Jeff,

If your dog likes to fetch you may try have him chase a laser pen and excercise him that way and as a final catch for the reward give him an awesome treat for the capture or favorite toy. - Alex

the flip side of the laser pen ...if other things aren't in place, it can make a very bored dog w/not much interaction get obsessisive with chasing the light and transfer it to shadows to where all they do is become fixated with it, looking for light/shadows....
much better to exercise them in other ways, ...are other websites with/dog chat rooms with others that are dog lovers and live in cold climates, or ask the vet for ideas. i would think it still possible to do the exercising - just watch the feet, put protective stuff on their pads (dog catalogs sell something like 'Mushers'..." for that purpose, or dog booties if gotten used to gradually..., i would also think just limit the time they are outdoors and warm up/rinse their feet (from the snow/ice) w/warm water when you all come inside.

no matter how cold, even a short walk - and they make doggie sweaters, too. or an old teeshirt on them or two would even help...i use that on mine to keep her clean, just tie a knot on her back area with the excess material.

then if walk was a short one, make their food a work for it/find it excercise...take their meal and hide the kibble here and there around several rooms and make her look for it, w/you supervising/guiding...that'll be helpful mental activity for her, or also stuff a kong w/part of it and hide it and that'll be the 'grand prize' .
or,

My friend and I a few months back recently obtained two puppies (she a Corgi, and me a German Pinscher). My breeder has been wonderful in providing both of us with excellent advice, training tips, behavorial counsel...etc. In addition, she advised that we have our dogs in obedience classes, which we have. But perhaps the best advice she gave to us was when she recommended Cesar Millan's program, which to date, has literally changed our lives and relationships with our dogs!

Part of that change has been *the walk*: at least 45 min a day, and that with calm assertiveness. We went from having our dogs walk us, to walking our dogs with control and structure, BEING THE DOMINANT LEADERS OF "OUR PACK"; this tool has now impacted other aspects of their growth and development *in the home*. We appreciate the "Dog Whisperer," and are anticipating with great zeal the opportunity of now seeing him in person, as we take our place with other dog lovers at his seminar next weekend!

Thanks DW! :-)

DK

On walking multiple dogs: I walk a great dane, a golden retriever and a mix that is about the same size as the golden. Taking this group for a walk is fun because I use everything I have learned from Caesar and I am in control of the walk. Using the same type of choke collar high on the neck like Caesar does is very important. The dane gets the shorter leash and he walks by my side with the mix on his side and the golden walks on my other side. Thy know that this is the way things are going to be and they are very accepting. You just have to let the dogs know who is in control. At times, I see heads turn as the three walk together with no pulling as if it is the most natural thing in the world for three big dogs to walk with one person.

The best thing anyone can do is watch the show,and get ready to learn. I am finding out it is not the dog, people. It is we the owners...

can anyone please offer a suggestion. i adopted a dog from the dog pound. he is 31lbs, but he is skinny for his size. im thinking that he should be 35 to40 lbs. how many cups of food per day should i feed him to help him gain just enough weight to be healthy?

Dear Cesar,

We adopted a 1/2 Rottwieller, 1/2 Border Collie from the pound almost 2 years ago. Inside the house, she is totally lazy. Outside she is absolutely crazy. My dad and I watch your show every time it is on. We have been applying your techniques to our dog, and some of them have been working. She is horrible and hard to handle on walks where there are other dogs around (especially smaller dogs) she starts barking, and gets out of control. We had a harness on her, because she is so strong. We are in jeopardy of losing her because she “attacked” some person. She is a little ferocious with other dogs. She got out in the middle of the night, and ran after some man who was walking his dog at 4 am. If she tries to “attack” another person, the animal control is going to take her. I have no idea why she does this. She also goes crazy when she hears a doorbell or someone knocking, even if it is on the television. Any tips regarding controlling her, or anything, will be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks!
katherine

Tianna take your dog to the vet to see if he has any health issues ok? Try one cup per day. Also ask your vet too. Mkae sure he has all his shots and that he is fixed. bye for now Danessa :)

thanks dannessa,

but i have already taken him to the vet and given vaccines exam microchip and everything, he was neutered at the pound, he has a clean bill of health and has bonded quite well with me, i just am looking for a suggestion on how many cups of dry food is just right. i want to keep him happy and healthy. he has already become my best friend after 3 weeks, he walks by my side, is comfortable with people and most dogs, but we are still working on that with him. i have followed all of cesars tequniqes and none of them have been difficult. my dog waits for me to go through a door, inside or out and then he follows, on walks he will sit at my feet when we come to a point where we have to cross the street until i say ok and start crossing. so, for the most part he is a well rounded dog, i am just looking to put a little more weight on him because he was a stray before the pound picked him up and he is a little bony. its not too bad though. he has been gaining it back since i have given him 3 cups of dry food and 1 can of wet food daily, so i guess that i already knew what to do, but i was looking for a few more options, because i feed him science diet dry food plus alpo wet food (temporary until he becomes a normal weight) but the wet food gives him terrible gas. oh its the worst!hehe. so i know that it is not the best thing for him.

All I know is that when the boys (two bloodhounds)walk, they calm down alot. We use Ceasar's advice about being calm and assertive and they behave much better. Sometimes we need to breathe and relax, but if we do it before handling the boys, they behave much better. Also, my daughter has a couch potato chihuahua. My daughter started walking to rehab a knee. She takes her dog with her and the dog has exhibited more positive energy. By the way, she also plays well with the boys. We are learning to be a pack.

Tianna, why don't you offer your dog food a few times a day? Smaller portions. Maybe that would work.
Possibly your dog is skinny by nature, my husky mix is very skinny too. I don't worry about how much food my dogs are eating. They run every day, so I let them decide how much to eat. None of them is overweight, they are all lean.

Nicole,
I hope you watched tonight episode. Seems like your dog needs more excercise.

I'm trying to use Cesar's magical techniques, but am having trouble with the walk. My dog does not like to walk behind me, especially if other dogs or people are around. Could the problem be that I do let him sniff and relieve himself whenever he wants during the walk? If not during the walk, then when is he supposed to take care of his business and be a dog? Don't get me wrong: I am willing to do whatever I need to do, but I just don't quite understand the how to allow for all the thing we need to do on a walk: he needs to sniff and relieve himself, and I need him to walk calmly at my side.

Thanks!

I watch faithfully and am amazed by people who openly admit that they do not walk their dog everyday. I am amazed at how calmly that message is given to the people. My 5 year old dog has recently had a TPLO for a torn ligament(second and last surgery). He has major arthritis and hip dysplasia. After the surgery he could only go outside to walk for 5-10 minutes/day for three weeks. He was used to one hour or so at the dog park. I would love to take him out for an hour now. He does, too. He is now up to 25 minutes and I now really appreciate every minute he can be outside and walking. Enjoy every minute you can walk with your dog! I never knew how much I enjoyed it until I couldn't do it anymore.

Hey my wife and I like your program but the music has to go. It is obnoxious and too loud.

