I am asked about Cesar Millan fairly regularly, generally by novice dog owners who are curious as to whether I recommend his show and techniques. This is a reasonable question since Cesar Millan is perhaps the most recognizable and influential dog trainer ever: millions of people watch his show and listen to his advice on how to address behavioral issues with their dogs. Yet many of the most respected experts in the field consider his techniques to be harmful to dogs, ineffective, and destructive to relationships.
So, what is the truth? There is no single right answer about how to train animals. We all have opinions, and most of us are certain we know the best way and everyone else is wrong! Most trainers are very good in some areas and less good in other areas. And we all have different goals–one trainer may be much better at helping you achieve a particular objective while another trainer may be much better at something else.
I do not know Millan, and can only comment on what I have observed on television. People are entitled to like Millan’s methods–many people do! And it would be hard to fault his business and marketing savvy… I am not judging anyone’s opinion, merely sharing mine:
I think Cesar Millan is a first-rate bully and a fifth rate trainer. While he does some things well, and offers some excellent advice, in aggregate I do not like what he does to most of the animals with which I have seen him work. He is uninformed, unimaginative, cruel, and absurdly coercive. The fact that his bullying sometimes works at least temporarily does not make it less offensive. In my opinion he has hurt far, far more dogs and relationships than he has helped, and of the ones that he has helped, I suspect the recidivism rate is extremely high. He has set dog training back decades. He is dangerously irresponsible. (For example, one person taking 30 dogs off leash to a dogpark ought to be a felony in my opinion)
Let me start with what I like about Millan’s message: exercise, calmness, and leadership. I absolutely agree that a huge portion of the behavioral issues people see in their dogs can be ameliorated through increased exercise and mental stimulation. Canids evolved to spend a large portion of their lives active and challenged, and sticking them in a room all day with rich foods and little exercise leads to many problems. I also agree that canids thrive in an environment with clear boundaries and a calm and strong leader. This allows them to be relaxed and confident and know how to behave. I also recognize that many average pet homes want a dog that is as “shut-down” as possible: they do not want a happy, curious, and confident pet, they want a pet that just lies quietly in the corner, and Cesar’s techniques are in many instances an effective path to that end.
Now to the negatives about Millan’s techniques:
- Impatient: Millan often takes little time to get to know the dog, or to teach it what is desired, or to build a relationship, he simply grabs the dog, puts it into the situation where it is known to have problems, and then corrects it for failure. In most cases, good training is just the opposite of this. You find situations in which the dog can succeed, and then you gradually increase the difficulty of the situation while rewarding the dog for success at each step. Good training is often almost invisible.
- Correction first: Millan often hits, chokes, kicks, drags, and electrocutes dogs that do not yet know what is being asked of them as part of a systematic routine of intimidation. There are several steps that should occur before correction: it is very rarely effective to correct or punish a dog that does not yet understand what you are asking. In many instances Millan could work the dog a little further away from a particular stimulus and teach the dog how to succeed and then get closer, but instead he rushes up, lets the dog fail, and then corrects the heck out of it. This may create good TV drama, but it is patently not in the dog’s best interests.
- Micromanaging: Millan often keeps the dogs on such a short leash (literally and figuratively) that they do not learn accountability. They do not learn to make the right choices and respect the rules, they simply learn to give up and shut down. They learn to do and try nothing because they will get attacked if they move. Good training allows dogs to feel empowered and instructed; to clearly understand what behaviors are not allowed, and be responsible for making the right choices.
- Confrontation: Millan routinely creates confrontation where it does not naturally exist. This was a popular notion in the 50s—you cannot really train a dog until you have shown it that you are the boss by kicking its butt, so you should make this happen—set up the dog to fail without any training, just so that you can induce a confrontation that you can then win and make sure the dog knows you are stronger, bigger, and tougher. Good trainers absolutely may do this with some animals, but it is fairly rare, and Millan seems to want to go there with almost every dog.
- Unimaginative: Millan sometimes uses different tools, but his basic range of techniques is very narrow. So when he happens to get a dog that needs those techniques he will be very effective, when he happens to get a dog that needs something different he will be very destructive. I would have the same problem if he were purely positive and gave treats for everything—one technique does not work across the board. Good trainers are fabulous problem solvers. They come up with brilliant ways to induce behaviors, change attitudes, and mold responses. They have a remarkable range of techniques that they use to work with different dogs. They can be very positive when needed, very harsh when needed, supportive, quiet, loud, calm, exuberant, etc.
- Cruel: Millan chokes dogs till they pass out and he electrocutes them repeatedly until they are biting and terrified. The American Humane Association who monitors animal use on set has requested that Nat. Geo not air some Dog Whisperer episodes because the treatment of the animals is so inhumane. Good training is never cruel.
- Archaic / Uneducated: Millan’s training is essentially exactly what one would have seen in 1950. But then, what educational background does Millan have? How many of the relevant books has he read? Has he made any real effort to learn what others know so that he can improve? Or is he just reinventing unrefined and simplistic dog training? We have learned so much in the last 50 years that it is hard to imagine someone who would not integrate some of that learning into their training. Good trainers avail themselves of available knowledge and science and continually improve. Even the best trainers in the world often attend each others seminars, but I have never seen Cesar…
- Isolation: I am not a huge fan of competition with animals, but occasionally it can be useful to objectively assess how your techniques are working. Entering an obedience trial, or agility or Schutzhund or whatever, lets you gauge your performance against your peers. Cesar not only does not compete, he has never, so far as I know, tried any canine competition so he could see where he stands.
