Cesar Millan has become world famous as “the dog whisperer”. He teaches dog owners around the world how to be good bosses for their dogs. Millan also helps owners of problem dogs. The basis of his work is that the owner must be re-educated and not the dog. This article will inform you about the basics of Cesar’s method.
No basic commands
Unlike many other forms of dog training, the Cesar Millan method does not use the well-known basic commands such as “sit”, “stay”, “finish”, “follow”, etc. The philosophy behind this is, among other things, that not the dog but the owner must be re-educated. If the human being is not a stable leader in the dog’s perception, the dog will show little or no respect for commands. So people have to learn how to (re) win the respect of the dog. An important knowledge here is that the dog uses its senses differently than humans:
- Man first listens (ears), then looks (eyes) and only then (unconsciously) uses the nose.
- The dog, on the other hand, smells first, then looks and then listens. The dog will therefore instinctively not first listen but first want to smell and look.
So, the correct way to make your dog obey and follow is to let the dog smell first, then make eye contact and only then work with the voice.
Energy
The basis of the Cesar Millan method revolves around energy and not for teaching commands. Cesar Millan teaches dog owners the importance of radiating the right energy to the dog. The dog, according to Cesar’s vision, reflects the energy of the owner.
Ideally, the owner will radiate calm, powerful and assertive energy to the dog. This means, among other things, that the owner has his / her emotions under control and approaches the dog in a calm manner, addresses and corrects or rewards. A dog reacts to calm and assertive leadership and not to human emotions such as anger, frustration, aggression, etc. These emotions are counterproductive: the dog will then experience you as unstable and the dog will not be interested in this.
A stable happy dog radiates calm and submissive energy to the owner. The dog does this through body language: a relaxed posture, the ears are not upright but hang relaxed and the dog is busy with the owner and reacts directly to what the owner wants from the dog.
Dogs are not people
A very important principle of Cesar Millan is that the dog is a (pack) animal. The dog is not human. Many people, however, approach the dog as a kind of person. Many bosses call the dog their “child” or ?? friend ?? and similar designations. In Cesar’s view, this is almost always one of the main causes of behavioral problems. The dog needs a strong and stable pack leader and does not understand human behavior and human emotions. Dog clothes, jewelry and other bells and whistles that are on the market also do not make the dog happy. It may look nice to humans, but it is of no use to the dog.
Be the pack leader
If the dog does not recognize its owner as a pack leader, confusion arises in the dog about who is the boss in the pack. The dog is always concerned with the safety and survival of the pack. In the dog’s perception, a pack cannot survive without a strong leader. This is a fearful and frustrating situation for a dog which, according to Cesar Millan, leads to problems such as aggression, biting, separation anxiety, loosing out at other dogs, etc. The dog is always looking for balance. That balance can only be restored if the human recognizes that the dog is a pack animal. As soon as man takes up his task as pack leader in the right way, the problems will be solved according to Millan’s method because the balance is restored.
As a dog owner, how do you become a stable pack leader?
The dog needs structure, rules and boundaries. According to Cesar Millan, some important basic principles apply to this, namely:
- exercise
- discipline
- love / attention
The order of these basic principles is very important and allowed here never be deviated from! Here’s how to put this into practice:
- Walk for 30 to 60 minutes each morning with your dog (s) on a leash and at a brisk pace. The duration of the walk depends on the needs of the dog. A dog with a lot of energy needs longer walks than a dog with a less energetic life.
- The position of the pack leader during the walk is very important. A pack leader always leads the way when the dog is on a leash. This means that the dog walks next to or behind the owner. This should never be deviated from. The ?? main dog ?? (you as a dog owner) cannot occasionally relinquish leadership. The dog does not understand this and disturbs the balance in the pack. The dog wants to feel safe, if you as the owner are not consistent, the dog will no longer feel safe.
- Cesar Millan recommends using a short leash during walks with your dog: this gives the pack leader more control and offers the opportunity to make direct contact with the dog.
- When the morning walk is over and the dog radiates calm submissive energy, reward this behavior by letting the dog roam freely and sniff. You determine the duration of this “playtime”, which should not be longer than the walk itself.
- It is important that you remain the pack leader even after you return home: let the dog wait until you have removed the leash and tidy up and taken off your coat and shoes yourself.
- Cesar recommends feeding the dog after the long morning walk. This is based on the principle that the dog has to work? for food and water, which also happens in the wild. Wild dogs travel with the pack and work for their food to survive.
Conclusion
The Cesar Millan method only works if it appeals to you and is carried out consistently. This article gives an idea of the basics of the method as instructed by Cesar Millan.
No method is the perfect solution. Also not this method. So always orient yourself on what suits you (and your dog). Motivation and perseverance are paramount in any method.
In case of serious behavioral problems it is important to expert help contact, for example, a behavioral therapist and / or your veterinarian.
Recommended reading
All of Cesar Millan’s books are published in the English language and can be ordered through his own website or through sites like bol.com or amazon.com.
- How to raise the perfect dog
- A member of the family
- Be the Pack Leader
- Cesar’s Way
- Cesar’s Way journal & card deck
- Dog whisperer episode guide