Reading through the comments in this blog it surprised me how many people "don't get it!" The dog has to be walked, it's part of how God wired him. Walk them in all weather all year. If you can't walk them, hire someone to do it for you. Have rules in the house. Some of my house rules are: You only eat people food in the kitchen - my dogs don't beg, they know where and when they'll get a taste. If people are on the furniture, you do not get on it UNLESS I invite you. If I tell you to get off, you must comply. You may sleep on the bed in THAT spot. If you do not want to sleep in THAT spot, you do not sleep on the bed. I can only pet one dog at a time. When walking, the purpose is to walk, not sniff, the neighbors lawns are not your bathroom. Opportunities to pee and poop will be provided and I will tell you when it is okay to do that. Above all else, watch your dog! They will show signs of aggitation, aggression, fear, ect. before they act it out. Whe you're walking and see another dog in the distance, get their attention on you. Make sure their in the right spot and you have the posture of a leader. If they alert in anyway to the other dog, a quick SHHSH and leash correction (if needed) will stop it then and there. If you wait until the pawing and struggling at the leash to get to the dog, it's really to late to do anything about it.

Sorry if this is a bit forward, but so many of the posts, just didn't seem to be getting the point of it all.

An easy way to test this method is with petting. If you have more than one dog, pet the calmest one. When the other(s) try to force you to pet them, use your body to block their access to your hands and the other dog. Just keep circling around the dog you're petting until the aggressive one backs off. It only takes a couple of times for this to work. All my dogs now sit in a circle and wait their turn for attention - which they know will come, but only if they stay calm and wait!

Pointer-Mix named Belle. My Belle when she's good, Dumb Belle when she's bad. But she's not bad very often. Walks are great; comes when called; sits to exit any door and waits till I go first, sits to enter the car, earns every morsel of food; LOVES TO RIDE IN THE CAR...but I can't get her to stop jumping on people! ME IN PARTICULAR. When I arrive home, after leaving her for a spell, she's fine. Excited to see me, but doesn't bold me over! She spends 3 tx a week in puppy playschool. When I arrive to pick her up...SHE jumps and leaps up to me, hugging me (she's about 65 pounds). I've tried the knee, ignoring, praise and holding her before giving her a chance to jump...all to no avail! She exhibits the exact same behavior when I take her to dog parks. She's exicited and sniffing and running the immeiate 90 seconds, and jumps on me...afterwards, she keeps an eye on me, because I walk the park, but she plays peacefully w/other dogs. What's the connection with the jumping. How do I get her to stop! She's 1 year old. Did I mention beautiful!

Janet,
yes thank you you are correct on many things. before i brought my dog , Inuki, home I had him de-wormed( he did have tape worms before that), vaccinated, examined for anything else, microchipped, neutered, bathed, nail clipping, ear cleaning, everything, well i work at a veterinary clinic and have also worked at the humane society with the dogs for a year. So he has a clean bill of health, no weird stools, or anything strange. He is a 1 year old german shepherd/husky mix going by what the shelter told me, but he is small in height for that mix, but with the markings of a german shepherd, the blue eyes and the voice/bark of a husky, and (youre right)the sleekness, short hair, and size of a whippet, so he is for the most part, a mutt. I have followed all of cesars tequniques and he has quickly learned that i am the pack leader. it is clear to me that we can read each others emotions.he has two very long walks daily, plus he comes to work with me and socializes with everyone, but is always following me around. He has been wonderful, and cesars techniques have come very easily to me, and he has learned very fast, discipline, excersize, and affection. he went from shy and afraid of men and most strangers to 'tail is wagging so hard it moves my whole body every time i meet someone new'.thank you, feeding intervals, as you suggest, i will follow! you are right that moving to a home from a high stress shelter takes months for them to be totally comfortable, although he seems to have adapted to me and my home very fast, he has not exactly become buddies with my 3 cats. i am hoping that this will just take some more time as well. he has a submissive disposition to people and dogs, and he is learning that i dont want him to chase my cats(who are used to dogs i have fostered), although he does not give a vibe that says that he wants to catch and kill them by any means, he seems to be infatuated with them, or maybe he wants to play, but i do not see a wagging tail when he is stalking them. Truly, i am not to worried about him ever hurting them, i have left them alone together many times, and they are all just fine, but he guards his bed, even if he is not in it, he will be if he sees kitty near it, and he guards his water dish. i understand that he is wanting to dominate them and claim his place above them in the 'pack', but i am hoping that in time, they could become friends, or at least hoping that his drive to stare intently at them may eventually pass. might i add that they can sit or lay near eachother and they are fine, but if my cats are chasing eachother, it seems to fascinate him, and, well, maybe he just wants to join the fun. he has never growled at them, its just that stare which makes me wonder if i can do anything. i help release his 'prey drive' daily by playing fetch several times daily, and other games with him. i give him lots of love when my cats are around, so that he may think that good things happen when kitties start playing, i have tried swapping cat and dog blankets for scent value, and all of the above have calmed him down quite a bit, and he knows what i dont want him to do (chase) just by my looking at him when the cats are playing, and he submissivley obeys and looks away. also, he has shown little, or no interest in smelling my cats or other dogs. any suggestions on introducing shelter dogs to a other animals are helpful.

also, you are a wonderful being for volunteering with shelter dogs, and so are the many others. i can not beleive/understand why some people would rather go to a pet store and buy a sick, malnutritioned, expensive puppy that came from a puppy farm with no socialization or proper care(not to mention why support that kind of business?), as opposed to adopting a wonderful, and greatful shelter dog. then when some people adopt puppies, they do not socialize them, they get frustrated with the time involved, and then the poor dog develops agression towards strangers and/or psychological issues as they get older, in fact i have met a woman with a puppy that she said is scared of everyone, but her. she brought her puppy in to the clinic where i work for boarding, and i have never seen a 14month old puppy that is as scared of people as this little one is. i mentioned that they should let her stay at the receptionist desk where people frequent, while she is boarding, before it is to late for her. so she has been. she growls, snaps and flips out all over the place when anyone wants to pick her up! also she backs away and hides from everyone. it is not her first time boarding, and her owner informed me that she just does not like anyone but her. well, anyway many dogs end up in shelters due to people getting tired of their restless adult dog which used to be puppies that did not get enough time spent with them training, excersizing, ect. due to impatience and frustration and misunderstanding the needs of a puppy. if you locked your child in the house or backyard all of the time, well he would have som e serious mental issues too. also, so many people do not understand the depth and importance of spaying and neutering, which spares much suffering and euthanesia in dogs from happening, also has a MAJOR role in calming a dog down, and reduces health problems, and so on. shelter dogs can be so quick to learn new rules and very easy to train and lead because they are ever so greatful to be out of a kennel. People who rescue dogs and cats and provide loving homes are a wonderful, amazingly compassionate group of people.

One more thing! Dogs live in the moment, so for any of you who have had dog behavioral issues for the past month or year(s), don't be discouraged! By watching Cesar's shows, I've learned that the beauty of dogs is their ability to adapt and to let go of the past. There is hope for every dog out there with issues. You just need to know how to apply the techniques with consistency and patience.

A great idea would be to purchase his DVD video, People Training for Dogs, as it introduces you to many concepts of training and building healthy relationships with your beloved canines. Also, I know that he is writing a book and it will be published soon! He has a lot of great products coming out. You should check out his website, www.cesarmillaninc.com .

Jeff
I have the same problem you have living in a cold climite. I live in North Dakota. I have started to take my ESS for quick walks around our house and that has seemed to help. She is 9 months old and has lots of energy. He told the couple to walk their dog for 45 minutes. Well what I did was divide that by 3 and I will take her out for quick walks for 15 minutes 3 times a day. I will have to make time to do this and hopefully she won't want to grab things off the counters like she has been and chewing on things she shouldnt be.