- Indifference to canine attitude: Millan sacrifices attitude for quick superficial results, and I believe that is very counterproductive. Watch any of the dogs he works, and you will rarely see truly happy dogs, confident dogs, secure, trusting dogs. Good trainers focus on attitude and character—training rules and specific behaviors is essentially trivial. Once you have taught a dog how to learn, how to take cues, how to relax, it is easy to teach specific behaviors.
Adding all of this together, I find Millan’s relationship with the dogs unappealing—I do not see trust, respect, confidence, and adoration, I see subservience, temerity, and learned helplessness.
Millan fans sometimes suggest that those who dislike Millan must be softies who reject notions of control and discipline. It is absolutely true that some people who dislike Millan do so because they dislike any sort of correction. However, there are also many, many excellent trainers who do believe in appropriate corrections but who revile Millan’s techniques. Virtually all good trainers impose rules, boundaries, and limits. Some excellent trainers even use strong corrections when they are appropriate. Go to any canine competition (obedience, French Ring, agility, herding, etc.) and ask around, you will generally find the top people with the best trained and most obedient dogs dislike Millan’s methods, while hordes of novices with unruly dogs are devotees. Some of the most accomplished trainers in the world dislike his methods, and I assure you their dogs are not disobedient or disrespectful.
I do not understand why many people equate control with intimidation. Abusive parents who beat or terrorize their children may achieve “control.” So do reasonable parents who set and explain clear boundaries, teach and reward desired behaviors, earn respect and trust, and effectively utilize punishment when necessary. These good parents or dog trainers absolutely may use intimidation when it is the best option, but it is not the foundation of their relationship—it is not where they start or how they interact most of the time. (I vividly remember the few times my father seriously intimidated me, and they were hugely effective in large part because they were not frequent!)
Perhaps the best place to observe the dichotomy between dominance based training and cooperation based training is in training any wild animal. Work with a tiger, a grizzly bear, a pack of wolves, an orca, or even a raccoon or squirrel, and you quickly discover that these schools of thought are NOT the same. Dominance based trainers exert a clear and absolute dominance every moment of interacting—it is imperative that the animal understands that humans have absolute power and should never be challenged. Non-dominance trainers exert a clear and absolute cooperation every moment—it is imperative that the animal understands that humans are their friends and are not going to challenge them or hurt them. While a single trainer may utilize both attitudes at different times, if you switch back and forth with these animals, you have a VERY short career—suddenly showing weakness to a wild animal that has been dominated, or suddenly showing dominance to a wild animal used to cooperation generally elicits extremely undesirable results… Each attitude can be powerfully effective, but they are essentially different in far more than language. (I think it is important to concede that even many of the most cooperative trainers do have a line that cannot be crossed. A point at which dominance training does come into play. A point at which they say, “You have no choice here, you must do what I say.” The critical distinction is that they strive to help the animal avoid crossing that line, rather than regularly luring the animal across that line so that they can have an “opportunity” to dominate and intimidate some more…)
If your primary method of control is intimidation, the animals you train learn that intimidation and power are tools to get what you want. Sooner or later these animals may well decide to try to get what they want using intimidation. This is what happens eventually to most animal bullies in the wild, and is extremely dangerous. So I elect to use cooperation and leadership so that they learn that I am a powerful and benevolent leader who will help them get what they want in the world. I outsmart them by making sure that their success coincides with my desires until they reflexively and habitually do what I ask. I am smarter, but not stronger or faster, so it makes sense to use my intellectual advantage rather than bluffing about a physical advantage.
There is a genuine distinction between a leader who is revered and idolized and a leader who is feared, and I personally believe that being revered leads to better working, more reliable, happier, healthier dogs, but I rarely see this occur on Millan’s show. I see bullying and intimidation instead of leading and teaching.
It makes me profoundly sad to think that such a bully is out there working with dogs every day, but far worse is that so many people do not see his techniques for what they are. That millions of people still see intimidation and cruelty as viable leadership techniques makes me sad indeed.
[…] I've come across (yet another reason to love this blog), and couldn't help posting a link. What Do I think about the Dog Whisperer? Talented Animals Blog I particularly liked the points about competition: Go to any canine competition (obedience, French […]
Beautifully said. I wish he would go away ….
I was going to mention the hitting, kicking, electrocuting thing. That REALLY bothers me a lot, and is the reason why I don’t like him very much. I won’t deny he’s good at some things, but his methods leave something little to be desired.
I refused to adopt a foster dog to follower’s of Millan after I couldn’t get them to even consider positive training methods. I actually watched a you tube video where he repeatedly kicked and then hung a dog, within a day it was quickly removed. Trainer Victoria Stillwell is trying her best to bring his harmful methods to light. Thank you for your excellent post.
Very well said. It saddens me tremendously that this is the type of animal training that is marketed and succesfully sold. The alternative needs its opportunity in the spotlight. As you are well aware we train absolutley amazing behaviors using the far kinder elements of science based behavior change technology. Viewers would eat it up!
