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514 of 578 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Cesar says dogs need exercise, discipline and affection in that order! Read and you'll know why., April 12, 2006
This is a wonderful reference book and makes for good reading as well. I bought the book to give as a gift to a young couple whose dog needs some behavior modification. I planned to quickly scan through it to get an idea of its contents, wrap it up, and give it away. However, I ended up reading it word for word and will add it to our library! (I can think of several dog owners and parents who could use the concepts in this book for raising both dogs and children. I'll probably end up buying several copies as gifts.) I notice that one reviewer complained about the frequent reference to the pack leader concept Cesar writes about. Perhaps that reader is unaware that in a reference book clarification in the form of repetition is needed for those who are looking up only one or two segments at a time, such as "Rules, Boundaries, and Limitations," or "Dominance Aggression." I found Cesar's personal history and anecdotal material about him and others (Oprah Winfrey has a whole section on the relationship between her and her dog, Sophie) very interesting and enlightening. The book is clearly and concisely written. It is easy to see that Melissa Jo Peltier's writing abilities were very helpful to Cesar. Cesar was born in Culiacan, Mexico, and came here in 1990. He is now applying for U.S. citizenship. He has quite a story to tell about his childhood and his special relationship with dogs from the time he was a small boy. When he came here he noticed with dismay that American dogs had a number of "issues" related primarily to the fact that we Americans view our dogs as "four-legged humans" instead of dogs (animals). Our dogs need us to be calm-assertive pack leaders and to provide them with exercise, discipline and affection in that order. Cesar gives many illustrations of how this concept works and the fact that dogs use smell and the sixth sense of energy to evaluate other dogs and animals, including humans. I highly recommend this book to dog owners and, as mentioned earlier, to those contemplating having children or who already have children who need help. In a nation with increasing numbers of obese children, I was struck by the #1 need of dogs as stated by Cesar: EXERCISE. Perhaps, we might consider the same order of needs for our children: exercise, discipline, and affection in order to grow happy, healthy, productive human adults. Carolyn Rowe Hill
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238 of 268 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Common sense makes sense....., June 18, 2006
I have read the negative reviews of all the "spoiled-sports" who disagree with Cesar Millan's philosophy of the dog-human relationship. I feel they are merely jealous of the fact that he has become a "media idol" in the dog-training arena and is now pulling in the big bucks. As a dog rescuer who has taken in and re-homed over a thousand dogs over the past 10 years, I just wish Cesar had been around back when I first became so deeply involved in "pack mentality." I'm sure that I could have made some better decisions, saved even more dogs' lives, and dealt more effectively with some behavior issues. Of course, time breeds experience, and by the time I first saw Cesar on the National Geographic Channel last year, I realized to my great pleasure that many of the things I had learned and was now utilizing myself were based on the very premise Cesar promotes. Cesar's philosophy is based on common sense: humans are human and dogs are dogs. Most dog owners become oblivious to any common sense they may have possessed prior to adding a dog to the household when they bring their "new baby" home. There is nothing wrong with a "calm and assertive" approach with dogs, and nothing equally wrong with the dog being "calm and submissive." This does not mean that you will have a frightened dog that will submissively urinate, cower in the corner or become a fear-biter. As the supposedly more intelligent and sensitive being, you have to approach your relationship with your dog in a common sense manner and tempered with consideration for the natural temperament of the particular dog. But I do share and support the premise that dogs are much happier when they know that their human is the one "in charge." They are relaxed, content and much more prone to "be good." I'm sure there are many other well-qualified dog trainers across the country, some of whom have written good dog-training books, utilizing equally-effective methods of training. There is and never will be "one" form only, but to trash Cesar Millan's methods is to me nothing more than an undeserved "cheap shot."
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568 of 656 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It just works, April 4, 2006
I have owned purebred field Springer Spaniels and a pure bred Border Collie. I didn't believe in yelling or punishment myself. I found that my dogs paid more attention to my talking quietly and to a quiet rebuke than yelling ever did. It worked well for me in the past and some arrogance on my part assumed that I knew it all. I didn't. When the last of my dogs died this year, I decided I wanted to have another Border Collie as my last dog before I died. This dog I would find, would be my ultimate challenge though. At 12 weeks of age I excused his behavior because I'm told he is a Taurus. A few months later he began to attack his food dish in what I can only describe as "rabid". Shortly after that he bit me when I walked by him while he was eating. I was at a loss to what to do. He was a puppy. ...But a puppy like this you don't want to grow into a dog I thought. Then I saw a show called the Dog Whisperer. It made sense to me (hell I was brought up English! - if not for me why not the dog?) I was really worried that I might have to put this dog down until then. I tried it Cesar's way. I started walking and running the dog in my backfield for at least 45 minutes. What a charmer he became! I added some new rules "no couch" and he got even better. If my husband would stop letting him into his lap he would be much better I am sure! Finally, I would like to add that as much as I worried about my dog (which I no longer worry about) at least one dog owner I know gave up on his once. He regretted his decision. Thanks to Cesar I don't have to make that same decision.
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