My son started a bad game with our dog using a laser pen. Our dog is somewhat obsessive with certain things and the laser was one of them. Even after the pen was put away, our dog would look for other sources of light like the light coming through the window blinds when they are closed. Yes, it's fun to watch a dog or a cat chase the light but it's sad when the dog can't stop.
Our dog has finally stopped with that obsession and now he's onto a different one. He has a large rubber ball with a handle on it that he is so obsessed with that if we allow him to, he will lay in the back yard and chew on it for hours. He cries when it's put away so we put the ball away where he can't see it but we allow him to have the ball only if we are also playing with it and have him bring it to us. The ball is put away after the session.

I also want to say that I haven't had a chance to watch an episode of The Dog Whisperer but I have seen the short videos and I am also studying to be a dog trainer. Just by watching the videos I learned to put my 140 pound German Shepherd in his place just by doing the same things Cesar does. My dog has been obedience trained but training is a life long process with a dog and needs almost constant reinforcing. My husband and I have made some mistakes with our dog by allowing our dog to walk through doors ahead of us, leaving the sit or down stay position without being released, etc. We no longer tolerate those things. Our dog also barks at people when they walk by on the sidewalk and these are the same people our dog sees every day. He barks especially at other dogs being walked. Our dog absolutely hates delivery trucks and the drivers (we don't know why) and I am working on those issues. I find that if he starts barking at neighbors or other dogs at the window, I will call him to me to distract him and give him a tiny bit of a treat when he responds. Usually he forgets about the activity outside. He is learning that getting a treat is far more rewarding than barking!! I am the Alpha in our family and I don't allow our dog to bully me. Even though our dog is all muscle, jaws and teeth and he could probably kill me if he wanted to, I am constantly showing him that I am the leader. When he obeys, he gets petted and told he is "good". If he doesn't obey, he gets no reward, not even negative attention. He goes back to 'Kindergarten' and we start all over again. That is the key. Even when he gets up from his bed without being released, he goes right back down until I say he can leave. Of course, I don't make him lay there forever. I will give him my release word,"okay" and then he can get up. Patience, practice, praise!!!!

Laurel Rogers:

I couldn't agree with you more. And I, too, was scratching my head a bit over some of the posts which seem to be missing the whole point, seemingly, from Cesar's whole perspective; simply put: *you*, not the dog, is in control, and it is *you,* not the dog, who determines what it will or will not do.

If my dog is too lazy to walk (i.e., he doesn't want to walk), then I walk him anyway. As Cesar makes it clear: we must impose our will in the situation or we cease to be the dominant one, the pack leader.

If you do not take your dog on consistent walks (consider Cesar's own thesis for these comments in the first place), then many of our frustrations with them are self-imposed. I mean if we refuse to take the advice, are not serious about *committing* to some serious hard-work and discipline (not only of the dogs *but ourselves with them*), then why do we complain? The problem, as Cesar has more than underscored, is with us...not them. Train the owners, and the dog is a sure canditate for rehabilitation.

To our friend who has physical limitations in walking her dog...my father has the same limitations. He intends on walking his dog anyway, just intends on doing it for shorter periods of time. I'm hoping to help him out, occassionally walking his dog for him. Not everyone can walk their dog for 45 min. If you can do 10 min, and perhaps have someone else walk him/her for longer periods of time, then this may address your dog's needs, without requiring you to do above what you are able. :-)

DK

We have three large dogs. We live on 750 acres of farmland where the dogs can safetly run and play. They have their routine each day of "walking" the property. Actually, they don't go too far away from where people are located. They run and play "very hard" and then sleep hard. Is it still necesarry to "walk" them each day on a leash? They get along well with each other and humans. We run a children's home with 20 boys so they are always getting plenty of attention.

I have just adopted a resue Boxer, and I understood that he was completely deaf when I decided to take him in. I felt that I could take on the challenge (I work in special education and use sign language daily on that job). The background on this 8 month old puppy is that the local animal welfare removed him due to neglect, he was left outside in a tiny caged area once the owner became aware of his "limitations". Once in my home, I have to say I am pleased with much of his behavior, and at how quickly he is responding to signs. I am hoping to get some advice on how to handle the mouthing issue - he is now doing the things he never could locked in a crate, and at 51lbs is not as simple to control. As you know it can be difficult to get a puppies attention when it is playing and Boxers are known for their energy. The problem comes into play where a normal pup would get that it has hurt someone when you cry/whimper but my boy can't hear you do that and has no bite inhibition. The classic no in sign language is the thumb, fore finger & the middle finger all coming together. I can see that from his perspective it looks like an invitation to play/bite. I have tried spraying myself with bitter lime/apple, a quick squirt w/ a water gun(he loves it), putting a hook up on the wall and when he bites/mouthes I clip him to it and give no attention till he calms. And of course I walk him throughout the day numerous times/ as well a taking him to the local dog park. All of which have had no/ or little effect, has anyone had experience working with deaf dogs??? I need help quickly, I am not giving up on him, he is wonderful, he just has no idea how strong he is and I am literally black and blue.

Cara, Have you seen the episode where Cesar puts a backpack on a dog to get more out of the walk. Maybe your lab could wear a backpack with some weight to make the walk more challenging. It seemed like an excellent idea. I almost wish my dog needed more exercise just to try it.

Denise, I feel for you! I used to walk two Great Danes and a Rottweiler. We looked silly. Do you always walk them together? Is there anyone that could walk with you and take the dog(s) that walk well on leash? I found there were some 12/13 year old dogless kids that really loved walking with me, especially walking the older Dane and the mellow Rott, while I walked the crazy puppy Dane. Sorry, can't help with the leash thing. I am very tall and can't relate.

Arryn, ON BITING
I can understand how hard it must be for you.I rely on my mouth alot of the times to distract my dog form his bad habits. He is resilient though and I find that hand signals work best for him, with his mouthing issues. I live with children and my dog is an Amstaff, so he can be scary when he starts to bite. The methods I use require consistent use, everytime he acts up in this manner.
What we do with him is the moment he starts to bite one of us, we get on his level, eye level and give him a very stern face as we say "No Biting", as we do this we also give a shake of the pointer finger in his line of sight. I know your dog can't hear you, but I think he will respond to your unkind face and intentions in that moment. After discipline, we leave him alone with out any attention, which makes him a little sad , and us sad to, but he responds well to this method.
For more agressive issues when he is really excited and bites, we physically put him in the sit position, nicely to calm him down and then wrap our hand around his mouth sealing it shut, we then give him the same firm look and command and leave him alone. These both work very well, my puppy is only 7 mths, and in the five mths. that we have had him his biting is down to a bare minimum.
In other cases with furniture and belongings you don't want him to chew on, redirect him by giving him one of his toys to chew on. Consistency and firm kindness works best in our home. Hope this helps you.-nic.

