jax713
This show elevates the role of television to its highest potential for intelligent, informative entertainment. Congratulations to the producers and network that continue to offer this "hall of fame" brand of television to a wide audience. Even though I don't own a dog at present, I find this show smart, touching, amusing, and vastly instructive. Cesar Millan is a charismatic modern-day hero and his love for dogs is so pure, and so productive, as to make the rest of us gaze in awe at his accomplishments. Cesar clearly identifies the source of the dog-plus-human problems and solves them with plain talk and learn-able fixes. His true leadership genius is apparent when both dog & owner are motivated to make the changes that will ultimately bring happiness to both. Ah, imagine the results if only we could find political leaders with the same insight and ability.
Hesper79
Would you be interested in watching a program that teaches you how to project a field of "calm, assertive energy" around yourself which will not provoke, attract or engage the aggressive energies of others? Would you tune in if this program demonstrated the effectiveness of this energy projection technique by using some "others" who happen to be Pit Bulls with potentially lethal fangs? How about a program that teaches you to let go of the negative experiences of the past so that you are no longer imprisoned by that negative energy, that teaches you to change your energy *now*, in the present moment, so that you get a completely different, positive result -- and that manages to convey all of this just by showing you scenes of sometimes scary but mostly cute and entertaining dogs interacting with their people and other dogs?Would you like to see a live demonstration of the fact that, within the field of "calm, assertive energy" projected by an effective pack leader, any dog from his well-socialized pack can deflate the fear-based aggressive energy and behavior of a visiting, not-pack-socialized dog, just by trusting the pack leader, remaining calm, and pointedly ignoring the violent posturing of the aggressor? And would it make you go "Hmmm..." to see that the more dogs that do this, as happens in a well-socialized pack, the more quickly and effectively the potential aggressor is calmed down and integrated as a peaceful member of the pack? If any of this sounds interesting to you, then you just might be a future "Dog Whisperer" addict. Maybe it occurs to you now, as it has to me, that some of the skills involved in being an effective pack leader could be really useful no matter how many legs a potential aggressor might have. It's true, as Cesar points out, that dogs are dogs and not people, but energy is energy, and an animal (person or dog) who projects energies on the fear/aggression wavelength will tend to evoke the same response from those around him, whether from dogs or from people. Learning to break that automatic reflex response of fear and aggression and replace it with the "calm, assertive energy" of a good pack leader would be a tremendous skill to have, and the advantage of practicing with your problematic dog would be that their reactions give you instant feedback on how well you're doing.The producers of "The Dog Whisperer" are appropriately careful to caution viewers not to attempt the techniques shown in the program without consulting a professional, but it seems clear that the principles that Cesar demonstrates will work for anyone who learns to apply them properly. This is demonstrated over the course of every program by ordinary people of all kinds who start out as the demoralized, apparently helpless victims of the out-of-control, sometimes violent behavior of their beloved pets until Cesar teaches them that by properly controlling *their own* energy, they can become quietly effective, peace-creating pack leaders.So you could say that this program teaches basic techniques which will bring more peace into our lives as we learn how *not* to provoke, attract or engage the aggressive energies of others and learn instead how to cultivate a non-ego-based, calm, benevolent/assertive energy which has the entire "pack's" best interests at heart. And it shows us a physically unimposing man who uses his beautifully centered energy (and knowledge of canine body language) to very effectively disarm the aggression of his large pack of potentially dangerous dogs.We might also notice that he uses this same energy, in a gentle and good-humored way, to teach his well-meaning but misguided, doggy-whipped human clients that allowing themselves and others to be victimized by out-of-control animal instincts is not really the loving thing to do. It was fun, for example, to watch Cesar carefully catch himself midway into an eye-roll so as not to offend one client couple who had just confessed that the wife had been spending part of most nights in their guest bedroom **for six years** because if she got up during the night, her husband's jealous pet wouldn't let her get back in bed.It seems to come as a surprise to most of Cesar's human clients that it's actually possible for them to exercise authority in a way that's not "mean", abusive, or some kind of destructive ego-trip that will crush their pet's spirit. I love it that this program is introducing people to the experience of exercising a truly benevolent form of power, the power that a good pack leader has to disarm out-of-control aggression on behalf of the well-being of all pack members, by projecting a "calm, assertive energy" which in no way undermines the loving bond they have with their animal companions.And if it isn't enough of a recommendation that this program clearly lays out and demonstrates some simple techniques which average people can learn to use to begin to minimize aggression and cultivate more peace in their life experience, then maybe I should also mention, as others here have, that Cesar is a truly interesting, cool person and that the dogs (and the people) in this show are really just a lot of fun to watch.
Ray Birks
I grew up with well-trained dogs--German shepherds--and after seeing legions of dog owners handle their charges badly, it's a treat to see Cesar Millan demonstrate the basics of dog psychology and pack leadership principles to folks who seem to know nearly nothing about handling dogs.I particularly enjoy seeing Cesar's own pack of around 40 dogs, all rehabilitation cases, who all get along with one another. Cesar has an amazing ability to exhibit pack leadership. To see his dogs submit--rolling over, legs in the air, ears back--after a mere short "Shhh!" and a pointing of his finger...it's absolutely amazing.You can also see more about his Dog Psychology Center by searching for Cesar Millan on the web.
Irie212
Cesar Millan's show goes well beyond misbehaving dogs and their frustrated but loving owners. It's a fully realized serial documentary-- and a hugely engaging one-- on urban and suburban America. Millan grew up on a farm in Mexico, so he understands a great deal about the behavior of domesticated animals (as well as feral ones), but he specializes in a common household pet that needs the special attention because the well-meaning owners commonly tend to anthropomorphize Fido, treating it as a family member, all but forgetting that dogs are pack animals with altogether different emotional wiring than humans have. Cesar Millan reconnects people with nature. In show after show, you see that the only connection most of us have to nature is something like a lawn, a garden, maybe a swimming pool-- and a pet. I.e., tamed nature. Millan reminds us in every episode that nature must be confronted on its own terms, and when you do that, the reward is something like peace.
