Almost a year ago The American Humane Association denounced Caesar Millan's dog training methods as inhumane. Yet the mainstream media has barely even spoken of it.
The American Humane Association works continuous in the California area and with movie and tv production companies all over the country making sure the animals are treated with humanity and respect on set. Caesar Millan's tv show is exempt from some of the policies set to protect animals because of the nature of his show. He's not hiring animals to perform but that he is hired to "rehabilitate" owner's pets. The traditional style of training that Caesar Millan uses is outdated and extremely problematic. Over the past twenty, thirty and even forty years other styles of training (based on dolphin training) have been developed and tested in scientific scenarios proving less evasive methods work more reliably for a greater number of dogs.
Caesar's claim that he's being vilified by the dog training community because he didn't get a degree at some fancy university just isn't founded in truth. The majority of dog trainers out there today are self taught and apprentice under other trainers to learn their trade. However, being self taught doesn't mean that you are uneducated. There is a wealth of information out there, on the Internet, in published books, and through animal behavior/veterinary journals that anyone motivated to learn about these new methods can easily find the information.
Traditional style trainers are correct that some of their methods work. But do they work for the largest percentage of dogs? NO! Do their methods make the most of the human/animal bond that most of us want to have? NO! Do most people want to string their dog up by a chain as opposed to giving it a treat? NO!
Hopefully The American Humane Association will continue it efforts to change The National Geographic Channel policy of allowing dogs to be endangered by these methods. Hopefully we in this consumer society will let them know by not watching Caesar Millan that we too want a better more humane method of dog training.
Follow the link on the left to The American Humane Association press release
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12 comments:
Now if someone can just get Oprah to read this. She has always been one of his biggest supporters and she has a lot of influence!
You don't provide a link, and you don't say what it is that he does to the animals that is so "inhumane".
If not giving the dog treats, or letting it sleep with you or sharing food is or using a leash to properly walk your dog and keep it in control is "inhumane" then I'll be damned.
Why can't people just leave him alone. He has rescued and helped rehabilitate animals come on people ther are bigger issues such as over crowded shelters. Instead of bashing him be happy that someone out there cares to take the time to train these pets. Im sure they could have ended up back in the shelter. Find something else to occupy your time with instead of focusing on Cesar!!!!!!
See, this is the deal... Just like with children, people have become too "fluffy" and inconsistant with their discipline and routines. Dogs are animals first. Caesar's main job is to teach the owner to be a better owner. He does not beat or hang the dogs up. He uses COMMON SENSE!!! Have you ever watched an episode. Some of these owners are jokes! People now a days are far too "don't do that, the child might cry... don't do that the puppy might not like me". Come on people! I am a mother, a teacher and a dog owner. My dog is loved and well behaved. My children are OVERLY LOVED and WELL BEHAVED! My dog knows we are the bosses over hear and she does not question that. She knows she is allowed to lay on the couch and look out the window, yet she KNOWS she will loose that if she barks uncontrollably.
Caesar is NOT A BAD GUY! He is a consistant man with common sense!
The link is provided on the left of the screen in the lists of Muddy Places of Interest.
There are many ways in which to control your dog. It's not just black and white. Being too easy on the dog and giving it everything it wants doesn't create a healthy dog any more then stringing it up on a choke chain.
Finding a middle ground where the dog is happy and fullfilled while still maintaining a human controlled household is not too much to ask. Is it?
Wow, are we turning into people who are too liberal minded? Cesar has a job to do and he does it without abuse. Do you ever see the owners face of the dogs he has to deal with. They go from being frustrated to being people who are VERY satisfied with Cesar.
Just because Cesar does not have a degree for his training and does not charge people a GRIP of money for useless training does not mean these people have to get mad about what he does.
Truth is I have seen the results of the so called "professional" training at Petsmart and Petco and i tell you this....IT DOES NOT WORK. I used the style Cesar uses as home and believe me...IT DOES WORK. So before you ignorant people go out there complaining about Cesar just remember that he is a very successful man and you cannot take away a talent that he has worked so hard to have. Let him continue to make families happy and to keep training dogs WITHOUT ABUSE.
