I hate when newspapers write articles about dog training and then mentions the Dog Whisperer. Cesar Millan is a hack - what he does right, he does almost subconsciously - his body posture is perfect and that is what the dog is responding to. His use of flooding (where you use what the dog is afraid of and then IMMERSE the dog in that fearful environment - hello, torture, anyone??) is reprehensible. People in NYC and the like have dogs who "misbehave" because (a) people in NYC tend to have ridiculous expectations of an animal that doesn't understand human "logic"; and (b) most dogs get about a tenth of exercise and playtime that they should really receive, and hence get bored out of their little skulls. You want a dog? Sure. You be prepared to wake up at 7 or 8 am every morning, spend AT LEAST half an hour walking and playing and exercising with that dog before going to work, and finding some way to spend the same amount of time every evening doing the same. In fact, an hour's of exercise does nothing for most dogs I know, especially younger ones. Most responsible dog owners I know spend at least 2 - 3 hours a day with their dogs, playing, walking, exercising. Sorry. I didn't mean to get all huffy. I just get frustrated with people who don't treat their dogs with the amount of care that they really should, and then say that they have a naughty pup when the poor pup does something that is COMPLETELY justifiable in the pup's eyes, and COMPLETELY disgusting in the human's. Hey man. One pup's meat is another fool'd poison.

So much word to Summer. Even docile laid-back-as-hell dogs need that much exercise, and I'm talking Pugs not Border Collies. And when they're not getting exercise they still need companionship/supervision. Dogs don't function well alone for long periods.

I don't watch Cesar Milan regularly, but isn't his number one most important rule that people need to exercise their dogs more (not just put them out in the backyard, but actually walk them and engage them)?
Also, from what I've read in the articles about Milan, the "flooding" works. It does seem mean, but I think it's worse torture in the long run to let your dog be a neurotic, f'ed up mess its entire life. One afternoon of "torture" or a lifetime of having panic attacks every time you're confronted with linoleum ... I would probably pick the former.

Yes, he does say exercise, but engaging? If you watch the show, you know how he "walks" them - he basically ignores the dog, jerks them along, and if they "misbehave" he makes that ridiculous TCHH sound and bullies them into submission. Uh. No. That doesn't sound like fun. It's just mentally dulling for the dog too. To me, exercise should be fun and playful - I can spend half an hour walking my dog, and half an hour playing off leash in Prospect Park with her, and I'm sure you know which half hour spent with her leaves her more relaxed at home alone.

There's no need to bully a dog to stop the panic attacks. You can play with the dog and teach it how to overcome his own fear instead of dulling the dog by scaring him senseless. The fact that the dog isn't freaking out after being flooded doesn't mean that he's no longer afraid of it. It means you shocked him so badly that he can no longer respond in the "normal" way and just shuts down. Think electro-shock therapy. If you wouldn't do this to a person, why would you subject a dog to something that is equally mind-numbing? You make it sound like you don't have an alternative. There always is an alternative. Cesar Millan is one of them, but not one I would go near even with an eleven-foot pole.

The link to "The Lady Regrets" isn't working--it leads straight to the AT page.

"Think electro-shock therapy. "

yea.........ok.........cause thats pretty much the same as what he is doing.<---- that was sarcasm btw.

stop hating.

Sarcasm is the refuge of people with nothing constructive to add.

John. My point was, Cesar Millan's way is brutal and it basically wallpapers over the problem with the dog. You get a broken dog. If that's what people want, maybe they shouldn't get dogs.