Thanks so much. I get this quite often from people asking me. In my training I get quite often dogs that people have watched the show or have gone to trainers like him and ask me what is wrong. My first response is if I did to you what you have done to this dog– would YOU trust ME? thanks again for putting this in a clear way– much appreciated.
Thank you! This is one of the most comprehensively fair and most eloquent narratives I have ever read regarding Millan and the unfortunate industry birthed by his media handlers. Anytime a human ego is fed though the unjustifiable coercion of a dog, dogs everywhere are at risk. Hoping this article will help enlighten thoughtful dog owners everywhere.
A wonderful post. I had the unfortunate experience of going to one of his seminars. When the Q&A portion came about I asked about two specific dogs that could NOT get along. They literally wanted to kill one another and couldn’t even SEE each other without them becoming ballistic! I was a newby at the time with dogs and his answer to me was to put shock collars on both of them, set the collars to the highest setting and when they saw each other to zap them both immediately. I was horrified. I had only seen him using his “positive” control methods and when I asked about that he told me that he didn’t have time for that with his busy schedule. The postive seen on tv was just for tv. The “real world” didn’t have time for that nonsense. I left the seminar and although there was another day of it, I didn’t go back. He’s cruel and barbaric and should be banned from TV. Long live Victoria Stillwell!
All well said and done. I certainly havent’t seen all of the aformentioned stories. However all of the issues I have seen, have resulted in a much more positive situation than previously excisted. Methods involved? I gets down to a personal opnion as to what is accceptable. Outcome is the issue. Is it truely “cruel”? Again opinion. What’s acceptable behavior? What is cruel? I worked with Juveniles for 15 years, we heard lots of opinions as to how it should be done, yet all, and I mean all, of the people that had suggestions, were never willing to be the one on “the firing” line
in dealing with the day to day, minute to minute issues. I’m not from Missouri, but show me something.
I think you ppl fail to see how many dogs would have been euthanized if it wasnt for his training…Just sayin
Well written and very observant. I, too, work with a variety of species. I find that R+ works with all of them; especially those with whom you cannot be hands on. Through luring, capturing and shaping the animals become excited about learning.
I have not watched many of Ceaser’s shows, but those I’ve seen have made me very disappointed, mostly due to the fact that those watching are not getting the right message. They see drama and conflict; entertaining to many (why else would all those cop and adventure flicks be so popular?) But they fail to see this is real life, not pretend. Real animals are being abused. Yes, his message of exercise, leadership and a calm attitude are accurate, but that’s where the message ends.
Sadly, networks only consider the $ they’re bringing in, not the fall-out from the program. I’ve worked with Discovery and Nat Geo many times. I’ve had to pull animals off set with Animal Planet when I felt they had become abusive – i.e. tired pups on set during the filming of Puppy Bowl. They swore at me and threatened me. American Humane didn’t back me up. I haven’t worked for them since.
Keep up with your fine blogs. You’re a good writer.
Thanks for taking the time to write this. I would take umbrage with one comment and that is that “…most of us are certain we know the best way and everyone else is wrong.” I routinely attend conferences and workshops and while there is no shortage of discussion and ‘lively’ debate about training methods and techniques there is a widening circle of reward based trainers who respect, learn from, emulate and support others who prefer cooperation over coercion. Most of us do understand that every dog is an individual and may require creativity and experimentation to come up with techniques to achieve our, and the owner’s goals for the dog. One thing we have in common is that our definition of the ‘best way’ is similar and that is that it is based on the science and study of animal behavior and eschews the use of fear and intimidation to get the behaviors and compliance sought.
If you want people to buy into your opinion, leaving the inflammatory language out would be a good start.
I have never once seen Caesar “electrocute” a dog, and labeling him a “first rate bully and a fifth rate trainer” undermines your position. There is a LOT of off leash behavior displayed on the show, so I have hard time with the “short leash” criticism, as well.
My own opinion is that what you see on the show is not really what he does… the show displays a gimmicky approach (the way he points at a dog and snaps out a verbal or “Tssst!” looks like a magic trick); the show is visual and oriented to anyone looking for a “here is how to instantly fix a leaky faucet” approach to training.
Regardless of what I… or anyone else think of Caesar… this post is an inflammatory addition to the training dialog. Boo, hiss.
Very well said all through. Best rebuttal I’ve seen to his methods. Thanks for this; will post a link to this.
Thank you for this post. It sums up much of what I think and so instead of having to explain it all myself, I’m just going to link to your post in the future when people ask me about CM. 🙂
well said!!!