TERRY,

If you want to train your dog not to go after the cats I sugjest puttng him on a leash in the house then every time he sees a cat and gets fixated tug on the leash quickly and "shoosh" him to direct him away from the cat. You can try doing this then after he starts to ignore the cats you can take the leash off and do the same thing except just shooshing him and tapping his side with your toe. Be the boss mentaly because he will feed off your emosions. Also stand tall and don't look at the cat or your dog. You can't feel afraid either because he will know. If your dog ignores the cat and is a calm submissive state you can reward in a CALM way just patting him a couple times. This will hopefully help. Good luck :D

~Chantel

Everyone here seems pretty smart so maybe someone can help me. I have a two year old lab-rot mix (looks all black lab) who is pretty small. She's only 55 pounds. Her name is Minnie for obvious reasons. She is lean and ALL muscle. She loves to play fetch. She's extremely well behaved and I've been following Cesar's lessons to make sure that I am a strong pack leader for her. All is great except that I don't EVER feel that she gets enough exercise! I take her to the park once a week with one of those tennis-ball-chucker-things to really work her out. It's slightly down hill so I can throw the ball about 100 yards. She will run sprints for 30-45 minutes before she starts to act tired. There's no way I can take her there every day because that park is far from my house. When walking her daily she never gets into that "zone" where her ears go back and she just concentrates on moving forward. She's always looking around with her ears up even though she stays by my side without pulling the leash. I'm not looking for advice on modifying her behavior because she really couldn't be any better. She doesn't tear up the house, kill my cat, or anything. She listens to me very well and she even rolls over and submits to my 2 year old daughter. She doesn't dig or have any other sign of frustration. I'm looking for advice to make our daily walks more fulfilling for her. Anyone tried a weighted dog backpack? Think that would do the trick for her to get into that zone daily? Do you even think that there is a problem since there are no outward signs? I just know she's got a LOT of energy and I want to make sure to drain some of it.
Thanks!

Cesar, I love your show and watch it to learn more about dogs and dog behavior, because I love dogs!

I am much more aware of watching how people walk their dogs after watching your show. Most people I see walking their dogs are several feet behind their dogs, being led by their dogs. Hardly anyone uses the sound methods you suggest; no wonder other behavior problems develop when the dog doesn't even view its owner as the pack leader!

I used to have a neighbor whose yellow lab barked its head off all the time and the owner said to me, "Dogs bark." I wish your show had been on at the time so he could have realized that he was the cause of his dog barking!

Many of the people who are writing their questions and problems here make me wonder if they have watched Cesar's show, the Dog Whisperer. They are like the some of the people on the show, who have trouble listening to what Cesar is saying and applying it to their own lives/situations. Many of you don't need to be writing your questions here when Cesar has already provided the answers.

Anyone who truly follows Cesar's suggestions to the letter, and practices calm assertiveness, and asks for calm submission from their dogs, will not have a problem. It may take time to undo months or years of bad or no training, or retraining a dog who has run the house, but most people who ask questions here just need to watch Cesar's show and really pay attention to what he is saying.

Some problems are more difficult than others, but they start with very basic building blocks, which are not hard to master, but do take persistence and determination on the part of the owner. The most difficult thing Cesar encounters on the show, in my opinion, are the owners and their attitudes, not the dog(s)'. Once the owner realizes he/she can approach the problem differently, once the owner realizes there is a solution if X is applied to the problem, the problem always dissipates.

Many of you are asking questions which are already answered; the answers are right under your noses, if you are watching Cesar's show and paying attention.

Elisabeth,

We are all here because we WATCH Dog Whisperer. But out problems are different, and sometimes just watching the show and practicing the techniques will not solve everything.
I have a problem with my dogs fighting. There were a couple of helpful shows, that taught me a lot. I pay attention to every detail Cesar shows, and everything he says. But still I need to know more to even try to get my dogs to tolerate each other. Seeing my dogs fight is the scariest thing in the world, and you cannot tell me that if i watch the programs, and follow Cesar's sugestions to the letter, the dogs will stop fighting. I cannot even figure out why they fight, and watching the show will not tell me that. I hope that here, on this board I can learn even more from people who have the same experience.

elizabeth,
you must be patient and consistent. it takes time, which im sure that you are doing so very well. they dont have to be best buddies, especially may not happen if they are two of the same sex, i do not know, but make it assetivley clear to them that aggression will not be tolerated and they need to learn to live with eachother being there. which dog initiates the fights? it may be very important to figure out why they fight, what usually starts it. is it jealously for attention, territory, dominance? research other tequniques on the web, and find what works best for you . clearly, any tequnique will not be immedeate magic, even cesars tequniques. timing is key, and these owners on his show must continue the discipline, excersize, and affectiuon in which they are taught in order to keep their dogs feeling balanced.

Cara-
Ohh, I see then. She seems to freak out when she is alone, like separation anxiety? well then research separation anxiety in dogs online for some info. I am just trying to find a solution that may help you. its clear to me that a crate seems to do her more harm than good you rare right about that. Im sure that you have already tried these things, but ill leave you with these suggestions just in case. it is clear that anyone in this blog loves animals and cares greatly for their dog which already makes you a wonderful person. leave the TV or a radio on, try finding a doggie day care facility, leave some treats around for her to sniff out for something to do, or place treats in a kong toy, or maybe another dog would keep her entertained(im not saying that is a solution because it can be the best or worst thing for a dog that is very attached to you). i dont know, but im sure that you have already tried many things and i am probably not helpful, but i did try=^_^= good luck

Mike-
Walk your baby once a day at least 45 min. Throw in some traning. Set a timer for 10 minutes, get some good treats and practice getting your dog to do everything you've ever dreamed. Try it everyday and see how it goes. These things tire my dog out, mental excercise as well as physical. If this doesn't work then try the weighted back pack. It sounds like good idea.

I NEED SOME ADVICE. We have three large dogs. We live on 750 acres of farmland where the dogs can run safely and play. They have their routine each day of walking the property. They run and play very hard and then sleep hard! DO WE STILL NEED TO WALK THEM ON A LEASH EACH DAY? We run a children's home with 20 boys, so they get plenty of attention.

i have three rescues, an australian shepherd, an akita mix and a black lab mix. there is tension between the australian shepherd and the lab mix that results in pretty bad fights. i know i need to start walking them together. my problem is that people in my neighborhood let their dogs run loose and these dogs will run up to anything passing by. if i am already trying to handle two dogs that are anxious around each other, how do i handle another dog that is not trained to back off on command running at them full speed? if i can't walk the neighborhood, my only other option is walking them around the perimeter of my own (fenced) yard, which is about 2.5 acres. anyone have any tried tips for handling loose dogs approaching ones you are working?

Nic, thanks very much for the quick reply!

OK, I'll start by moving his food nearer the house, to break him out of his habit, and once he is used to that, I will start sitting next to the food and make him eat near me, then offering it to him. He may go hungry for a day or two, but fasting isn't all bad. ;-)

I'll let you know how it goes. Many thanks.

Sean

Perhaps someone here could help me- this is an issue i haven't seen addressed on cesar's show. I apologize for the length.

I have two dachshunds- one 9 years old, one 7. the older dog was very well socialized and loved being around other dogs, people, you name it- i even trained him as a therapy dog. He was calm submissive around most dogs, and all people.

My younger dog was always fearful- I tried three different training classes when he was a puppy to try to socialize him to other dogs- we were asked to leave each one because he howled and shook through the entire class! He wasn't socialized with people quite as much as the other dog, but i did get to walk them every day, and took them on extended hikes almost every weekend. the younger dog was still fearful of other dogs, but the older one was pretty okay with them, as long as he wasn't with the younger dog- together, they just go ballistic with agression, which is my current problem.

I've since gotten divorced and moved into a very small apartment. shortly after moving here, I started working 14 hours days, and this is a pretty sketchy neighborhood, so i was only able to take them on extended walks on my days off. A couple of months later, I started having hip problems, and couldn't walk them more than ten minutes at a time. Three months later, I had hip surgery, and couldn't walk them at all for two months- I just hobbled out the door on crutches to let them relieve themselves. Now I'm looking at another surgery, which would keep me off my feet for another two or three months.

