other dog sniffs her. It is not about "submitting" to me per say, it is about getting her to "submit" to the other dog. I like choke chains, Prong Collars and the occasional Shock Collar (when the situation calls for it). I also like using treats and toys and praise for my dogs. By the looks of things, so does Cesar.

My only issue with him is that he has a show that makes average people feel like all dogs can be saved no matter what the issue, even though we all know that isn't true. Now he has a crazed following of people who think they can "Rehabilitate" any dog.

Am I alone in the not hating Cesar Milan thing or are there others?


BQ. If you have a Pit Bull or another "Dangerous" breed, what insurance do you have?

Answer 1

I don't hate Cesar at all either.



I just think dogs are going the same trend as kids. Spanking your child for behaving badly used to be expected. Now you lightly spank your child on the butt and people scream child abuse.



There is a HUGE difference between physically touching a child or dog to discipline it and actually beating and abusing it.



I have no problem with choke and prong collars either. I don't understand the people who yell at others for using one because of how inhumane it is, while their own dog is wearing a regular collar and is choking itself to death because it has no training on a lead.



The problem with choke and prong collars is that most people don't have the slightest clue how to use them or put them on a dog properly. You can injure the dog if you are doing it wrong! But asking people to bother and do their research on HOW these collars work is asking too much.

Answer 2

Most "people" don't hate Cesar-it mostly other trainers who don't agree with his method of training. As a trainer, there are several problems I have with his approach. First Cesar is constantly talking about pack leadership-but there is a right and wrong way to be a leader. Leaders are respected, not feared, they are looked to for direction-not as a dictator. Also dog leaders are not the same as human leaders, and your dog will know the difference. There are different rules when it comes to humans and dogs. For example Cesar might say it is acceptable for dogs to play bite one another, but not the three year old down the street. Your dog is smart-they can differentiate between the two. And Cesar's ablilty to lead may work for him, but it's not going to work for everyone-not everyone can be the kind of leader that Cesar is. The second problem I have with Cesar is that it is just a little too clean cut. REAL training takes time-and lots of it. What you see in the 30 minute program will not happen in your backyard in one afternoon. Sorry to burst your bubble. Training is for a lifetime, not for a day. I wonder too, if after Cesar leaves, maybe a year down the line, if the owners are still expereinceing problems-I'd bet on it. Mostly because normal pet owners are lazy and don't want to continue to work with their dogs, they get a quick fix from Cesar, and then the magic wears off. Finally, even though his methods work, it doesn't make them right. And the word abuse is a slippery slope. You may not think it's so bad for a dog to be poked or leash snapped, but how about I do it to you. Try this, poke yourself everyday for 10 minutes in the same spot for one week. (As hard as you would poke a dog.) Tell me if that spot is tender at the end of the week? Tell me that you would respect the person doing the poking? I am a true beliver and user of positive reinforcement. I would rather my dog work for a reward, than to work for fear of punishment if they do not. You go to work and you get paid. But what if when you missed work you got a slap in the face. Would you really WANT to go back? Now even though no one has seen Cesar hit or kick a dog, his methods are used to intimidate, not inspire. Trust is something that is earned, not given freely, or granted through force. If you want your dog to truly listen to you and do what you ask, they have to trust you first and foremost. I'm just speaking for myself-but if I were a dog I wouldn't trust Cesar.

Answer 3

I think Cesar is great! I use his methods and think if you understand how animals think, that it's an excellent way to go. The problem I see is the average person is really unable to spot a look, or body language. I've told people you need to correct a behavior as soon as you see the dog about do the behavior and most people don't see the behavior coming until the dog is already a few seconds into the behavior.



I don't really see too many Cesar critics doing all the things Cesar does to help rescues. I love that he's doing a new show focused on shelter dogs. I love that he's doing these nationwide walks for the benefit of dogs and being an advocate for Pit bulls and other projects.



