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The days of “no dogs allowed” are long gone. It’s not uncommon to see pampered
pooches everywhere from restaurants to bookstores to Bloomingdale’s. But are we
doing a disservice to man’s best friend? In this LifeScript exclusive, famed dog
whisperer Cesar Millan shares his tips on proper “petiquette”...
From Paris Hilton to Jessica Simpson, celebrities are making pampered pups the
latest chic accessory. Their dogs live in the lap of luxury, feasting on filet mignon
and sporting diamond-studded collars. But it isn’t only the canines of the rich and
famous that get the royal treatment. Many of us treat our animals like kings, too,
taking them to parties, malls, hotels, and just about anywhere else we go.
Instead of ousting pet owners, many restaurants and other venues across the
country are jumping on the bandwagon by welcoming canine customers – and
officials are passing new animal-friendly laws. In Venice, Florida, for example, the
local government recently passed a measure that lets dining establishments apply
for a $150 permit enabling owners to enjoy a meal along with their animal
companions.
While pets adore affection, overindulgence can backfire, warns Cesar Millan, host of
the National Geographic Channel’s Dog Whisperer. If you spoil Rover and let his bad
behavior go unchecked in public, brace yourself for the same glares families with
unruly toddlers get – or worse, cautions Millan.
A better solution? Follow the simple formula for a well-behaved dog that Millan uses
with his clients. A Window Into Your Dog’s Pysche
Regarded as the “Dr. Phil of Dogs,” Millan is an expert in canine psychology. In each
episode of Dog Whisperer, he transforms out-of-control pooches into loving,
obedient pets through what he calls the “Power of the Pack” methodology.
Regardless of how big or small your pet and his problems are, the three keys to
training him are exercise, discipline and affection – in that order, Millan says.
Unfortunately, too many pet owners focus on affection and neglect the exercise and
discipline components, in Millan’s experience.
“There is a cultural belief that you must give affection to a dog for him to trust and
respect,” he says. “What creates trust and respect is exercise and discipline. You
can intensify that by sharing affection. But a pack leader never hugs and kisses a
dog and tells him that he loves him. That’s something dogs only experience living
with humans.
“Don’t begin with affection,” Millan advises. “You need exercise, then discipline.
Affection comes third. If you do things backwards, you’ll get backwards results.
What Dogs Want
"By giving him affection first, you set him up for instability,” Millan tells LifeScript.
“As humans, we like to pamper pretty much anything, [but having a dog] isn’t just
about fulfilling your fantasy; you also have to fulfill his identity, which is a dog. In his
natural habitat, a dog’s parents wouldn’t pamper him. If they gave him affection, it
would be to encourage him to do activities.”
But an animal can’t speak up and tell you what’s wrong. He can’t explain that his life
isn’t challenging or full because he lacks regular romps in the park and clear
guidelines on what behavior is and isn’t expected, Millan explains. Dogs can only
show you their frustration through their behavior. When people love their dogs and
assume they’re doing everything right because they’re showering them with
affection, they’re baffled when the pets get anxious, aggressive or ignore their
commands
* Exercise means walking a dog a minimum of once a day and in the correct
way.
* Discipline means giving the dog rules, boundaries and limitations in a non-
abusive manner.
* Affection means a reward given to our dogs, but only after they've achieved
calm-submission in our "pack."
Balance
A balanced dog is in the state that Mother Nature wants it to be in. This means a
calm, submissive pack-follower that is fulfilled physically with exercise;
psychologically with rules, boundaries, and limitations; and emotionally with affection
from its owner.
Mastering the Walk
The walk is an extremely important ritual for a dog. It needs to take place a minimum
of once a day, for at least 30 - 45 minutes, so that both the dog's mind and body are
given a workout. It's also crucial to act as the dog's leader during a walk. That means
the dog walks either next to or behind its owner- not pulling ahead. If a dog is
walking its owner the dog perceives itself as pack leader & the owner is not in
control.
If a dog doesn't trust its owner to be a strong, stable pack leader, it becomes unclear
on its correct role within the pack. A dog that is confused about who is in charge is
actually concerned about the ability of the pack to survive. Therefore, it tries to fill in
the missing leadership elements, often erratically. This can cause aggression,
anxiety, fear, obsessions, negative behaviors or phobias - what Cesar calls issues.
I often walk about ten dogs at a time, sometimes even off leash if I’m in a safe area.
People are amazed by this, but it’s simple: the dogs see me as their pack leader. This
is why they follow me wherever I go.
Position matters. Walking in front allows you to be seen as the pack leader.
Conversely, if your dog controls the dog walker, he’s the pack leader. You should be
the first one out the door and the first one in. Your dog should be beside or behind
you during the walk.
Use a short leash. This allows you to have more control. Attaching the leash to the
very top of the neck can help you more easily communicate, guide, and correct your
dog. If you need additional help, consider the Illusion collar. Always keep your dog's
safety in mind when giving corrections.
Set aside time. Dogs, like humans, are diurnal, so taking walks in the morning is
ideal. I recommend setting aside thirty minutes to a full hour. The specific needs of
each dog differ. Consult your vet and keep an eye on your dog's behavior to see if
his needs are being met.