Right now, I can generally go for about fifteen minutes before pain stops me. I try to do this twice a day, but I can tell it's not enough. I have no friends in this part of town, and my fiancee is overseas. Between medical bills and previous school expenses, I don't have the money to buy a treadmill (not to mention there's nowhere to put it in this place). I'm truly at a loss here. Any suggestions? The only upside is that if i have the second surgery, I can probably get a wheelchair covered by insurance and take them out for longer periods that way.

If anyone has ideas for me, I'd love to hear them. Thanks!

Wondering if you could turn in people that need Cesar's help? My siser-in-law has a boxer that is out of control. Dog aggressive, jumps on people, steals food, jumps on kitchen counter and tables, incessant barking at neighbors through fence. She decided she needed another dog??? Now is trying to give the new one away and thinking of another one?? I don't know what to do or say!! She has no time for the first one, does not try to train it and gets mad when people comment about the bad behavior! UGH!

PS Brenda, I do recall an episode where the dog wouldn't go in and Cesar got him to. Maybe last season?

I just want to say that the Dog Whisperer is also much liked here in Sweden! A friend introduced me to the show and now I can't wait for each episode to air.

Me and my boyfriend have two dogs. A dobermann/rottweiler/german sheppard mix and an amstaff. We walk the dogs about 4 times a day. (totally around 2 hours a day) Every day they also get to do something different. Sometimes we do obedience training, different hide and seek games, play soccer, agillity or just a plain walk with their backpacks on.
It is very important for me to keep my dogs activated/working because I know it's so important to them! We also take them to a dogpark once a week and meet up once or twice a week with other dogs to play and socialize.
If I have a busy day and it affects my dogs walks, I feel really bad!

Hi, I wholeheartedly believe that walking does make a dog a happier dog. My quandry is that walking both my dogs (a 75 lb shepherd mix, and 60 lb Border Collie mix) together is something that has been very difficult to do. The dogs are both male, neutered, and I took them in 8 years ago from a coworker who found them as babies out in his cow pasture. We think they were litter mates. I recently moved from a big back yard where they had dog windows in the fence and lots of room to run and play, to a less big (but still roomy) back yard with the additional benefit of neighborhood trails and dog parks. I have tried to walk them early in the morning when there aren't too many people out with their dogs and I find that I have not done a very good job training my dogs to listen to me (particularly to sit or heel). They bark at other dogs and people. They pull me down the street they are so excited to be walking that it's almost impossible to do all of the things that I see Cesar do. I am going to try walking them one at a time for awhile however I can look forward to howling, yelping and crying by the one left behind. I have purchased two lead collars but they have both wiggled out of them. They are sweet dogs and I love them dearly. I am just stumped at how to start from scratch in terms of walking them, particularly at this age! Thanks for any advice you can provide to me.
Camille Krug
Plano, Texas

Chantel---thanks for the tips! I will 'shoosh' and nudge until Rocky acts nice to my poor cats. He's already showing some improvement.

and RACHEL with the 2 dachsunds--I'm sorry you've had so much trouble. I know you don't want to give up your two best friends. Could you hire a kid to take them out for a walk every day? Or get a kindly neighbor to do it?

Hey Steve if you have a bike go bike riding and have your dog run alone with you he'll get his excersize that way lol bye Danessa

Cesar,
Your working with dogs is great. We love walking our dog Roxy, who is a Golden Retriever going on three. She had a rough beginning and we got her at one. Walking became a problem. About four months ago she stopped walking. We put the leash on her and she plants the paws and will not walk around the neighborhood. We drag her to the truck, lift her up and take her to a park where there are paths with trees lining the walk and she walks. When we take her to open fields she is scared and will not walk freely. What can we do to try and ease her back into walking the neighborhood?

Thanks Ann. I'll try that.

Jan, Cesar talks alot about humans projecting outcomes into the situations, I don't know if you remember the episode with the agility dog who became afraid because of an experience with children on skateboards. Anyway, my first suggestion based on my experience working with dogs for many years and talking with Cesar personally many times and taking his seminar which by the way is incredible, don't miss it, if it comes your way, is don't project the past troubles into the next situation with bathing, I'm sure you put something down in the tub bottom to prevent slippage, etc. Try bathing outside when it's warm with soft spray nozzels, differnt enviroment ,positive experience, then remember the tub, no slip, change the focus of the mind also, last season Cesar did a tub episode, used food to change the mind , and as soon as the dog became fearful snapped them into your control by redirecting the energy. This all might sound confusing and vague, let me know if you would like more defined rules. good luck, Michelle

I want to ask a question. Are some breeds more difficult to train than others? I think Cesar treats all breeds equally, but I have a problem doing the walk with my chow mix the right way. I have no problem with my two other dogs, they will walk next to me or follow me. But Blackie (the chow) will not. She wants to lead, and when I try to lead she will stop and look at me. I pull her, she would walk a step and then stop again. I read that chows are very independent and dominant dogs. Even tho she is a mix, she fits chows description and behavior perfectly. Very protective of the house and yard, but away from it she just ignores everything and everyone. She also hates my other dog and starts fights. How much of it is chow, and how much are my mistakes? (I let her be the dominant one until I saw Cesar's show and now I am trying very hard to show her who is the leader).

Hi Denise(post37)
Try a different collar and make sure your applying enough pressure while correcting your dog.

I live in Michigan too. It is hard to walk dogs here. I have two chihuahuas. I keep their vaccinations up to date and we go to petsmart and walk in their warehouse.

I also get them in the car with me for a ride and we visit my sister so they can play with the children.

Once a month their canine social group comes by the house for a romp.

I have a serious problem, my 13 month dog (Lila) is a Lab\Dachson mix, and is VERY aggressive! Being Dachson, she can get in and out of small places I didn’t think possible for a dog her size. Unfortunatly I never socialized Lila, I never even knew it was important until she attacked a dog when she got out of the fence in our yard, luckily she didn’t get a grip on the dog and I was able to whisk her away. Will walking her regularly change all of this? Is there anything else I should be doing to change her aggressive behavior? PLease, I need advice as soon as possible.
Cara

Hi Dominique (post13)
The only way to change your dogs behavior is to use a tactic that calls for extreme caution. If you are totally comfortable with your dog are sure he would never bite you.Then you need to use this tactic. When your dog becomes aggressive you need to put the dog on his back or lie him on his side. You need to keep him in this position until he becomes very calm. When he becomes calm wait for his breathing to slow down.If his breathing is very rapid but the body looks calm he can still be very aggressive. If he tries to stand after he becomes calm give him a firm touch to the neck and point at his face to let him know you mean buisness. Anybody in the room should not make any eye contact with the dog. After 5 min of the dog being in a calm state of mind introduce your cousins or strangers to the dog. Make sure they are not hesitant and they only approach the dog and they do not pet him. Are main goal here is get the dog to be in a calm state of mind while being approached by other people. Take it one step at a time. It would probably be a good idea to have your trainer do this if you are not comfortable. Any questions write back.

Hi Nicole (post17)
Try using the advice I gave Katherine (post 14)sounds like a similiar problem. Make sure you walk or run him as much as possible to release the proper amount of energy to make him become balanced. If you are not able to walk him daily this dog is not able to release the proper amount of energy and if you don't have him under control I would highly recommend giving him up before the baby comes. But I'm positive this technique will work if done properly. Any questions write back.