Have not seen Mr. Millan do the things mentioned here, though haven’t watched all of his shows. I believe he saves dogs that would otherwise be put down using other “training” methods, such as food for the “right” behavior in a dog or people aggressive animal. Try the food method with a high energy, bird crazy, hunting bred sporting dog of almost any breed. The true field bred dogs would much rather have the bird than any treat one may offer. A mile walk across a country field would require one to carry a 50lb. bag of very good dog food for bribes, and then hope that their dog is one of those which are lacking in natural prey drive instincts. I like most of Millan’s methods, but realize that an hour TV show isn’t going to accomplish much, whether it is him doing the rehabilitation, or someone like Ms. Stillwell. Just can’t develop a behavior solidly in that length of time. I just haven’t seen ” hits, chokes, kicks, drags, and electrocutes dogs that do not yet know what is being asked of them as part of a systematic routine of intimidation.” You must remember, he does not claim to be a dog trainer, rather a dog psychologist. I meet far more poorly behaved dogs at dog parks now than ever before. Just like many of the current “generation x” children who were raised using bribes, all praise, regardless of whether they did right or wrong, and “outcome based education”, I have dogs running up to me all the time, and jumping up on me, looking for the “treat pouch” when at dog parks, or areas where dogs are allowed to run free. Sorry, I don’t have any treats for them. All they get is a subtle knee or block to throw them off of me, and a vocal “aagg”. I guess I am just like the “misunderstood” alpha wolf, I don’t like strangers coming up to me and sticking their nose where it doesn’t belong, or their paws where I don’t want them. If the “treaters” can’t control their dogs once they have run out of treats at the dog park, they need to put their dog on a leash and take them home, or perhaps try to truly train the dog so they can control it off leash. I guess they just aren’t “revered and idolized” enough when the food is gone…. Don’t have much of a problem when I have my “alpha” female Irish Terrier with me. She does quite well at keeping untrained, impolite, over reactive dogs away from me. She doesn’t bite, growl, snarl, fight, or chase, she just stands tall, tail up, quivering, staring with distain, and says “bring it on baby, if you dare”. None take her up on her challenge in an aggressive manner. Even threatening canines will lower their tail, and respond to her in a subordinate way, approaching, when they dare, with a wagging tail or rear end (if no tail present). I don’t know, maybe she is a dog “Goddess” or something. She is well behaved, minds me, comes when she is called, even over the shrieking voices of owners of untrained dogs, calling for “come Bozo, no, no, no, come, come, come…..etc.”, and leaves other people alone, unless they invite her to greet them. Perhaps most of the dogs in the parks have heard the song “When Paddy Lowers The Boom” (an Irish Terrier Chant). Dog parks have gotten to the point they almost sound like a dirty movie. No enjoyment anymore there for us, so we go somewhere there are either no goofy, demanding canines, or the canines are well trained, and behave around other people and animals.
Have you REALLY watched Ceasar Millan’s show? I have watched many many episodes myself, and although his techniques (as well as any trainer’s) aren’t for every dog, I have NEVER witnessed any of your claims that he routinely “hits, chokes, kicks, drags, and electrocutes dogs” – NEVER! That is irresponsible reporting at best.
If questioned by my clients about my opinion of Mr. Millan my reply is always…if you meet or hear of anyone who is a self-proclaimed animal “whisperer”, RUN, don’t walk, the other way because there is no such thing. The term “whisperer”suggests some kind of innate in-depth god-gifted knowledge than mere mortals don’t possess. What foolishness! Skills are developed as each of us works with animals and with ourselves, observing, and learning as we go. Mr. Millan has much to learn from genuine bonafide dog experts, but it doesn’t appear that it’s something he’s interested in doing. The most unfortunate part is that the biggest losers in this situation are of course the dogs. thanks for the article. I will share.
Very well said. As a trainer, I run into this over and over. I even have a trainer who works with me who is having a difficult time overcoming her Cesar training. I love +R training. But one must have other tools in the toolbox, allowing them to accurately assess and assist pet owners. Thank you for sharing!
I’ve met Cesar. I’m not the least bit ashamed to admit that I became a canine professional after meeting him 13 years ago, before TDWS. I can 110% tell you that he has never taken 30 dogs off-leash to a dog park. Back then he hiked with with up to 50 dogs in the canyons around L.A. and beaches in Malibu. He always had help and he was never there after 8 am. How do I know this? I hiked those same canyons every day. Although I do not agree with his aversive methods, I do appreciate the work he has done with several fearful dogs; those he has helped without flooding. It’s hard to explain why I am not a fan nor a hater, because Cesar can be positively effective one day and negatively ineffective the next. In a nutshell, he’s inconsistent. But there are a couple of positive things we can take away from his influence. Treadmills, bicycles, rollerblades, and skateboards are great ways to exercise and desensitize. Walking multiple dogs at one time is empowering. It builds confidence in the dogs and in the human at the end of the leashes. Tethering a fearful, shy or nervous dog to a social dog with a high nerve threshold is a powerful modification method. It’s brilliant and it works! Finally, the controversy surrounding the show, Cesar, and his methods has enabled real trainers (because Cesar is, admittedly, not a trainer) to highlight the importance of the two, not one but TWO, types of training dogs and humans need: Behavioral and Obedience! I, for one, had no idea there was such a thing as behavioral training before I met him. So, for that, I am grateful.
@Ktag – Yes, some of the language is inflammatory. But for years, professionals have sat back and given thoughtful, well-reasoned arguments against the methods used on the show (and by the many whisperer-wannabes the show has generated). And we get the same comments: “I’ve never seen him ___________.” Ever seen the episode with the German Shepherd and the cat? Then you’ve seen him use electric shock on a dog (I won’t debate the common use vs. formal definition of electrocute).
So forgive us if we’re a little exasperated. We’re not trying to get anyone to “buy into” opinions, just trying to educate with facts. When that doesn’t work, we might blow off steam with a little inflammatory language. Personally, I think this article is well-written and hits all the right points.
