October 24, 2006
The Dog Whisperer
Cesar Millan mesmerizes dogs and humans alike on his National Geographic show, The Dog Whisperer. If you haven't heard of him yet, you must have been in a closet for the last two years. We caught a few epsidoes of the first season and were enthralled. The man walks into a room and immediately garners respect from even the most difficult pooch. This, he assures the average insignificant human, is not canine magic. He schools owners about pack mentality, discipline and behavior tactics to calm anxiety, quelch aggresiveness and reform even the worst canine criminal. Cesar claims that, for the most part, it's the owner that needs to be rehabilitated not the dog. For the tough cases he recommends doggie training camp, where he and his staff run a pack of forty or more dogs that together help to train and reform troubled doggies. It's amazing to watch how often Cesar gets bitten, scratched and generally roughed up and yet his firm, patient grip never wavers and by the end of the episode, the dog is usually licking the face of the same man he had sworn to kill a few moments ago. After a few epsidoes, the dialogue gets old. It's always about assuming leadership, giving the dog exercise and not subconciously rewarding negative behavior or anxiety. You could probably watch it with the sound turned off and know exactly what was happening. But it's Cesar magnetic, serene personality that really makes the show compelling and makes me stop to catch a few minutes when I'm scrolling through the satellite menu. If you've got a troubled dog, just catch a few episodes of "The Dog Whisperer." You'll feel like an expert. That is until you attempt to actually apply the techniques. Now THAT is a different story.