Define exploration time. After your dog has maintained the proper state of mind,
reward him by allowing him to relieve himself and sniff around. Then you need to
decide when reward time is over. It should always be less than the time spent
focused on the walk.
Don't punch out. When you get home, don't stop leading. Have your dog wait
patiently while you put away his leash or take off your shoes.
Share food and water. By providing a meal after the walk, you have allowed your dog
to "work" for food and water.
Pick up after your dog! Set an example: be a responsible dog guardian.
Are you mastering the walk? Take the quiz to find out.
You can read more interesting articles -
For those who enjoy dog walking.
Walking the Dog
How to properly walk a dog
Behaviors to avoid during the walk.
More Info on the Dog Whisperer:
http://www.cesarmillaninc.com
http://www.nationalgeographic.com
Cesar Millan on Dog
Walking
Walking
Web Design by C.Wiebe Design
"The average dog is a nicer person than the average person."
"The average dog is a nicer person than the average person."
In the wild, a dog's very survival depends on a
strong, stable, & organized pack, where every
member knows its place and follows the rules
established by the pack leader. The pack
instinct is perhaps the strongest natural
motivator for a dog. Cesar Millan teaches that,
in order to properly fulfill both our dogs &
ourselves, we each need to become our
canine's calm-assertive pack leader. A dog that
doesn't trust its human to be a good pack
leader becomes unbalanced and often exhibits
unwanted or anti-social behaviours.
Cesar does not "train" dogs in the sense of
teaching them commands like "sit," "stay," - he
rehabilitates unbalanced dogs and helps
"re-train" their owners to better understand
how to see the world through a dog's eyes.
Cesar counsels people to calmly, assertively, and consistently give their dogs rules,
boundaries, and limitations to establish themselves as solid pack leaders and to help
correct and control unwanted behaviour. He doesn't believe in "quick fixes." Though
changing some behaviours can appear to happen in a relatively short period of time,
none of those changes will "stick" unless the human acts consistently with his or her
dog every day to keep unwanted behaviours from returning. In Cesar's opinion, no
one should ever hit or yell at a dog to correct unwanted behaviour.
Cesar Millan is a world-renowned dog behaviour specialist, known for his uncanny
ability to walk large packs of dogs at a time. Not only that but, from poodles to pit
bulls, these now well-behaved canines have each been rehabilitated, rescued from a
wide range of extreme behaviour issues - anything from insecurity to severe 'red
zone' aggression!
Born and raised in Mexico, his blessed gift - a primal communion with nature - always
came naturally to him, but his unique connection to canines became most noticeable
around the age of 13. Everywhere Cesar went, there always seemed to be a swirl of
dogs surrounding him. The locals gave him a nickname,
"El Perrero" - Spanish for "The Dogman".
Cesar embraced this gift whole-heartedly, and he came to America to pursue his
dream of becoming the greatest dog trainer in the world. He soon realized, though,
that he was searching for something rather more profound than teaching dogs basic
commands.
Heeding his grandfather's advice to 'never work against Mother Nature', Cesar
acquired yet another pack of dogs. He passionately studied books on dog
psychology, but it was through his own observation, awareness, and first hand
experience that Cesar distilled his own formulas that clearly kept dogs balanced,
calm, and submissive. Cesar first captured the national spotlight when his National
Geographic Channel series Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan premiered in 2004.0
boundaries, and limitations to establish themselves as solid pack leaders and to help
correct and control unwanted behaviour. He doesn't believe in "quick fixes." Though
changing some behaviours can appear to happen in a relatively short period of time,
none of those changes will "stick" unless the human acts consistently with his or her
dog every day to keep unwanted behaviours from returning. In Cesar's opinion, no
one should ever hit or yell at a dog to correct unwanted behaviour.
Cesar Millan is a world-renowned dog behaviour specialist, known for his uncanny
ability to walk large packs of dogs at a time. Not only that but, from poodles to pit
bulls, these now well-behaved canines have each been rehabilitated, rescued from a
wide range of extreme behaviour issues - anything from insecurity to severe 'red
zone' aggression!
Born and raised in Mexico, his blessed gift - a primal communion with nature - always
came naturally to him, but his unique connection to canines became most noticeable
around the age of 13. Everywhere Cesar went, there always seemed to be a swirl of
dogs surrounding him. The locals gave him a nickname,
"El Perrero" - Spanish for "The Dogman".
Cesar embraced this gift whole-heartedly, and he came to America to pursue his
dream of becoming the greatest dog trainer in the world. He soon realized, though,
that he was searching for something rather more profound than teaching dogs basic
commands.
Heeding his grandfather's advice to 'never work against Mother Nature', Cesar
acquired yet another pack of dogs. He passionately studied books on dog
psychology, but it was through his own observation, awareness, and first hand
experience that Cesar distilled his own formulas that clearly kept dogs balanced,
calm, and submissive. Cesar first captured the national spotlight when his National
Geographic Channel series Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan premiered in 2004.0
No matter how
little money & how
few possessions
you own, having a
dog makes
you rich."
~Louis Sabin
little money & how
few possessions
you own, having a
dog makes
you rich."
~Louis Sabin
"By mastering the walk, you have the ability to truly
bond with your dog as her pack leader. The walk is
the foundation of your relationship." Cesar Millan
bond with your dog as her pack leader. The walk is
the foundation of your relationship." Cesar Millan