Bicycles, skateboards & roller blades are a great way to desensitize a dog but for exercise they including the treadmill are a lazy way of exercising your dog, bicycles & treadmills can also be a very dangerous way to exercise your dog. If you fall off of your bicycle your dogs legs can become entangled in the wheels & get broken.. With treadmills your dogs legs can become entangled in the mechanism, therefore they will be broken or at best have serious wounds & that’s if the dog doesn’t decide it’s had enough try to get off & end up hanging it’s self. If you are unable to walk the dog your self ask a family member, friend or neighbour to do it, if that is not possible then hire a dog walker. There is no excuse for your dog not being walked in the fresh air safely & without using any of the above.
Many of the dogs that Cesar says he has rehabilitated have gone to his rescue centre or have been forced into a state of shut down. With shut down they eventually come out of it worse than when they were before so exactly how did this rehabilitate them?
Bottom line… People who use harshly aversive methods and scorn training that uses rewards/motivators are always looking for an excuse to say that what they are doing is right. I’ve spoken to many trainers who refuse to use rewards with their dogs (even in the beginning stages of shaping a behavior) and they all seem to have the same attitude. “I’m the boss and you better do what I say or else! All you people who use treats are pansies who spoil your dogs and can’t control them without using bribes!”
To me it’s not about that at all. It’s about the type of relationship I want with my dog. I don’t want my dog to obey me out of fear. I don’t want my dog to be afraid of me at ALL! I want my dog to work WITH me. I take my dog to frisbee competitions where we compete in public parks with crowds around us and no fences. Not ONCE has my dog run off, jumped on someone or gotten in a fight. He is focused and driven to catch that disc and perform complicated routines with multiple commands all off-leash. He is also obedience trained and in control at all times. He has also NEVER worn a choke chain, shock collar or pinch collar. Nor have I ever thrown him to the ground and performed an alpha roll on him.
This is a dog who, as a puppy, would have been described as ‘out of control’. His previous owner got rid of him because she couldn’t handle it. I shudder to think of what might have happened to my happy-go-lucky little guy if certain individuals had gotten their hands on him.
I am not against corrections. I use corrections myself. But I don’t feel the need to ‘bully’ my dog into submission.
Very good article, well written, even handed and non inflammatory. I am a veterinarian who works in the US but trained in the UK. In the UK Cesar would not have a career, he would have a jail sentence for his systemic and inhumane treatment of animals. This should not be promoted.
This article certainly wouldn’t have made it past the scrutiny of my university tutors – or the Wikipedia moderators, for that matter. Unfortunately, any real message is hidden behind bias and inflammatory language. I’d be interested to see a factual, properly referenced version of this. The article does not appear consistent with what I have seen, so I would like some concrete examples with references to specific cases along with a thorough, factual analysis and viable alternative approaches for the cases discussed.
What a bunch of foolishness. I have a complete page dedicated to this agenda of exploitation and misrepresentation. Many trainers do not qualify the type of influence being established via their learning model. In fact they have no clue what dominance even represents beyond the disconnected mission statements. When dogs fail to respond for the cookie tossing trainer or owner they get medicated or given away. The dog gets blamed rather than the exploitative agenda. I have an open challenge to any loser who can answer my specific questions regarding learning theory via my website. Your high priest Ian Dunbar has yet to respond. Anyone with half a brain can read through the bias and solution-less blog. Any real trainer can see the agenda. What a joke.
I also released an 18 year study which shows the break down of conditioning involving over 1000 dogs. I just released a book tearing apart this arrogant agenda.
Thank you for a wonderful article.
Read over above rant and while I am certainly not a Cesar fan I acknowledge to the many people that ask me about him that somethings he does well, somethings not. Some of his methods I would not subscribe to, others are based on proven methodologies of how dogs learn. Most dog trainers, psychologists and others in the behavioral sciences will tell you there is never just one way to work on a specific problem. Anyone who says as much feels either insecure or threatened or both. Whenever someone in whatever endeavor is the most popular, talked about and noteworthy in their field it is easy to ridicule, condemn or otherwise take pot shots at.
This link was sent to me by someone else and I can safely say I will not look at it again. This is by far, causing more harm than good when it comes to helping dog guardians understand the importance of informed, sensitive dog training.