He uses a lot of common sense. Anyone that says he's abusing the animals is full of crap especially the so called "experts". I see it in the horse world too, everyone thinks they are self appointed know it alls or this clueless vet said this or that, but you have to tune out those people and their mindless followers and go with what works. The argument about dogs not needing a pack leader is pure garbage. Try letting your new puppy do whatever it wants and it will soon run the show. Horses aren't known for having pack leaders either but you better establish some rules, boundaries and limitations with them too or they will walk all over you! The truth is all animals have some sort of pecking order, as I experienced growing up with all kinds of animals. Much of what Cesar does, I already did as a child using basic animal psychology.



I think these treat and clicker critics should shut it for awhile and try his methods. Many dogs respond to his methods without as much as a sound or touch in a fraction of the time it takes to train using strictly treats and clickers. My 14 week old puppy I'm training now is more reliably trained using Cesar's methods than puppies of the same age, whose owners are treat and clicker trainers. I don't use treats at all and get better results but that's not saying if the situation calls for I wouldn't use treats. Being adaptable it a big part of dealing with animals.



Go Cesar Go!



@Clockwor.. Show me the countless times he's been sued. The only time he's been sued REGARDING his training methods is by Floyd Suarez. He sued Millan, alleging that his dog had been injured while on a treadmill at the Dog Psychology Center. Later it was shown that the dog was in the care of an employee, not Cesar. Stating your opinion as fact is what is wrong with this country.

Answer 4

Admitting I have zero interest in these dog show actor trainers - the little bit I have watched, I can say the guy is a troglodyte. What is new about kicking, hitting, pinning or otherwise man handling a dog into submission? Its been around since man invented the wheel.



CM reinvents this wheel with (a) very white teeth and (b) ad-speak to the unwashed masses that hits their PC button. Things like : everyone spay and neuter.



What self-respecting PETA freak could argue with that. Yes, he does have some basic principles that all people can agree with - he advocates, exercise, training, and then love. He realizes a dog is a creature - not a human. He's not a COMPLETE idiot.



The fact that he trains a dog with stupid little sounds (what's this sssshhh sound....its like he farts through his mouth)...is a personal pet peeve. Its annoying. Its silly. And its actual an attraction for my dog to bite .



Anyway, I guess your ABPT is truly tolerant of humans, because if you tried grabbing my Doberman and pinning her when she was ready to lock and load on another dog , you would leave with a very different face.



While I do not disagree with requiring your dog to "submit" to another dog - its HOW you accomplish it that makes us different. In training, a dog that was aggressive was (for example) required to lie down and all other dogs jumped over him and he was also the last dog to leave the field.



Requiring a dog to lie down is done with human standing straight and tall and using the command "down". If the dog will not down, and assuming he is trained to know the command, he is corrected with a leash correction.



He is asked to submit to others jumping over him and must not bite. He is not "held" down - but if he moves, he is again corrected, and commanded "down". You could assume that in some cases, it may take 15 -20 commands , corrections and repeated commands before a dog realizes no matter what , he must down. On command.



And he does it. With no kicking, no jabbing, no yelling, screaming or pinning. Its just patience, calmness and perseverance.



We do not arm wrestle with dogs and call that training. That is what cave men did. We've evolved.



To sum it up, I care less really what the CM followers think. I am truly amazed the guy has that much appeal - it must be the teeth.



And reading your posts Domino (whatever ones I"ve seen in the last few months anyway) my impression is, I think you have a good heart, and you mean well. And I don't think you are cruel, or intentionally abusive. And yes, I use prong collars. Yes I correct my dog.



But if CM is what you or other people equate to good training technique, I really feel you are missing out on a lot. And so is your dog.



PS: Dare I ask what the "bite" is to correct a dog. Are you actually telling me you bite your dog? Please tell me I am wrong.

********

Dangerous breed is a bad word here in Ontario. I recently had the drill with my insurance company - they specifically asked if I had a PB, a Rotti - or a cross and did I train my dogs to bite.

Fortunetly for me, I can answer no to all the above. Life must be interesting for those that live on the edge.

Answer 5

I don't hate Cesar Milan either. In fact, I have supported him on a couple occasions where he is getting bashed by others on Y/A.