Hi Gloria (post32)
Simple fix with a leash and a choker collar. When you pick the dog up from school have some one there if possible correct the dog into a sitting position when you enter. Do not approach the dog until she becomes very calm. Step back if the dog tries to jump and correct the dog back into a sitting position at the same time.

I know that some of you are trying to get in contact with Cesar. I found his dog psychology center web site. It is www.dogpsychologycenter.com I hope that this helps everyone out that is fans of this program.

I have a very nice Shibu Inu with a dominant personality towards other dogs even though he's somewhat small. He's very well behaved around children, puppies and very old dogs, but tends to harrass dogs he sees as peers. The only other problem I have with him is that I've never been able to train him to come. He's very smart and knows other commands like "sit", "stay", "out" (when I want him out of the kitchen). Likes to play catch but has a tendency to drop the ball at my feet then try to snatch it before I can pick it up. I use many of Cesars techniques and they seem to work well, but what can I do to make him come? I can't let him loose at the dog park because I'm afraid I won't be able to catch him.

Nic---are you keeping the dog on a VERY short leash with the collar/loop all the way behind your dog's ears? If so, the quick snap of the leash should help you keep his attention more on you....and the short leash won't allow him to dart in front of you.

Cesar,

I have also watched most of your shows and have learned A LOT from them. I'm 14 and own an American Bulldog named Abby, whom I am training for competition agility. Walking is very important for her, especially in the winter, when owners tend to not walk there dogs as much. I walk her for atleast 45 minutes a day and at the end of the walk we go to the field and she get's to run off leash with me. On one of your shows, I liked your analogy, that even if you have a big yard it's like a fish bowl for them, they were meant to walk. I keep that fact in mind, and never miss a walk a day. I enjoy watching your show and seeing how you train the people and teach the dogs.

Sincerely,
Kim

Joanie P,

She can never get used to walking outside until you lead her through the experience. Maybe you could try taking her somewhere queiter for walks, and slowly (and calmly and assertively ;-) introduce her to busier environments. Have an image in mind of how you want the walk to go and act it out. Be Cesar!

I currently have a semi-feral amputee in my care, and his fear is not just cars, but people, including me. I take his chain (he chews through leashes/muzzles in seconds) and lead him on a walk, as people here suggested; he immediately starts thrashing like a wildcat, jumping crazily, doing wild somersaults, and snapping at me ... at which point I would previously have tried to calm him or quickly drag him back inside, which actually would mean I had failed to help him.

But if I just carry on leading him while avoiding the bites, incredibly, after just a few minutes, he walks calmly by my side - comfortable in the knowledge that he has a calm, assertive leader to guide him through his fear (not a weak follower or evil enemy). I simply chose not to support his fear and instead lead him through it. Now he is much calmer around me and his rehabilitation is coming along nicely.

Hope that helps.

And I have to say, I am extremely grateful for Cesar sharing his knowledge. It is making the world - and my home - a much better place.

Does anyone know if Cesar conducts courses for people who want to do what he does? We have a great need for his training methods here in Taiwan, where more than 35 percent of dogs are abandoned on the street because of 'behavioural problems'. Any info about such courses would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Sean

Good luck, Joanie P!

I just read another good idea, to get her used to the busier environment before going for a walk, by just sitting in the area, perhaps feeding her there, etc.

I'm sure either method will work. The key is of course to stick to the plan and lead her through her fear.

Let us know how it goes. ;-)

Sean

Wendy,

Read your own post and tell me what you see as being the problem and what the solution would be. ;-)

Sean

Sean: Thanks for the other idea! In the warmer weather, we leave our front door open (we have a screen door) and Nikki lays and watches the world go by (along with all the noise of the truck traffic). In the colder weather, both doors or closed. When I return back to Philly (next week) I am going to put Nikki in the car and start her on her DAILY walks around one of the parks in the area, then slowly work up to taking her around more noise.

I hope Sean you got some good advice as to the dog population where you live. It is so heartbreaking to learn how some animals are "throw aways". People need to realize that you need to take time and have patience, (something that Ceasar has enlightened me too),after all if it were the human element, we would not do to humans, what we do to dogs/cats, etc.

I really appreciate the input and am now going to practice a new way of treating my animal. I love how Ceasar says to think of who you regard as a role model. Mine just happens to be Scarlett from the movie "Gone with the Wind", so when I am with my dog Nikki from now on, I will be in a Scarlett state of mind.

Peace,

Joanie P

Tianna-
Your dog is probably at weight watchers by now but I was late to see a recording of this episode and therefore late to this blog. However, I also was the owner of a husky mix and had to be concerned about nutrition. I had different concerns, however I used Eagle Pack for his first several years. I believe Eagle Pack was designed for huskies. (Later I used Wellness with great results). I was told about Eagle by someone who oddly enough was commenting on how she found a food that controlled her dog's gas. Nobody seemed to be addressing that side of your issue so there it is. Anyway, there is a list put out by Whole Dog Journal with the 42 best brands as far as quality ingredients. Check out their web site www.whole-dog-journal.com. I did endurance sports with my husky mix and found that foods with the most nutrition and least fillers provided my dog with what he needed for weight and performance. Sometimes I mixed his food with homemade dog food. Lastly, your dog may just be mixed with a lean hound breed. Those hounds get around.

Cesar,

I am adopting a puppy from the shelter. She is getting spayed tonight and I will pick her up tomorrow afternoon and I am very excited. I also had a question about feeding her. The shelter feeds her Purina Puppy so I am starting her off on that, but the question lies in the amount of food and feeding times. She is probably a little over 4 months old and a Golden Retriever mix.
Thanks

Dear Joanie P./Scarlett,

Mine is easy: it's Cesar. I'm taller and thinner than him, and I have trouble with the accent, but otherwise the role model works well for me. ;-)

Let us know how it all progresses.

Have a great weekend, all!

Sean

Dear Scarlett and "Cesar Plain & Tall",

Love your idea! I think I will use Maya Angelou. Although I am a short, 125 lb, white woman, I am certain that Ms. Angelou's sense of calm control will serve me well!
Thanks for the great idea!

Thank you for the quick response Danny. Would you recommmend taking her to a dog park or dog beach and trying these methods?
Jackie

Six years ago we adopted a 1.5yr old Chihuahua. He came to us with some very bad habits due to his own aggressive personality, not getting walked enough, having to compete with a pack of small children in the home, and the owner having him allegedly litter trained.

In the nice weather, I will walk him everyday, several times a day. I also take him out into the yard to pee every few hours. He submits to me, but not all the time. I can't walk him when it's too cold, though. He refuses to wear a covering or booties. Even if I was able to walk him throughout the winter, he'd *still* pee in the house when the mood suits him. How to break this???

I am currently trying to write a cause and effect essay on dog fighting for my college english class and am having trouble finding ariticles on the web about what causes people to fight their dogs and the effects that it has on the dogs and the community. If there are any suggestions, or websites you may know of to direct me towards, it would be greatly appreciated.

Mitzi, my 8 yr. old Shih Tzu, walks twice a day right here in the frozen tundra of Wisconsin. Only when the wind chill is below minus 5 do we shorten the walks. She loves the snow and wants to walk whenever she can.

I am so envious of people who live in California or other warm climates because they can walk their dogs without down coats and layers of sweaters (for themselves). It's downright silly for you warm weather types to complain about walking.

We've made lots of friends, and Mitzi's joy at walking is enough to inspire me to keep at it. It's good for me, too.

PS I'm 70 years old.

