Comments for Dog Training Blog | Tips and Dog Training Resources

Comment on Dog Whisperer With Cesar Millan – The Complete First Season by Grisha Stewart

Grisha Stewart — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 02:19:46 +0000

Dogs deserve humane treatment, and that is not what Mr. Milan's training gives them. Even aggression does not need to be treated with force and outdated training methods. Granted, the show is quite popular, but that doesn't mean the techniques are humane or should be done at home.

The American Humane Association has written the following about his show:

"The training tactics featured on Cesar Millan's `Dog Whisperer' program are inhumane, outdated and improper."

Another excerpt about the "Dog Whisperer" TV show: "It also does a disservice to all the show's viewers by espousing an inaccurate message about what constitutes effective training and appropriate treatment of animals." Rating: 2 / 5

Comment on Dog Whisperer With Cesar Millan – The Complete First Season by C. Schreck

C. Schreck — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 23:21:20 +0000

I was a fan of Cesar’s until I bought this DVD set for a friend for Christmas. I was wondering why she didn’t say much about it when I asked. She didn’t say anything becuase IT IS TERRIBLE. Nothing but out-takes by amateur videographer.

PLEASE don’t waste your money on this. And someone out there knows Cesar tell him this production is giving him a bad reputation.
Rating: 1 / 5

Comment on Dog Whisperer With Cesar Millan – The Complete First Season by Barbara Tosto

Barbara Tosto — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 20:44:04 +0000

Cesar Millan’s methods are old fashioned and psychologically violent.

He calls himself a behaviorist but he’s not. Ask any real dog behaviorist (Ian Dunbar, Patricia McConnell, The Animal Behavior Associates) or serious trainer (Trish King, Pat Miller, Karen Pryor the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) and the Council for Pet Dog Trainer) or the Humane Society of the United States or the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and they will tell you that his methods work in a short term because the dog is just afraid of reacting to the new environment. But in a long term the dog develops other serious issues.

I am a dog trainer in an area with a high concentration of Latino families; here Cesar Millan is seen as a god and people buy his books and DVD and follow his methods for about one year. Then reality strikes and their dogs become extremely fearful and start to soil the house or hide away or they become aggressive (a natural reaction to fear in dogs) and the owners end up calling me and spend precious time and money to have me fix the mess they made following Cesar Millan’s methods…

Amazon.com offers literature written by the behaviorists mentioned above. Buy that, instead.

If you really need help with your “Fido” and want to make him a favor, contact one of the Associations listed above and have them refer you to a professional.

Rating: 1 / 5

Comment on Dog Whisperer With Cesar Millan – The Complete First Season by CelticRaven7

CelticRaven7 — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 20:39:15 +0000

Cesar Milan, the so-called ‘dog whisperer’, bases his training methods on a dog behavior model that is so out of date as to be archaic – from the dinosaur age. He teaches that dogs base all their behavior on their pack status, and that you need to use painful ‘corrections’ to convince them that you are Alpha. This idea hasn’t the slightest shred of evidence going for it.

Yes, dogs do have dominance roles, but that hasn’t the slightest thing to do with problem behaviors. Dogs do ‘bad’ doggy behaviors because they work. Dog guards his food bowl? Dog wants to keep food and knows that growling keeps you away. Dog pulls on the leash? Dog wants to get somewhere faster and knows that pulling speeds things up. The dog doesn’t care whether or not you’re alpha; he only cares that what he’s doing works to get him what he wants.

Technically, Cesar’s methods work. But they use force, fear, and pain to teach the dog, when you can teach the same things faster with the proper positive motivation and non-forceful techniques. I have three hyper, active, highly driven Border Collies, and they’re all very obedient and mannerly. They don’t haul me around the leash, nor do they leap at guests, nor do they ignore me when I tell them something. And I don’t need to be ‘Alpha’ to get them that way; neither does anyone else.

I strongly suggest that you don’t buy this item. Good books to start with are Karen Pryor’s ‘Getting Started: Clicker Training for Dogs’, Melissa Alexander’s ‘Click for Joy!’ (also with a great problem solving section), and Jean Donaldson’s ‘The Culture Clash’. You can easily have a happy, obedient, well behaved dog without causing him fear and pain.
Rating: 1 / 5

Comment on Dog Whisperer With Cesar Millan – The Complete First Season by P. Smulders

P. Smulders — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:44:04 +0000

I’m a certificated Behavioral Therapist for Dogs from The Netherlands. I had to rate this show with 1 star in order to be able to comment on it, but I think 1 star is too much.

I watched Cesar’s show several times on TV. I think his methods are very old fashioned. Why use corrections if you can teach dogs things in a positive and non-threatening way.

The Dutch association of Behavioral Therapists has officially protested against the broadcasting of Cesar’s show.

Cesar should watch Victoria Stilwell’s show. She teaches dogs and owners how to deal with problems in a positive and ethological way.
Rating: 1 / 5

Comment on Getting a Grip on Aggression Cases: Practical Considerations for Dog Trainers by Brian Parsons

Brian Parsons — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 02:59:30 +0000

I thought this was a very good resource if you are a trainer. It provides a guide through a difficult and often misunderstood behavior issue. My only complaint is that, as a trainer, I was looking for some techniques to help work through aggression.
Rating: 3 / 5

Comment on Getting a Grip on Aggression Cases: Practical Considerations for Dog Trainers by Just Me

Just Me — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 02:27:45 +0000

This book won the AABP 2008 Multi-Media Awards for Excellence — Best Professional Dog Behavior Book of 2008.
Rating: 5 / 5

Comment on Getting a Grip on Aggression Cases: Practical Considerations for Dog Trainers by Christine S. Hibbard

Christine S. Hibbard — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:08:29 +0000

Yet again, Nicole Wilde has written a book that should be a “must have” in any dog trainer’s library. Nicole’s experience and background give her a unique perspective on the subject matter and I appreciate how she takes into account the human factors of working these types of cases, not just the dog’s behavior. If you’re working with aggressive dogs, I can’t recommend this book highly enough. This has become required reading for the dog trainers and interns at Companion Animal Solutions.
Rating: 5 / 5

Comment on Getting a Grip on Aggression Cases: Practical Considerations for Dog Trainers by Companion Dog Training Center

Companion Dog Training Center — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 22:27:15 +0000

I was expecting considerably more from the title. The book is very basic and should be used only by the greenest beginner. Much of the book is common sense. There are a few considerations that, if employed by someone with little experience, can result in injury to the practioner as well as the dog. Save your money and intern with a trainer or behaviorist that has both the educational credentials and experience to properly present this very complicated subject.
Rating: 1 / 5

Comment on Getting a Grip on Aggression Cases: Practical Considerations for Dog Trainers by Bill Grimmer

Bill Grimmer — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 21:55:46 +0000

Most of this information is directed to the “poor dog” syndrome and not that it is part of a cohesive group that has to share responsibilities such as not hurting each other. The information stressed here would never apply in a dog/dog relationship… would not recommend this book as helpful in any way… bill Grimmer [...]
Rating: 1 / 5