Cesar's Rules: Your Way to Train a Well-Behaved Dog [Hardcover]

Cesar Millan (Author), Melissa Jo Peltier (Author)

Book Description

Release date: October 5, 2010

The training book you’ve been waiting for from the bestselling author and star of National Geographic Channel’s Dog Whisperer
 
Your dog just doesn’t seem to listen. You’ve been through obedience training, but he still can’t seem to master the most basic commands. And nothing you do seems to prevent him from misbehaving. “Clients usually come to me when their dogs are ruining their lives, not when they won’t sit,” says Cesar. “But everywhere I go, people are telling me they are confused about the wide variety of training options and theories out there, and they feel paralyzed because they don’t know which to choose.”

Now, in his usual straightforward, confident manner, Cesar takes on the topic of training for the first time, by explaining the importance of balance as the foundation for a healthy relationship between you and your dog. In order to provide a variety of training options, he calls upon some of the foremost experts in the field to offer their advice so that you can find the perfect approach that works for you and your dog through a variety of methods.

Filled with practical advice, anecdotes, tips, and trouble-shooting techniques from Cesar and his colleagues, this is the ultimate guide to a well-behaved and well-balanced dog—from a new puppy to an old dog who can still learn new tricks. 

The Only Training Book You’ll Ever Need
 
#1 New York Times bestselling author Cesar Millan shows you how to communicate well with your dog and shares the most effective and humane methods for teaching your dog how to be a happy, well-behaved member of your household. In Cesar’s Rules, he’ll address:

* The most popular training techniques, including positive reinforcement and using a clicker
* Ways to teach basic obedience commands sucha as sit, stay, and come
* The importance of balance, and why a well-trained dog does not necessarily mean a balanced one
* How to use your dog’s own natural inclinations to create better behavior
* The methods and theories from a variety of renowned trainers, including Bob Bailey, Ian Dunbar, Joel Silverman, Martin Deeley, and Mark Harden
* Encouraging and honoring your dog’s instincts
* And much more . . .

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Millan’s wizardlike facility with dogs—the calm he brings to them, the confident way he handles them—is mind-blowing.”
—Newsweek
 
“[Millan] arrives amid canine chaos and leaves behind peace.”
—Malcolm Gladwell, The New Yorker

About the Author

Founder of the Dog Psychology Center in Los Angeles, CESAR MILLAN is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Cesar’s Way, Be the Pack Leader, A Member of the Family, and How to Raise the Perfect Dog. He is the star of Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan, National Geographic Channel’s top-rated show. In addition to his educational seminars and work with unstable dogs, Cesar has founded the Millan Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping shelters and rescue groups.
 
MELISSA JO PELTIER, an executive producer and writer of Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan, has been honored for her film and television writing and directing with an Emmy, a Peabody, and more than fifty other awards. She lives in Nyack, New York, with her husband, writer-director John Gray, and stepdaughter, Caitlin.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Harmony; First Edition edition (October 5, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307716864
• ISBN-13: 978-0307716866
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 1.1 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (95 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #174,157 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

126 of 128 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Lots of options for dog owners to use! October 13, 2010

By a reader

Format:Hardcover

With "Cesar's Rules", Cesar Millan has provided a ton of information to dog owners about the history of dog training, various approaches to dog training, and how dogs have contributed to humans as working animals. Oh, and there's some dog training info, too!

The book starts off with some background on Cesar. It quickly moves into background and thoughts from many other trainers. This is probably my favorite part of the book (as a professional animal trainer) as I love reading about the other trainers' backgrounds and methods. I also love that Cesar reaches out to many styles of trainers, including those who may disagree with his methods. Throughout the book, Cesar is highly respectful of each trainer's methods, even when he points out that he chooses another method. I also have to admit (and this is my scientific background coming out) that I am thrilled that Bob Bailey was interviewed for this book. So much of modern training comes from the decades of data and thousands of animals that Bob and the Brelands (graduate students of BF Skinner himself) worked with, and yet I meet so many trainers who have never heard of them. Bias aside, I think the variety and quality of trainers interviewed is top-notch, which bodes well for later chapters.

I think Cesar gives a very excellent and fair presentation on the use of rewards and punishments in training, allowing each person to have their say. Even when he presents his position, he seems to simply present it as his method, and not The One True Way. Very professional, and I admire him for that.

There are a few chapters that give dog owners some broad ideas for training, and then one final chapter which gives information for training a few behaviors. For each behavior, there are a variety of methods, allowing every owner to choose the method he or she is most comfortable with. This is great, because I know of some people who are comfortable using one method to get a sit, but can't get a down using that same method. If they switch methods, they can get a great down. It's great that Cesar provides SO many options.

Lastly, the book ends with a little chapter on how dogs help us with herding, scent work, protection, etc. It feels a little off-topic, but it's a nice way to wrap up rather than just ending cold on training plans.