Hi Gayle! I can relate to your weather. Here in upstate NY we say we have four seasons...winter, winter, summer and winter :) and you are right that it makes walking dogs difficult when the wind chill is often sub-zero and especially out on country roads which don't get snowplowed regularly. Have you tried boots and sweaters or coats for your dogs? I am not one for dressing up dogs for fun or cuteness, but to keep the dog safe, warm and to provide it excercise for it's physical and mental well-being it might be a good thing to try. Your local pet stores might sell styles which are too decorative for what you need, however there are many catalog and online places to check. Do a search for supplies for dog sports, or dog winter wear. I think even a place like LL Bean sells winter type gear for dogs. Just fyi about treadmills...my dogs love their daily romp on the treadmill which I do in addition to getting them outside as much as possible in winter. I hear that newer treadmills can actually fold up somewhat when not in use, so that might be something to consider looking into. Good luck.

I have a 16 week old German Sheppard mixed with Pit bull puppy and he has a biting habit that is getting out of control. When I try to tell him stop he just reaches to bite my finger or growls or even barks at me. I have tried everything pls help me. It is getting to the point where I really don't like to play with him too much cause of this biting.

Greetings fellow dog lovers: I got back to philly last week, with a nasty cold so I had to push back my dog walk until I was feeling better. I can honestly say that the wait was well worth it!! My husband, myself and dog Nikki went for our first official walk yesterday. I took her in the car with us (she loves it) as we were going to go to a nearby park. My dog is afraid of noises so I thought a park would be a good starting point for us all. Well, I had an even better idea while driving to the park and that was to start her, and us off walking in a nearby cemetary. It is quiet, and peaceful and she enjoyed it a lot!! At first she was apprehensive, but I maintained my "Scarlett" state of mind and she just fell into place. We all walked around for about 45 minutes. My husband was shocked! I don't think he thought that Nikki would do the walk. Anyway, we went again today, and as we were walking by a back road around the cemetary, there was a house with about 6 or 7 loose dogs that came up to the fence, barking and growling and carrying on. I maintained my "state of mind" and Nikki just ignored them all and walked past!! We were sooooo proud of her. We also walked her along a road closer to some of the traffic and she did well. Thank you a thousand times over Ceasar for giving me the insight to see how a good owner can be trained. Hope everyone out there has as good as a success as I have. We are committed to the walk everyday and who knows in time, we may be able to walk around the neighborhood.

RIGHT ON CEASAR. And thanks all for your kind words of encouragement.

Joanie P

Jenny: It may be a good idea to have your vet check her out and make sure she is not sick.

You really need to be more specific than she is just acting weird.

Hope all is well, keep us posted.

joanie p

yo what are you guys talking about?

I have an 7 year old american eskimo/chow mix. She's very high strung and still acts like a puppy. I know after reading the posts that walking is probably the answer for her. She loves the walk but w/both my husband and I working full time and 2 small children we just don't have the time we used to. I am going to try and incorporate it back into her life. My question is has anyone noticed a huge difference in behavior since they started walking daily? When she gets out of the house now you can't get her back in. It's impossible. Last night she stayed out all night in the pouring rain!!! I still couldn't get her in in the morning b/f work even if I dangled meat in front of her. We're going to get an invisible fence b/c I don't want her scaring the other children in the neighborhood. She's totally harmless to them but they don't know that. What other training do you suggest other than the walk? She is a big barker as well. I think part of the problem was that we got her first and then had 2 children afterwards. She went from being top dog to pretty low on the totem pole. My husband and I are at the point of giving her up but I am so torn. Such a love/hate relationship w/that dog!!

My parents have a most unusual problem with their 6 year old, mixed, female (Jewel). They got her when she was 3 from a family that was having to give her away. She had apparently been trained to never relieve herself inside the home. This is what most people desire. However, my parents have a designated area in the basement, with newspapers laid out, for the dog to relieve on, that has been the designated area for dogs we had over the past 30 years. By not using the designated area, this keeps my parents from making overnight trips away from home, unless having the dog boarded, and daily that have to leave visiting the grandkids (mine children) to back home to let the dog out. If Jewel would use the designated area, my parents could take overnight trips, and also stay away from the house for longer periods of time. I've tried helping, by buy the puppy training drops, but nothing works. Jewel just 'holds it' all day, and has to be let outside eventually. Does anyone know of a way to un-teach a dog that's been trained to hold it? It would be a win-win situation, if we could get her to use the newspapered area....she wouldn't have to hold it for hours, and my parents could spend a little more time away from the house.
Thanks for any suggestions,
Joseph

I first would like to say I LOVE your show!!!!
I just had the Strangest experience with my dog today....I took him to get his bath at the place I took him to (btw he is a 12 month old Rottweiler, weighing 90lbs.) Apparently they said all went "ok" EXCEPT when he (the bather) went to clean his ears. He (my Rott) got aggressive and snipped at him and they had to "baby talk" him out of the tub. I have NEVER seen him get aggressive with anyone before so I was a tad shocked and am going to make an appt. with the vet to see if he possible has an ear infection?
Anyways....after we got home I figured since I already have him leashed I would take him for a walk. All went went...nothing out of the ordinary, except I was using a different technique of no praise while training him to hell to walk. I usually stop as we are walking and make him sit or sit and stay, so I am also training him while we are walking. If he does not sit after I have given the command I do what Cesar suggested with a claw like hand and gently push his back end down and he sits. As we were getting close to the end of our walk he ALMOST got aggressive with me when I did the sit command. I stopped, gave the sit command, he did not do it, so I used the claw type hand posture and gently pushed on his beack end....It was starnge...I could feel his energy change and he normally just sits, but kind of looked back at my hand and acted starnge but I am not sure if he felt me "bow up" so to speak and feel the "don't even THINK about it" vibe I projected and he sat. I decided not to push him anymore and just made him sit for a few seconds longer than normal, then off we went and when we get towards the end of our walks, I start talking to him and praise him, so he knows we are getting close to home etc.
I have NEVER had him act that way with me before and do not EVER want to go there as he is HUGE and I am a 135lb. female who up to this point has felt completely in control and the pack leader! Thet behavior he exibited was very foreign to me and I have NO IDEA what would trigger him to even think about snipping or showing aggression towards me. Thanks for your input!!!! Kathy

First of all, I love your show so very much. I have a female Chihuahua/Dachsund he is very terrified of me. I can't really understand it cause i feed her buy her stuff and doesn't seem to like me at all. She love's my fiance very much! What can I do to have her like me.

Dear Mr. Millan I've been watching your show "DOG WHISPERER" for a few hours now. I am mezmerized, and in total awe of your gift, expertise, blessing, and special annointing. Man is supposed to have dominion over the earth, and to command the creatures in it. You do that so well Mr. Millan; now I wish that i lived in California so that I could pay you $350.00 to train my 3 pitbull/lab mix pets. My dogs are not completely uncontrollable...they know commands like..."go" "down" "down stairs" "up stairs" "out" however they are willful, and still have to be told. My dogs are very close to me, they sleep with me and are my babies. Missielonnie is 8yrs of age, Bucket will be 4 yrs of age 06/30/06, and fruity will be 3 yrs of age 09/14/06. I adopted missie from a neighbor at 5 mo. of age in June 1998 bucket and fruity were both born at home. missie is spayed, buck and "pooty" are both neutered. I also have 4 cats ms.chi-chi boom 10yrs of age, homey 9yrs of age, smooches 7yrs of age and honey 3yrs of age all "fixed" except honey (male). Bucket is my only dog that won't get along with my cats, he goes after them relentlessly, consequently he has to wear a muzzle when loose in the house. Also, they get aggressive toward each other when I am with them each thinking that I need to be protected from the other. buck is 60lbs, missielonnie is 16lbs fruity is20lbs. when buck is on his cable lead fruity gets it in his mouth and drags bucket around. I am glad to be aware of you and I will look for your show now. YOU ARE AWESOME CESAR MILLAN!!!

