How can any dog lover dislike Cesar Millan and call him just another trainer?

Question

If you have seen the show and see how he takes dogs on the way to being put down and reforms the dog and teaches the owner to lead responsibly, how can you call him just a trainer?

He teaches about dog body language. After learning the language I watched an animal cops episode where the officer reaches in to pet one of two Rottweiler's and is bitten. Two weeks later he goes to see the rottie and his trainer to see if he is better. While petting the dog again, I saw eyes darting and lips l*****g, which the trainer did not react to. I winced because I knew it was coming. The dog then lunged and bit the officer for a second time.

I recently saw this in person when three dogs used in a magic show were allowed to greet the audience. The middle sized and older dog was very nervous and when she started to move the eyes and l**k her lips the owner very wisely, grabbed all the leashes and said good night all and left.

I had an lousy time walking my two dogs together, I was convinced they were pulling. Cesar's way changed how we walk and they don't pull. In the past my Lab has barked at horses at a near by stable. Using Cesar's gentle method, she no longer is scared or barks, just sniffs and is relaxed. Now we are working on the new dog. His first visit to the horses went well, he barked a little but much less than the Lab her first time.

His methods are quiet, gentle and respectful of dogs.

Answer 1

i wish i could meet him!

=)

Answer 2

I like Cesar Millan, he's a fine dog trainer but he's just another dog trainer who has come along and does a fine job at what he does.  

Answer 3

Cesar is no "miracle" worker.

Just because he has a tv show does not mean he's the solution to all behavoiral problems.

He's not the only trainer or behavoiralist out there.  There are inexperienced trainers, and there are some who are not good.. but there are also plenty of great, experienced trainers out there!

Im not going to bother watching Cesar's show..  its film that's edited for TV.  He makes it seem easy..  Cesar is not able to take the leash of an unruly dog and have him under control within minutes.. it takes weeks, and even months of training and behavoir modification.

Im sure even Cesar has had unsuccessful cases too!  You will never see those on TV.

Im tired of people answer behavoiral and trainign questions with "call Ceasar!"..  He probably gets thousands of calls, emails and letters a day..  he can not possible handle EVERY dog with a problem!

Great that his methods worked for you..  however he's not the solution for EVERYONE!  If I had a behavoir problem, I know of a local trainer in my area that I'd have much better luck with!

Answer 4

Caesar Milan is just another trainer, except that he has a TV show. That alone does not necessarily make him better than someone else. Well, better at marketing maybe. Think of it this way: Rachael Ray knows how to cook, so she got her own TV show. But there are lots of other chefs who are as good or better- these are the ones who actually feed people. Caeser's show and books might be entertaining and helpful, but they're no substitute for a local trainer.

Answer 5

I think one reason is because it doesn't show stories on dogs where he failed. There is no way someone can be 100% successful.

Answer 6

NO offence, but I think Victoria Stillwell can kick Cesar Millans @ss

Answer 7

HONEY HE"S NOT DOING ANYTHING UNUSUAL!!!!! He techniques are STANDARD and used by 101 trainers nationwide - except for the ones that have been superseded by techniques that tend to be more successful (and a lot have been)... THOSE 101 trainers can usually teach the same body language stuff too (so can a lotta show handlers - breeders ect)...  Frequently they sucessfully keep dogs outta the pound too (you should SEE what has appeared in my obedience classes - one dog needed TWO handlers for months)....

Now through his TV show Ceser is reaching a broader audience and by presenting these tried & true things as his new "secret" he can get people to pay attention & USE THEM

Exceptional marketer -Yes    exceptional trainer - no, in fact I can NAME better.... (except you will never have heard of them unless you show dogs)

Answer 8

it is a personal reference, personally i wouldn't use his methods, I am more of a victoria stilwell fan, but that is just me, all her methods have worked for me, i have seen her help owners with their dogs battling severe obesity were the dogs lifespan had been cut down by years and years, she got the owners on the right track on how to properly care for the dogs, sometimes a trainer goes beyond the dog to find that the problem lies within the owner, any good and reputable breeder can do that, but like I said all in person reference.

Answer 9

No offense to anyone who likes him but I still think it's just a tv show. For peoples entertainment. You dont think most of these realty shows arent just made up. Dont believe everythng you see on tv.

Answer 10

Well he is a great  trainer but i guess it is just up to personal taste to weather people say just another trainer or WOW he is really good.

Answer 11

Yes, I saw that animal cops episode as well and winced as well.  Thankfully the cop didn't say it was the dog's fault but that the dog should be worked with more.  To his defense... it's sometimes hard to try to be aware and pose for a camera and at the same time give a dog the 100% attention they need.  

You sound like you know a good deal about how to read a dog's body language, when they're saying they're nervous or scared.  Honestly, that's why I don't like Millan.  Because I see him push dogs while they're scared, not caring, but flooding them with the stimulus that is scaring them and forcing them to comply.  These methods are DANGEROUS and bad for dogs.  It's because of seeing the dogs roll their eyes back, nervous panting, l*****g lips, shaking, dropping every part of their body that they can, begging him to stop and he continues on that I don't like him.  The idea that people might emulate him and do things to their dogs and not care if the dog is giving every signal for the person to stop, in as respectful a way as a dog can.

Millan propagates the myth of the dominant wolf.  He has used helicoptering methods (lifting the dog by the leash).  He has put myths out there that dogs must be exercised by long walks (which has led many people to dump dogs who would have been able to keep their dog if they had simply done training and playing with the dog.)

I understand if you really like him and you think his methods are the best, but his methods are based on books by Babara Woodhouse, who was a famous trainer about 30 years ago.  Now, those methods, and seeing how they affected dogs that she worked with, led to more humane and effective methods for rehabilitating aggressive dogs (many of whom were caused by those methods.)  To see these things being brought back is like watching a progressive field walk backwards.  While there are a million trainers it seems who do the same, the way that people try to emulate what he does just makes me wince.

I like how he is against pit bull legislation, I don't like how he insists that pit bulls need a harder hand.  I like how he's for training.  I like how he's for exercise, but don't like how he doesn't explore other methods for exercise besides running the dog (his migration theories about dogs are not sound and are not backed up by real research.)  I hate how he basically insults every scientist who's worked on dog behavior by calling himself a dog psychologist (a made up title which, if you understand what psychology is, is a dog behaviorist.  But if he called himself a dog behaviorist, then he would have to be licensed, so it's a way for him to have an impressive title with no credentials.)  

Realize, you asked how someone could dislike him.  You might disagree with me, but I did try to answer the question.  I'll include some links that go into far more detail that I did (mostly because I didn't want to do a huge post, you can see how long this has already gotten.)  The first has a list of groups and individuals who have spoken out against him and why.

Answer 12

Cesar is Awesome !!!!!! idk why anybody would have anything bad to say about him.