I have seen every episode that has ever come out of the dog whisperer and i have NEVER saw him choke a dog to the point of passing out. I have never seen him kick or hit a dog. A light tap does not constitute a hit or a kick and when walking my dogs and they get distracted i use the same light tap to the butt and it works every single time. Ive only sen him use a shock collar twice and in one case it was for a dog who had already killed other dogs and the device was used to scare him into thinking the smaller dogs had magical powers and to teach him to respect the other dogs. If my dog had already murdered others i would do the same if nessecary. And the other time was to save a farm dog from getting killed after he had already been run over several times by the very tires he refused not to attack. Put him on a chain some would say. BUll! That dog would have died of misery. And cesar used the collar on the lowest setting and with proper timing he only had to correct the behavior one time. If you saw the episode where he tried to catch the feral dog you would have seen his incredible level of patience. If you would watch his episodes with abused dogs or scared dogs you would see his incredible level of empathy and kindness. Did he drag a great dane by his leash across several shiny floors? Yes he did. Had every other method been done? Yes it had and to no avail. That same great dane gets to enjoy the free life. Sometimes dogs are irrational and shut down and if you let them et away with it youre torturing your own pet by feeling sorry for them and letting them live their life in fear. My sister has a border collie who lived outside for ten years due to being afriad of their shiny floors. It took me two days of dragging her through the house by her leash to force her to see that those floors were no threat. Now after ten years of living isolated away from her family she lives inside fear free. Was all of the dragging and forcing worth it? I bet if you asked her she would say yes and she would say she doesnt understand why she was afraid in the first place. Cesar does switch up his training methods with fearful and abused dogs to get the desired rehabbing accomplished. BUt there is only one way to deal with a dog who thinks they have dominance over humans or other animals and that is absolutely by force every time. You have to remember that these dogs arent fear biters. They are killers. DOminate killers who would kill a human or another animal without hesitation. All the treats and rewards wouldnt mean anything to one of these dogs. I know. I work with them. You have to bully them into seeing your point of view and owners of such dogs always have to maintain control or these dogs very quickly revert into their old selves. So if that requires using force or intimidation than so be it. Its either that or the alternative. Either that dog kills or is killed by euthanasia. Cesar is not a dog trainer. He is a dog psychologist. And when it comes to especially animal and human aggressive dogs go watch a pack of stray dogs and see if the leader is throwing treats or giving chance after chance. People need to stop humanizing dogs. They are NOT human and can not be treated as such. If we could all realize how to speak dog, however mean it may seem to you it comes as part of nature for them. If we could all see this there wouldnt be 5o fatalities and millions of serious dog bites by uncontrolled fear aggressive or dominate aggressive dogs. So judge jim if you like but if you had one of these dogs and he gave you the answers so you could keep your best friend you would feel different. And as far as Victoria Stillwell? I have given her show a chance too and have heard her say way too many times that a dog is beyond reach. Some dog trainer..These are just my opinions from someone who deals with dominance aggression every day and keeps full control and have never hurt a dog in the process.
Erin, there is no “magic” in dog training – anyone who claims there is should be avoided. Dog training is based on the science of operant conditioning & learning theory, just as teaching a human is. We don’t allow teachers to become physical with kids in schools, so why do we allow teachers to become physical with our dogs – there’s no difference.
I tell people to watch his show with the volume turned Off, then watch Victoria Stillwell’s show the same way, ask yourself do the dogs look like they are having fun or if they are terrified? I let them see the difference for themselves. You don’t have to be an animal behaviorist to see Cesar’s dogs do not look happy.
I give you credit for explaining that one way of training is not for everyone or every dog. I have never seen any behavior on the Milan show that I deemed abusive in any way. He does use electronic conditioning which I do not agree with; however the dogs he is using it on – I wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole and neither would the average trainer. I think there are many dogs that Cesar personally has taken ownership of that would have ended up dead. Of the alternative “positive trainers” I’ve come in contact with – not a single one will set foot in a room with a potentially dangerous dog. I’ve actually had dog owners contact my rescue for help because a positive trainer told them their aggressive dog could be helped by rescue. Understaffed and underfunded rescue groups are the LAST place a dog requiring severe behavior modification belongs. Any person who has a clue about rescue would understand that. And I think Cesar has more than a clue about rescue. I disagree with your statement that he is unwilling to try different methods. I’ve seen him refer several dogs to affiliate trainers for assistance because he felt that person could help the dog more effectively.
Milan’s show is no less campy, predictable and kitzchy than Stillwell’s. I’m sorry I just don’t see how baby talking a biting dog teaches it anything other than reinforcement for the bad behavior. Yes, behavior modification should focus on the least amount of correction needed to stop/or achieve a particular goal. But if my dog is running towards the street where cars are whizzing by, I am not relying on a clicker to “redirect” him.
To the author of this blog. When did you go to his centre and actually see all of the cruelty that you are professing he is doing? I, personally think you are just trying to stir the pot and make issue of something where there is no issue. The man knows what he is doing, obviously, has been more of an advocate for ethical treatment of dogs that anyone else and the proof of his methods is in how well balanced, polite, well mannered his dogs are . There are those who have followed his methods and there is no fear or trepidation on the part of the animals. So unless you have witnessed with your own eyes, had the SPCA and other organizations investigate, you have no founded proof. Accusation without solid proof can lead to nasty results.
Well put,
The article ofcourse, not the loony comment that praises the magician Cesar
His few pearls of wisdom are common sense to most people, or should be common sense to most people.
It really bothers me that people invest so much time, money and effort in following this man’s poor advice (and lining his pockets) when they could instead be investing themselves in learning how to properly train their dogs, based on factual science, faultless research, and what the real experts at the top of the dog behavior and psychology fields suggest.
But no, all his fans consider themselves experts and they all know more than the authorities on dog behavior and psychology. And their dogs suffer. A dog that is always being subjected to their owner’s constant struggle for supremacy, so that their owner can feel self important and in control, isn’t a pleasant existence.
I am not a Millan hater even though I personally would not use most of the methods that I’ve seen him use (my exposure to him has been limited…..my choice). Having said this I am puzzled and somewhat amused by repeated claims by his followers and himself that he is not a dog trainer (clearly this is true) but that he is a “dog psychologist”. Pray tell, what qualifications does he have for this lofty title? Seriously, this label leaves me scratching my head…………I do think it’s possible that he means well but is misguided and gotten in “over-his-head” and is now lost in “marketing land”.
