Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Cesar Millan truly loves dogs and wants to make their lives better by teaching us how to interact with them in instinctual ways that they will understand and by showing us how to fulfill their true needs. His repeated reminder that dogs should not be humanized cannot be emphasized enough, nor his mantra of calm-assertive behavior (which excludes both pampering and hostility in equal measure). Anyone who has worked with groups of dogs at liberty knows the truth behind the words - dogs respect the one who carries him/herself with confidence and remains consistent and fair. I also greatly admire that Mr. Millan has sought out professionals in behavior and positive reinforcement to increase his understanding. A willingness to continue one's education and expand one's knowledge is exceptional and commendable. I hope he continues his quest for knowledge, because it still comes up short in some areas. His unfailing belief in "alpha always first" has been largely undermined by recent study. In several packs, members other than the alpha lead the hunt - a smart leader knows when to defer to superior skills. Wolves on the way to a hunt may disperse and regroup along the way - sniffing, playing, marking, and enjoying - until they are closer to their prey. Helen Thayer observed wolves switching off the lead position, sharing the arduous job of breaking trail through snow. Leadership is about guidance and good decisions, not about absolutes; therefore I cringe when he insists that the only "correct" way to walk a dog is to keep her behind or beside you, using "high collaring" or compulsion to do so. The correct way is whatever the leader decides, and if I want to defer to my dog to lead me out of the woods, that's my decision (and a smart one, given our relative navigation skills). I really don't care whether she is ahead, beside, or behind me, so long as she is not pulling and is paying attention. He also continues to insist that positive reinforcement is fine for training behaviors, but ineffective for rehabilitation. Sadly, it appears he has only encountered trainers who don't properly implement the proven, effective method of counter-conditioning (pairing the trigger of a dog's fear or aggression with positive experiences to alter the association). CC does not involve simply throwing food or comfort at a dog who is already aggressing or reacting. Dogs are worked sub-threshold (at the level that does not set them off) and gradually worked closer and closer to the trigger. It is very nuanced, and can take a long time, but it certainly works when done correctly and is a valid option for people wanting to avoid physical methods. However, it certainly can and should be paired with "calm-assertive energy" in the handler, as so many of these problems are fear-based, and the dog can benefit from the handler's energy/attitude. Sadly, this book, like its predecessor (this book being much better-organized and thought out than the original), will probably be demonized without justification. Mr. Millan so clearly emphasizes that all things are to be done in a calm, controlled, fair and pain-free manner that he simply cannot be compared to the compulsion trainers of the dark, not-so-distant past. He likewise advises that each person answer to his/her own conscious, particularly in deciding what "tools" to use. He makes far too many good points to place this book into the "bad" category, and I hope trainers who do not agree with his methods will read the book before vilifying it.