While there are some things Cesar and I disagree on :) I have only 3 moderate complaints about the book. First, I dislike that Cesar labels "balanced" training as being based on both modern "positive" training and "traditional" training. It implies that anyone who doesn't do both is an "imbalanced" trainer. I think it's clear from his interview with Dr. Ian Dunbar (who would be thrown under the category of modern/positive) that he would not consider Dr. Dunbar or his dogs imbalanced, so why stick with this label? Second, I'm surprised that his walk training section includes a choke collar rather than a prong collar. He does an excellent job referring to the American Humane Association guidelines for the use of the electric collar. If he did the same with choke collars, he would have reported that they are not recommended for use. Alternatively, prong collars are "conditionally recommended" for certain training conditions. Furthermore, it is my experience that both traditional and modern/"positive" trainers, as a whole, view prong collars more favorably than choke collars. I wish he explained this choice better. Finally, I wish this book would give guidelines to pet owners for choosing a dog trainer, especially when he's telling his readers to use a professional trainer when using certain training tools. On the upside, it does give links to the APDT and IACP, two professional dog training organizations. Both provide links for finding dog professionals, and the APDT also gives guidelines for choosing a professional.

Beyond that, let's face it. Some "positive" trainers are not going to be satisfied with this book, as Cesar and some other trainers are still recommending the use of punishment in this book. Some traditional trainers and old Cesar fans will probably call him a sell-out for making this book, which tries to have professionals representing all types of dog training. I say phooey to both groups of people. This is a great book both for professionals, who should be working together to better the lives of dogs, and dog owners, not all of whom will be able to effectively use just one particular type of training. Well done, Cesar. Well done.

44 of 47 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars THANKS! October 24, 2010

By Rita Celeste

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Okay, living on a farm, previous titles like 'Cesar's Way' and 'Be The Pack Leader' didn't have that much advice I would be able to use. This book however had things about training off-leash. It had ways to teach dogs words and phase out treats. Lets face it, the best dogs we ever had were the dogs we had as children. We had time for them, they followed us everywhere, they did it all out of love cause we couldn't sneak that darn many treats to them! A pitbull mix adopted me. She just followed my car home, hung around and tried to follow my car off every time I tried to go anywhere. So I had to take her to town or put her on a chain so I could go. I wanted desperately to phase out the chain and the leash. The information in this book on when is the right time to use an e-collar was huge for me. I now trust my dad to use his e-collar to help me get her to stop following my car. Also she chased a few animals, cats, chickens, and a horse! So far she has stopped as asked and all the animals remain accounted for. Still, I am relieved that if she does develop a problem, there is a good chance it can be fixed and she can live freely here. People can bash me all day for my choice to try to improve her quality of life with the e-collar. If you don't live in the city, your dog lives outdoors, you feel ridiculous leading your dog around the farm on a leash, this book actually has stuff for you too!

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Spokesperson for Common Ground March 22, 2011

By Jacquelyne R. Cassada

Format:Hardcover

Cesar's Rules represents a departure from Cesar Millan's earlier books: Cesar's Way, Be the Pack Leader, A Member of the Family, How to Raise the Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond. In this book, Cesar's first on dog training rather than dog rehabilitation, Cesar discusses his methods in context with those of other trainers -- and highlights those other trainers in dedicated chapters or when referring to their specialties. In his book he speaks with Dr. Ian and Kelly Gorham Dunbar, flagship representatives of the positive reinforcement school of training; Mark Harden, Hollywood animal trainer (including the two dogs who play the part of Sam in HBO's hit series "True Blood"); Robert Bailey, specialist in clicker training and long-distance or remote training in many kinds of animals; Bonnie Brown-Cali, trainer in community group obedience classes, service dogs, search-and-rescue, etc.; Joel Silverman, host of Animal Planet's "Good Dog U" and author of What Color Is Your Dog; Martin Deeley, one of the founders of IACP (International Association of Canine Professionals)and the author of Working Gundogs and other experts.

Cesar's calm, assertive energy is the star of this book. His willingness to listen as well as teach speaks volumes about the possibility of cooperation among different schools of dog training. The emphasis is on what's good for the dog, how to find it and how to implement it in your life, often with the help of a professional trainer.

I believe in Cesar Millan's methods and have been an admirer of his Dog Whisperer TV show since its beginning, but I have also lately become aware of and appreciate Ian and Kelly Dunbar's Open Paw method for making shelter dogs more adoptable (and cameoed in this book) and Ian Dunbar's theories on puppy training and his SIRIUS (R) Puppy Training Program which has revolutionized the way we train puppies.

In addition to the personal information Cesar gives about himself and his growth, anecdotes about member of his dog pack we have come to know and love (and in the case of his long-time companion Daddy, mourn) and his general observations about our relationships with dogs, Millan stresses the need for trainers and promoters of different schools of dog training and rehabilitation to come together in ways that benefit the welfare of dogs in general, rather than emphasizing the differences in methods to the detriment of those who differ from them.

I would highly recommend this book to dog enthusiasts and professionals who are dubious about Millan's methods, his sincerity or his knowledge of dogs. I think it will open many eyes and serve as a way of bringing together all of us who care about saving the lives of dogs.