Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer's Most Controversial Topics

Cesar Millan is the host of the popular show The Dog Whisperer on the National Geographic channel. Cesar is a charismatic and very entertaining host, and he has made The Dog Whisperer into a big favorite amongst dog owners. As a result, he has many fans that implement his techniques on their house pets. However, there are some who feel that Cesar's techniques are overly harsh and inappropriate for novice trainers (most pet owners). In this article, I examine some of the most popular discussions from Cesar's proponents and opponents.

Cesar's techniques are humane because that is what wolves or dogs do to each other.

There is a fair amount of argument as to whether wolves or wild dogs alpha roll each other. From watching my dogs, it seems that they do "alpha roll" each other. Sometimes my Shiba will "correct" my Siberian when she bites him a bit too hard. He squeals, and then goes after her, tumbles her onto her side, and holds her neck. This happens quickly and efficiently, and then they start playing again. Sometimes, my Shiba will tumble my Siberian multiple times in a row, at which point I will step in and separate them for a while. Whether wolves or dogs do alpha rolls or not, is a moot point. The fact is we are not wolves, or dogs; we do not have the same teeth, paws, speed, or strength that they do. Whatever "alpha roll" that we do will be very different from the alpha rolls that they do to each other. In addition, just because it is done by wolves or dogs in the wild does not mean that it is acceptable behavior for a dog living in a house, and it also does not make it humane. In the wild my Shiba would probably hunt down and kill all of the cats and squirrels that he sees. That does not mean that I will let him do that to the neighborhood cats, and that also does not mean that cat killing is particularly humane.

Cesar's techniques are not humane because he uses aversive techniques such as alpha rolls, leash jerks, and finger pokes.

Whether something is humane or not, is often subjective and dependent on the cultural and social values of the time. Such criticisms (which are themselves, aversive techniques) are never very effective at convincing people to your point of view. In fact, quite the opposite. Rather than using such negative and inaccurate terms to scold people who are just trying to do what they think is best for their dog, it is more productive to consider the pros and cons of the techniques, and let people decide which methods are most suited for them and their best friend. I personally find these aversive techniques to be very difficult to implement correctly. Under the hands of a real expert they may work well, but in the hands of a novice, they are fraught with many risks and difficulty. Ultimately, it was just a lot easier, effective, and satisfying to use a purely reward based system on my dogs.

The Dog Whisperer program is good for dogs.

Cesar communicates some good information to a large audience including how to be leader of the pack, how to maintain calm and assertive energy, and how to fulfill a dog's needs. He is also a good ambassador for certain breeds like the Rottweiler and the Pit Bull which have traditionally gotten a bad reputation because of the irresponsibility of their human owners.

The Dog Whisperer program is just for entertainment.

While there is useful information that can be gleaned from the show, there is also a fair amount of misinformation that can result in physical and emotional harm to both trainer and dog. What has worked best for me is to do my own research and get all the information possible through the web, the neighborhood SPCA, and local training centers. I still watch The Dog Whisperer, It's Me or the Dog, and other dog training shows on t. v., but mostly because they are entertaining. It also helps to see that other owners are having similar problems with their dogs as I am having with mine. Sometimes I will adopt an interesting technique from the shows, but only after doing my own research and discussing it with a professional trainer that I trust. Through experience, I have found that it can be dangerous and detrimental to you and your dog to follow anything you see on these television shows without first doing thorough research of your own.

Cesar is so charismatic and popular, that unfortunately, many follow his techniques without first exploring alternative methods and without fully understanding all the risks involved. Some breeders, vet technicians, and trainers use and teach others to use alpha rolls for a wide variety of situations, and even for puppies! This is very unfortunate, as such extreme techniques cause a great amount of stress, especially on young dogs. They may hurt a puppy's social and emotional development; and bring about behavioral problems down the road. Cesar has an amazing, natural sense for dogs, and is able to execute the proper techniques, with perfect timing, at the proper force, and for the right reasons. However, this is not true of most people. Because of this, he has a greater responsibility to educate people on the risks of his techniques (especially the leash jerk and the alpha roll) and to be extremely explicit on when to and when not to apply some of his techniques.

Dogs should always be walked in a heel position.

Cesar recommends for dogs to be walked in a heel position at all times to establish and maintain leadership during walks. There should be some breaks during these walks but the breaks are always at the discretion of the human. Many trainers, even reward based trainers, believe in having this level of control during walks. With greater structure during walks, there is less danger of aggression in the presence of other dogs, cats, or squirrels; there is less danger of eating something poisonous or harmful; and there is less pulling.