Can I say a big thank you to the author of this for standing and being counted like many of us who abhor CMs methods of ‘training’
Nell – member of ‘Keep Cesar Milan out of UK’ fb
I believe so many of you just don’t get it. He says he IS NOT A DOG TRAINER!! he trains people to be pack leaders, people who have let their dogs walk all over them. He will take any dog that the people have let go too far, red zone, into his own happy pack, what dog trainers will do that ??? never heard of any. He works with owners who are on their last chance usually, dog trainers have advised euthanasia, they are given a second chance. His empowerment over attacking dogs saved my family member recently – stood up to an aggressive, charging Pit X, backed it off from his own old dog until the owner arrived.
I remember watching Milan’s show a few years ago and I used to enjoy it. I had never seen him hit, kick or electrocute a dog. I didn’t watch it that often though. And then one day I saw the episode with the st bernard who’s owners wanted him to sleep upstairs and it was like something just clicked in my head. It wasn’t right. It just couldn’t be. The weight of that dog, only a young dog, on fragile, growing joints being forced to climb a stairs which could lead to so many orthopedic problems down the line, and simply because that was what the owners wanted? Why didn’t Cesar reccomend they leave the dog as he was? Why didn’t he explain to them about the adverse affects of forcing a young, heavy dog up those stairs? I realised that day that this man was not the trainer I thought he was. I have since watched a lot more episodes with growing disappointment. I watched him hang a siberian husky until it passed out, I watched him force a french bulldog through flooding until the dog shutdown, I watched hm shock a german shepherd because it wanted to act on its instinct and chase, and any respect I had for this man vanished. Watch every episode carefully; the camera swings out of view very conveniently to avoid showing when he kicks of hits a dog to provoke it into response. Cesar has probably saved a lot of animals, and I am nearly always in agreement with anyone who advocates pitties as the amazing pets they are, but for Cesar, I have nothing but disappointment. He has set us back years with dog training. I would love to see the stats on just how many times Cesar has been bitten as well in comparison to other dog trainers, I would also love to see him attempt his dominance roll on the real thing, the wolf. I dare say he would not come out of that unscathed.
I always warn my students against watching him unless they picture him in a Fred Flintstone outfit, that is the time frame of his methods. If he would ever actually study and try to improve he would fall over in shock from the actual harm that he continual causes and the misinformation he puts out.
Great post.
I always find it interesting to read the comments on these from the CM fans. “He is not a dog trainer”…riiight. He’s a “dog psychologist”…no, if he were (and if that term actually was a proper term) he would know that dominance theory has been disproven and that a lack of behaviour, due to being shut down, is NOT a desirable, nor healthy situation.
For those of you who say you’ve never seen him shock, hang etc a dog. The black german shepherd and the cat episode he used an e-collar, even though it is not mentioned during the show. In the Jonbee episode (the Jindo) by the time he has the dog “submitting” his tongue is blue and he is completely shut down. In the Shadow episode (the Alaskan Malamute) is kicked, hung and is also cyanotic by the time he is “submitting”. This also occurs in the bulldog episode on the ranch “Butch”. If you are fans, then, yes, you’ve seen it..but you weren’t looking throug the eyes of a canine professional who sees the damage this so called training can do.
Oh, and the whole, ” he’s saved dogs that other trainers would euthanize” statement? That my friends, is bullpuckey. Many good, talented and educated trainers take on dogs like this all the time and in the majority of the cases, they succeed in helping the dog and the humans involved. Until you know all the trainers in your city, county, state or country, making a statement like this is ridiculously biased. You aren’t seeing the sky for the stars in your eyes.
Though, I have to say that I’m surprised no one has said the “you are just jealous” thing…that also comes up a lot when the fans show up to show their ignorance.
The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behaviourists (ie vets who specialized in behaviour) have even gone as far as putting out a statement aimed particularly at CM and his “training”.
I was a fan, I own the first three seasons of his show on DVD. I still keep them around to teach people how to read stress and anxiety in dogs. They are valuable in that way. But I know better now than promote his methods, because I educated myself. When you know better, you do better. Educate yourself and stop following the man who creates enough harm that it keeps other, better trainers in business FIXING the dogs ruined by people who emulate his methods with their beloved pets.
It might be worth clarifying that I am not attempting to get anyone to “buy into my view” on this blog. I am sharing my thoughts and perspectives based on a lifetime of educational, vocational, and recreational experience working with animals. It is my hope that people will read and consider my thoughts, and wrestle with the ideas, engage in open and civil discourse here and elsewhere, and reach their own conclusions. Although I will suggest that careful reading on all our parts will improve the process, and that even when we think we have reached a conclusion it is valuable to remain open to new input and refine our positions… And to that end I may absolutely sometimes use language that aims to rouse people’s passions and push people to either rethink an assumption or defend a position.
I absolutely stand by my statement that I feel Cesar is a “first-rate bully and a fifth-rate trainer..” In fact, I am not even sure that is an insult: he states that he is no trainer, and even those who prefer and defend his methods agree that they are based on intimidation and dominance which is essentially the definition of a bully. So I am giving him credit for being first-rate at doing what he believes is appropriate–bullying dogs into doing what is desired. That I happen to believe there are better ways does not make my use of the term “bully” inflammatory, it is an accurate and apt term.