He came to this country legally, got a job in which he happened to excel, and then BUILT A MILLION DOLLAR COMPANY doing what he liked. I've watched some of his episodes, and for the most part, he applies common sense approaches to dogs owned by individuals who haven't got a clue. His methods are fairly basic in many ways and many of the dogs he has "rehabbed" were allowed to become problems by owners who didn't apply any discipline or training. Many of them would video there dogs in some type or destructive or unwanted behavior, and rather than even attempt to stop the dog, or even say "no!" they just sit back and say "why does he do that" - "I wish he would act differently" etc.



So, I have nothing against the guy. I say more power to him. If you don't like him, don't hire him or follow his teachings. But you gotta give him his props! He did alright for himself.

Answer 6

I think Cesar Millan is a very good showman. Whilst I do think he is rather too rough in some of his methods (and prong, shock etc collars should only ever be used by someone trained to use them), some of them do work. What I do object to is that from what I've seen he never varies his methods to suit the dog or situation - in the real world one size doesn't fit all. Personally I prefer Victoria Stillwell (and I was trained by the bloke who was originally asked to do her show, but couldn't commit to the filming dates). However anythign that gets people to think about training their dogs has got to be a good thing, as I am constantly amazed by the number of people asking basic questions here which would have been sorted out if they'd only taken the trouble to go to classes!

Answer 7

Amen to that. I do not hate Cesar Millan and I have used some of his methods as well and they worked wonders with my current dog. I do not agree with everything he does. I have received many TD's on here for stating that I do not hate him and that I use some of his methods.

Answer 8

I don't hate 'him', I can't since I don't know him. I don't really care for his show though. But I don't really watch TV all that much so, I never really watch TV when it's on anyway, ha.



That said, I don't think people who watch the show should try to do the things he does with their own dogs unless they know dogs and how to handle them. Otherwise, they could do more harm than good. Personally, I don't agree with his methods and would never use them myself, but every dog is different and responds differently to training methods. So I can't discard the methods he uses at useless.

Answer 9

Cesar Milan is nothing more than a glorified dog abuser who gets paid to abuse dogs



He kicks, strangles, hits, and generally abuses dogs and is a dog hoarder.



He uses outdated methods that have been proven not only to be dangerous but departmental tot he dogs, like flooding and strangling. More then case of him holding a dog up off the ground by the leash strangling it and calling it submissiveness.



Alpha rolling has been proven false and departmental to dogs



He floods dogs



He's been sued countless times for the damage he's dont to dogs



He doenst rehabilitate anything and many of the dogs he claims to fix get worse after he abuses them. Not to mention many of the dogs should have been humanly put down.

Answer 10

His methods are to harsh for me. Prong Collars, Chains, he might as well be training for the pit ring as far as I'm concerned. He is fascinating to watch because of his personality, but I do not approve of any of his training methods. He's the one I would want people to watch to say....This is how not to train a dog. Have you listened to his episode of how many years at times it has taken a dog to be ..in his words, rehabilitated? How many of his shows to not make air time because of the dog not being trained. I don't know if that's true, but I bet it is. My question to others is...Why punish a dog before they are taught? That is what a person is doing with the shock collars, prong, chokers. Think about it. Would you spank a child before you taught the child the behavior? Kind of backwards isn't it?

Answer 11

I don't have a problem with him either but I do NOT agree with choke collars, shock collars, or prong collars. Prong collars especially as they are dangerous and can SERIOUSLY injure your dog's throat. Seriously, have you tried any of those on YOUR throat? Does it feel good to you? Do you have some kind thrill using them? They are a few sick inventions and have been known to hurt dogs and injure them severely. If you really love your dogs, then you would not use them and put one on yourself and see how it feels. They HURT.

Answer 12

I don't like him at all. I wrote to his website to ask a question and they told me he was too busy to answer it and to go and buy his book. If your too busy to answer the question, then why have a section on your web page to ask a question. The question was a simple one and he couldn't even answer it. After that response, I stopped his newsletters.

Answer 13

What Ceasar Millan are you watching? Is he on the Sci-Fi channel?