Dogs should mostly be walked on a loose-leash.

Dogs may need more structure during walks when they are young. However, I am a great believer of loose-leash walking. I let my Shiba walk on a loose leash most of the time, and only shorten the leash when I need to, for example, when there are dogs or cats nearby. I do "the walk" purely for my dog's enjoyment, and since I don't know where the most interesting smells are, I let him roam and smell where he likes best. My Shiba is reactive to dogs, so when there are dogs or cats about, I shorten the leash and quickly walk him away. My Shiba is happy with loose leash walking and he gets to smell, hunt lizards, and explore the places that are most interesting to him. When my Shiba was younger I was a bit more strict with walking, and placed him in a heel position more frequently. However, he enjoys his walks a lot more now, and does not behave any worse than when I exerted greater control. Which walk technique works best depends on your temperament, your dog's temperament, the environment, and how much time you have to devote to the walk; you can cover a lot more ground and thus expend more of your dog's energy in a short time if you walk in a brisk heel, although it may not be as interesting or stimulating for your dog. Once your dog learns to walk without pulling, though, reward him by letting him walk on a loose leash more frequently. You can always go back to a more controled walk if he starts acting out.

Aversive techniques are needed for aggressive dogs that are about to be destroyed.

Some people point out that aversive techniques are necessary for the real problem dogs. Some dogs, they argue, may not respond to reward only techniques which may be too soft and may not get the message through. Furthermore, if a dog is about to be destroyed, it may be better to use aversive techniques to improve his behavior rather than let him be destroyed. Cesar, often times, must deal with owners who are about to give up on their dog, and/or do not have a lot of time to spend on ironing out all the dog's issues. In addition, owners may not be able to afford a professional trainer for long periods of time which may be needed for reward based techniques. Aversive techniques may cause some discomfort but certain lessons must be learned for the safety of the dog, for example, not running in front of a car, and not biting strangers. Being seriously injured from a car accident or forced euthanasia for aggression is worse than any aversive technique.

Reward techniques work better especially for aggressive dogs.

There was a really enjoyable program, Growing up Grizzly hosted by Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston, on Animal Planet. This program shows how grizzly bears can be effectively trained with only reward based techniques. If bears and other wild animals can be trained in this way, certainly large and aggressive dogs can as well. Traditional trainers, used to apply aversive techniques on wild animals, e.g. whips for training tiger and lions. More recently, trainers have found that reward based techniques that are based on positive reinforcement rather than positive punishment, are more effective at getting animals to perform. Such animals are happier, more eager to please, and less likely to become dangerous.

A common misconception is that pack leadership can only be achieved with forceful aversive techniques. Although Cesar does not explicitly say this in his program, it comes through implicitly with the techniques he uses (leash corrections and alpha rolls), that achieves leadership through physical dominance. Just as with humans, leadership is most effectively achieved through the control of resources (food, toys, access to locations, access to pack members). This can be done through reward techniques and the Nothing in Life is Free (NILIF) program. This simply means that your dog has to do something for you (e.g. a "sit") before he gets any resource (e.g. food, toys, affection, freedom). Any bullying will be ignored or will result in the removal of the resource.

Maybe there are some cases of dogs that do not respond to reward techniques, and can only respond to force. But if so (and I am not convinced of such a thing), they must be the rare exception rather than the rule. Many trainers have successfully rehabilitated aggressive dogs with purely reward based techniques. The belief that certain problem, aggressive, or dominant dogs can only be "cured" through physically forceful aversive methods is just not true. It is a myth, perpetuated by traditional trainers and by shows like The Dog Whisperer.

It is true that reward based techniques may take longer before showing results, but the results are much better and last for a lifetime. The most powerful argument for using aversive techniques is that it may get the dog to respond more promptly and more consistently. This may be required for working dogs, and/or may save a dog's life in an emergency situation. It seems to me that a working dog would be happier and more industrious if he were working for rewards rather than working to avoid punishment. In addition, a dog that is properly managed, should never be in an emergency situation. I feel it is best to start with a purely reward based system, and only introduce aversive techniques when the reward techniques are really not working out. Always start with the least stressful aversive technique and only increase the force applied as necessary and under the direction of a professional trainer.

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