I stated quite clearly that I have not worked with Cesar personally, and that what I am sharing is only my opinion based on the episodes I have watched. I am not accusing him of anything except what I have seen on TV. I certainly have not watched all or even many episodes, and I am not presenting a comprehensive examination and rebuttal of each case… Cesar absolutely may do things differently–either better or worse–on other episodes, off camera, or back in his compound when nobody is watching. I elected not to speculate and instead addressed only what I have seen, and since the ten or so episodes I saw all seemed very stylistically similar, it seems unlikely that I just happened to watch the ten aberrations…
I agree there are dogs in the world who cannot be trained with cookies and daisies. But you can always get tougher with a dog as needed, what you cannot do is start at the bullying confrontational end of the spectrum, create conflict, and then undo the harm that was done if that was the wrong approach. If I had seen him escalate to hard techniques on a few occasions as needed, I would not feel the way I do.
Several people have suggested that those who are not fond of Cesar are unwilling to work with hard dogs and therefore do not understand what is required–they are all training easy Goldens with cookies and if they ever met an aggressive giant dog they would run away and leave the dog for Cesar or death. This is simply not true. There are many excellent trainers who work with extremely challenging dogs (not to mention hyenas, wolves, lions, orcas, etc.) who are strongly opposed to Cesar’s methods. In fact, I cannot think of any top-level trainers I know who work with challenging animals that are Cesar advocates.(I am sure they exist, I just have never met them)
And I do have to say thanks, for the most part, despite this being a treacherous topic, everyone really has been civil and rational and open to the idea that other opinions might have value, and that is delightful and refreshing!
Hey Beth Burton,
How dare you suggest that a person is “lazy” for using alternative methods for exercising their dogs! At least they care enough to provide it! Have you ever used a treadmill, rollerbladed, skateboarded or biked with a dog? Have you ever had an injury so debilitating that your dogs suffered without any outlet for exercise? Well I have! And I’ll be damned if I’m going to make my dogs suffer with me when my Achilles is torn and I have no one to help me provide exercise for them on a regular basis. Until that happens to you, God forbid, you have no business to comment or pass judgment. The treadmill is not used because I’m lazy. I hike, bike, walk, run, and do all sorts of things with my dogs and my clients’ dogs. None of the dogs are FORCED to use it. None of them are left unattended while they are on it. The majority of them run and jump up on the “treddy” (that’s the word they associate with it) when they hear the beep from the on-switch. Once they are conditioned, using ONLY positive reinforcement, they happily trot along. So, before you ASS-ume that people who use these tools are lazy, consider the circumstances under which they may need them. Got it? Oh, and btw, my good friends (who happen to be some of the most reputable and well-respected professionals in the training industry) LOVE that I am able to give my dogs what they need when I am physically challenged, and PRAISE me for it!
Oh, and Dale,
I’m certain Ian has better things to do than waste his time “discussing” learning theory with you, and all the other ignoramuses who can’t wrap their heads around the benefits reward based methods. But perhaps you like working for free. What’s more motivating: Doing things with people who are fun and offer good things or assholes who smack, kick and yell at you? But, if you’re that invested in getting his opinion, go to one of his seminars.
I am also curious about the question Janice raised, and perhaps someone who is conversant with Cesar’s vernacular can explain: what does “psychologist” mean in his parlance? To me, a psychologist is someone who has focused seriously on the SCIENCE of the mind. Usually it implies an advanced degree, and certainly considerable study and a nuanced understanding of the relevant work on psychology done by Watson, Thorndike, Skinner, Pavlov, etc. I am not saying that I think being a psychologist is essential to being a good trainer–some of the best trainers I have ever met are intuitive and know little about the science. While others are quite informed about the science. And I have seen awful trainers who knew lots about science and who knew little…
But, so far as I know—and please correct me if I am wrong—Cesar was a dog groomer/walker who has essentially NO schooling and has not focused on psychology at all and who does not ever really discuss the science, per se, of behavior. Who found through trial and error some techniques that may sometimes be effective in modifying canine behavior. This would seem to be about as far away from being a psychologist as one could possibly get. Seems a bit like a prison guard claiming to be a psychologist because he has lots of experience working with people and is very good at getting them to “behave.” He may be a very effective prison guard, but a psychologist seems a stretch, no?
So, I suspect when people say he is not a trainer, but rather a psychologist, that it means something different. What?
[…] What Do I Think About The Dog Whisperer by Roland Sonnenberg […]
I think your article is a incredibly harsh and wonder what actually qualifies you to make such bold statements. I am a big fan of Cesar and have seen his show live. I only have two criticisms of him one is I don’t approve of prong collars, and two sometimes he forces shy nervous dogs to confront their fears a little bit harshly – but on the whole he has done a lot for the profile of dog training and to say his methods come out of the 1950’s is also a bit rich early dog training was a combination of scream, coerce, drag, beat etc. I have never yet heard one word said about him electrocuting, choking or actually beating dogs so where do you get your information from. It seems a bit of jealousy is at the root of this blog because unless you can say for sure what you say is correct it is all a bit nasty to say the least. I use his calm assertive methods in my dog obedience class and since using them on my dogs have found a marked improvement in them.