Be the Pack Leader: Use Cesar’s Way to Transform Your Dog . . . and Your Life

Well, i have seen about 60+ Cesar’s shows and read 2 books (“Cesar’s way” and “Be the pack leader”) and I didn’t have any thoughts against any of his methods prior to this(i am saying this for the people that comment on other peoples rewiews with comment like “you clearly haven’t read any books/seen any episodes”). I have been charmed for a while, because I, as many of you people, was clueless prior to reading all of his books about any topics of dog training.

It might be better to use Cesar’s methods than not use any(as not using any means you might have greatly unsocialised, crazy dog), but using ANY of his methods on non-aggressive dogs is cruel as it involves hurting the dog (and don’t give me that “it’s not hurting” – short pulls of the leash are intended to hurt(punish) the dog and get him going the way you want, but he not understand what he has done wrong) and with aggressive dogs it might be dangerous and you can just damage the dog psychologically. His methods are with an intention to punish the dog (he says it’s impossible to change behaviour without punishing what you don’t like, which isn’t true). I could understand why people in the former Soviet union countries could love these methods as there are no other, and all the trainers come from former Soviet union. But why do people, that live in a country with many great positive reinforcement trainers, use outdated methods? All I can think of is charisma… Cesar is a charismatic person and all the PR he does makes him a person it seems good to be, but dominance training is not a way to train a dog. If you have a good dog or even a puppy teach him with positive training – it won’t hurt the dog and will help you have a great friend. If you have behaviour issues go to a behaviour counselor (I know that it might seem funny to go to dog psychologist and it might also be costly, but these people have the education needed and CAN actually help your dog). Moreover, some of his statements show he doesn’t really know dogs that well. For example saying that going through door first for a dog is dominant behaviour. Of course not. Completely non-dominant dogs that want to go outside, or see something interesting there will rush through the door. And well trained dominant dog will not rush so its not about dominance, it is about training… Well my point is the dog that is rushing through the door just wants to go outside and if he is not trained he will rush. Dominance has nothing to do with it, of course by pulling the leash each time you can make him not go through the door first but this will be fear, not respect. I would recommend reading Ian Dunbar’s books for he is really the best dog behaviorist and trainer out there (of course there are many other good positive trainers).
Rating: 1 / 5

Cesar Milan does it again with this book. He has been denounced by all credentialed trainers and PHD’ed behaviorists around the world. The Humane Society even feels his methods are cruel and inhumane. His training methods are based on “wolf pack” research that has since been found to be false. There are no alpha wolves, and what we once knew as wolf packs are really small family groups. Wolves do not “alpha roll” one another as Cesar Milan shows owners how to do to their dogs. They do not employ fear and intimidation tactics like Cesar. Choke chains, shock collars, collar jerks…these are all things of the past. There is no need to make man’s best friend fear us. We have over 50 years of research into training that s hows us that Cesar’s Way is the WRONG way.

There is a reason why Cesar will not be interviewed by modern trainers and behaviorists. That reason is that his methods are not backed by fact. His methods are dangerous, and can fast ruin a dog. Sure, they make for great reality TV, but do we really want to be hurting and scaring our dogs ? Choking an animal is still choking, even if one does it calmly. If you love your dog, please respect them and learn to relate to them in a way that does not scare or hurt them.
Rating: 1 / 5

I bought this as a gift for my neice at Christmas. I’m sure she loved it.
Rating: 1 / 5