Thoughts on Cesar Milan?

Is everyone a fan or sceptic? I think its fantastic and really incredible the connection he seems to have with the dogs on his shows. However, I've always been a tad bit comprehsive as I dont know if its possible that he's THAT good or if its skilled camera work and editting...

I haven't been to his live shows but have heard impressive things there as well. I would be interested to hear if anyone has had any personal experience with Cesar or with another dog trainer with a similar connection with dogs.

I was a professional dog trainer for 15 years. I did what Cesar does every day. There are probably 10,000 other trainers with the same experience. Cesar is an excelent TV personality, self promoter, and actor. He is a mediocre dog trainer. There is a lot he doesn't know and in a lot of ways he is 15 years behind the times. My disclaimer is that I haven't seen his show in 3 or 4 years and he may have improved but in listening to other trainers, I don't think so.

This is a TV show. It has a script. You don't take "red zone" dogs and rehibilitate them on 20 minutes. No one can do that. You don't see what goes on when the camera's are off. Dogs have died during his "training".

Back in my training days, if I could have taken my 20 greatest success stories each year and filmed them, I could have had shows as good or better than his. You don't see his failures.

I always wondered the same things PugJackie...

Sounds right Bill - there is no way he can have a perfect record for all the "red zone" dogs. Even still though, his success stories are marvelous and should still be applauded I think

JoeyCain, you are right but there are probably 10,000 dog trainers in this country with just as many success stories. Regardless of what he wants you to believe, he doesn't do anything most trainers don't do.

I've only seen him a couple of times. I have a friend who thinks he's great, but I don't know, I've just never been that excited about what little I have seen.

Just like any tv show, it's not all "real" and "true" what you see on his show. If I were a kid, yeah, probably I'd be at awe but since I'm more aware of what's reality versus TV, I know that some stuff he does (ie the red zone dogs they're talking about here) are more "just for tv" stuff.

I have never seen the show, but I think Bill makes some very good points, this is just entertainment it is not real life.

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Originally Posted by kernow

I have never seen the show, but I think Bill makes some very good points, this is just entertainment it is not real life.

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Hi the show is very good perhaps you should watch it and it is real life he does some really good things with dogs.

I have watched it many times. Many of his methods are cruel and outdated. He is a mediocre trainer at best. He is a great TV personality and self promoter. His show is very misleading in that no one takes a "red zone" dogs and turns it into a perfect pet in 20 minutes. It just can't happen. You don't see what happens when the cameras are turned off nor do you have any way to guage how long the dog was worked with. Again, he doesn't accomplish anything 10,000 other trainers don't accomplish every day.

PS. There is a reason they play the disclaimer, "Don't try these methods at home."

I think that is true of most of the so called 'real life' shows on television, they are for entertainment of course there is a grain of reality in them but as Bill said you don't see what happens when the filming stops. I don't believe that the super nanny type shows give a true picture of dealing with long standing child behaviour issues so I assume the same would be true of a dog training show.

He doesn't claim to be able to rhabilitate red zone dogs in twenty minutes!! He often takes them pack to his centre and works with them for months before they are rehabilitated. Neither does he claim to always have success.
They often show in sub title the elapsed time on his shows also.
Overall I think the man is very intuitive and much of his success I think is down to his being so calm, yet assertive that the dogs respond do well. We have all seen how they react to nervousness or push overs... I have a lot of respect for the guy.

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Originally Posted by Nixter

He doesn't claim to be able to rhabilitate red zone dogs in twenty minutes!! He often takes them pack to his centre and works with them for months before they are rehabilitated. Neither does he claim to always have success.
They often show in sub title the elapsed time on his shows also.
Overall I think the man is very intuitive and much of his success I think is down to his being so calm, yet assertive that the dogs respond do well. We have all seen how they react to nervousness or push overs... I have a lot of respect for the guy.

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I think what you have said is very true i like his show and the way he is with dogs is good like him alot.xx

I agree about the disclaimer, it means that there are things being manipulated in the show to be like that. Good point, Bill :)

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Originally Posted by Nixter

He doesn't claim to be able to rhabilitate red zone dogs in twenty minutes!! He often takes them pack to his centre and works with them for months before they are rehabilitated. Neither does he claim to always have success.

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Those are rare. Most dogs, it appears he rehabilitates them in the 20 minute segment of the show. In reality he spends days or weeks with one dog when there is no indication that happens. Then he only "fixes" the dog well enough for him to look good before the cameras and after Cesar leaves, the dog reverts back to his old self. BTW: Dogs have died back at his "center" being worked for the show. He is much too rough with many of the dogs. Unnecessarily so. The big thing I hate about his shows is that inexperienced people see these shows and thinks thats how training should be done. It's not. He uses very rough and backward out of date methods of training.

If you want to see how to train a dog, watch Victoria Stilwells show, "Its Me or the Dog".

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Overall I think the man is very intuitive and much of his success I think is down to his being so calm, yet assertive that the dogs respond do well. We have all seen how they react to nervousness or push overs... I have a lot of respect for the guy.

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You see, this is exactly what I'm talking about. He is definately not intuitive with the dogs. He bullies them into submission and thats not how to train dogs. Yes, like most all trainers, his clients don't know how to handle dogs. They are nervous and/or push overs. 90% or more of our problem dogs are because owners don't know how to control dogs.

He bullies dogs. Those Alpha Rollovers,... he should keep in mind that a man never won a dogfight. There are many trainers that I respect and want to learn from, he is not one of them.