I have watched all Cesar Millan shows and have read his books. I do not consider his methods inhumane. All of his methods or techniques are based on his own observations and his experience with dogs. As long as he gets results and makes both the dogs and owners happy it does not matter if he is not using the current "recommeded" way of training. I think as a trainer yourself you should realize that different dogs respond to different methods of training. Most of the dogs brought to him are the ones where trainers like yourself have given up on them. This in itself is the most telling point.
The main thing is he gets consistent results and understands the animals well. He has done more for animal advocacy and brought awareness to general public than anybody else. His shows popularity attests to fact that it strikes a familiar cord with many people even if they are not dog owners.
The Humane Society should go after the dog fighters, the animal abusers and puppy mills instead of going after Cesar Millan. If this is their approach then they should not be supported.
All pretenses aside, the proof is in the pudding. Perhaps we could find someone who practices dog training with positive reinforcement who is willing to put on a TV show similar to Cesar Milan's show. Then, everybody could see what could be accomplished with the positive reinforcement techniques alongside Cesar's show and judge for themselves which is more effective and more humane. I would be very interested in seeing such a show, especially if it could show everybody the difference between a dog that is trained to offer behaviors we approve of, rather than a dog that is cowed into performing the way we want it to. The relationship we can have with our dogs is greatly improved when we use positive reinforcement training techniques, even if we get the same performance results from the dogs who are trained in the classic manner. I think you can see it in their eyes when a dog is clicker-trained.
As a veterinary technician of 17yrs, it amazes me as to how the people in charge of humane societies, etc, are the worst when it comes to determining what's humane or what's not humane. I say to you, you let your dog's instinct kick in and see how "humane" you'll be when fending for your life or paying other people's vet bills because of how "humanely" you've treated your dogs. COMMON SENSE seems to be very much lacking in this society these days and I can't help but wonder why. Caesar does great things that most of you couldn't figure out how to deal with when dealing with your OWN dogs, go figure!
All I have to say, is "Thank God for Ceasar.. I am (cough) in training to become a Petco dog trainer...
I have over 20 years in the dog field.
and from this I seen that the dogs are not the problem, its the humans.... It took Ceasar for the world to see this. (TY National Geographic)
As a Petco dog trainer, my hands are tied on whats the right way and wrong way.
Now that cearsar is coming aboard with his new dog food, I hope he helps the training program at Petco store so as the people get their moneys worth because what they are getting now, they are not!
LONG LIVE CEASAR!!!!!
Inhumane, my foot. Is it because he's not treating the dogs as human beings that's getting you, AHA? Because that's not the way to do it. Cesar is a kind soul, a role model for dog owners and I know he'd never do anything in a million years to harm a dog. Shame on you for trying to make him look like any old dog beater, AHA. Shame on you.
Humane \Hu*mane"\, a. [L. humanus: cf. F. humain. See Human.]
1. Pertaining to man; human. [Obs.]
--Jer. Taylor.
2. Having the feelings and inclinations creditable to man; having a disposition to treat other human beings or animals with kindness; kind; benevolent.
Of an exceeding courteous and humane inclination. --Sportswood.
3. Humanizing; exalting; tending to refine.
Syn: Kind; sympathizing; benevolent; mild; compassionate; gentle; tender; merciful. -- Hu*mane"ly, adv. -- Hu*mane"ness, n.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
All said and well.
Except Animal first, dog second, breed third, and name last.
Name is the only thing close to human.
Cesar does not promote hitting, abuse, neglect or any other detrimental actions toward a dog.
His understanding of Pack mentality has moved understanding of the domesticated dog forward.
Why coddle someone when you can provide motivation, both positive and negative reinforcements to put them in a calm state.
Lay off Cesar and go after the puppy mills and hoarders.
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