Dear Cesar,

First off I'd like to say "Hail Cesar!!!!" Second I'd just like to say thank you for your show. I can't stop praising you enough to all my friends who have dogs.

I take my dog Maude (8 year old Chow/Shepard Mix, adopted 4 years ago) on 1 Hour Walks each day. I bought her a backpack to carry water and a collapsible bowl, in order to give her a job/responsibility. She walks at my side, but at times still tries to pull, but then I immediately discipline her, and she snaps into calm and submissive mode.

The problem I do have is before the walk. Right when she see's me going for her leash, she starts to freak out. She barks, she jumps up, she runs to the door. I try to block her from the door and discipline her with "shushes" and snaps of my fingers, but that only seems to make her more nervous. She begins to shake. I bend down and make her come to me to put her leash on. Once she hears the "Click" of the collar (the Gentle Leader), she goes right back into nervous energy mode.

I try to pull her away from the door, but she won't budge. I block her from the door, and she starts shaking. Then I finally get her into a calm and submissive state. She's sitting five feet from the kitchen door, but right when my hand touches the door, she darts for it as if she thinks I'm going to leave without her. I then bring her back to the sitting/calm submissive position, but the same behavior re-occurs. Right when I think I have her in control, she'll start to shake and bark.

Once I get her out of the house, I keep her at my side. She'll try to go down the stairs without me, but because I need to lock my doors, I'll feel her pulling me to the stairs. I fear that one day she'll lose her balance and fall down the stairs if I can't get her in a calm and submissive state while the door is wide open, and not come until I tell her to come.

Any suggestions any of you have for me would be greatly appreciated.

Much Dog Love,

Julie

Hi Jackie(post141)
The first thing you need to start doing is give Lila the cold shoulder act. No affection what so ever. This dog is overly protective of you. Lets start with the aggressive behavior on your walk. It's very important that you use a choker chain collar. No it does not hurt the dog if used properly. Make sure it's positioned directly behind the ears and not at the base of the neck. While on the walk you need to watch for the first sign of aggression. If her ears perk up, hair stands up or if her tail is straight the dog needs to be corrected rightaway by giving her a quick backward snap with the leash. If the dog does not respond to the correction use more pressure when you correct her. Keep walking don't stop. Correct her as many times as you have to until the dog realizes this behavior is not acceptable. Your in charge not the dog. If possible have a friend that the dog is not familiar with help you with this excercise. Keep practicing this until the dog ignores people and other dogs passing by and becomes more focused on you. Make sure you snap the dog with a quick backward motion when you correct her. A big mistake that people make is they pull the dog backwards which is not effective at all. Cesar uses a shh sound while correcting a dog which also helps when correcting the dog. I think this sound is similiar to the sound that the choker chain makes when your correcting the dog thats why it's so effective. Eventually you should be able to just use the shh sound to correct the dog. If your dogs are eating or playing with the rodents use this same method until they lose intrest. Lila is dominant over your other dog and when her hair stands up when they are playing thats a warning to the other dog to ease up or that she doesn't want to play anymore. You need to make it clear to your dogs that your they're leader. Treat them like dogs not humans they'll love ya for it. Remember no affection until you see a change in they'er behavior. Good luck let me know how it works. I own seven dogs that all have been given to me from people that have given up on. They have all offered to buy them back. Hoping to start my own dog pschology center in MN soon.

Anne
When you walk you dog have the choker up around your dogs
ears and see if this will stop him or her from putting its
head down and sniffing the ground. I have started to do
this with our Springer and it is working. I have more
control over her then I used to. Shorten up on the leash
and this will also give you more control.

Dear Ceaser,

I would like to invite you to Missouri.We have several dogs and all kinds of problems.If you'd like to come please respond.If you can't we'll understand.
Thankyou,
Anna&Jenny Ware

Dear Cesar,
My sister,Rachel,has an English Bulldog. She is aggressive to small children.
Would you like to come to Missouri?
Thankyou
Anna & Jenny Ware

Hi. I have a male dog whom I just adore. He is with me all day long as I am an at home mom. I have a problem though...I am 3 months pregnant and noticed that he's changed. Same problems as with my first pregnancy. ( he was a gift while pregnant with my first baby.) He just won't listen to me and today, he bit my arm hard enought to draw blood--I had to call my husband home from work to help me. He knew he'd done something wrong...the rest of the day he didnt move from where I told him to sit and later only walked by me with his tail btw his legs and wouldn't look me in the eyes. I don't treat my dog like a human, i was the one that went with him to doggie training, I feed him, give him treats on occasion, walk, bathe and take him outside to do his business. What would warrent his behavior towards me? He is not this way with my husband but has bitten him hard enough to leave puncture wounds. He is a 1yr, 3 month old english springer spaniel. he is mostly provoked when he picks up something he's not suppose to...he gets very defensive and mean when we try to take it away--only after asking he 'put it down'. Any other time he is happy running up and down the stairs chasing his ball, playing with the baby, watching TV, laying at my feet or in his pen and we make sure we give him TONS of attention by way of walking and playing in the house. We just can't baer the idea of having him bite our babies when they reach for something he's playing with. Much less giving him away. HELP!

Danny E. !!

Thank you so much for the response! Unfortunately I just got it. I hope you get this message. today I was walking (actually riding my bike)with Lila and she was exhausted so we rested in the shade. A couple minutes later, a man came up with his Yorkshire Terrier, I warned him Lila was aggressive but he did not seem to care much. He proceeded closer to us. Lila was fixating on the dog and I was frozen, not knowing what to do. She immediatley lunged at the dog, but I was able to easily control her with the Gentle Lead I had on her, she thrashed side to side growling fiercely. She was so hard to control I didn't know if I could hold onto her. I had no choice but to wrestle her to the ground (as gently as possible) and trun her on her belly. She evntually calmed down and we continued with our walk. All my hopes have gone now, I don't know if I can handle her.....I mean this dog attacks to KILL. I wil try those methods, and thank you VERY VERY MUCH, if I had not gotten your reply I would have had to give her up. What do I do when she starts getting aggressive with my other dog? Both of them are dominant and pushy dogs, I do all the methods that people are telling me ot do but they don't seem to be getting the message. How can I get the message across?? Again, thank you sooo much for your reply, it gives me hope.
Jackie Beck

I have two Chesapeake Bay Retrievers who are absolutely wonderful, well behaved dogs. This morning we went for our daily walk and we were approached by a stray husky. My male growl and scared it away, but when we walked in the other direction, the husky proceeded to chase after us. What should I do when a stray dogs approaches my dogs.

We have a 3yr old shepherd/dane/retiever? cross. He shares our home with a 12yr old shep/pit cross. The pit cross loves people and hates dogs. Our 3yr old dog is the problem. He is scared of everything, but aggressive towards dogs. We originally got him from the SPCA at about 8 weeks of age. He has been with us since then, except for a few times when the two dogs were boarded together at a kennel, 3 times, for a max of 7 days. The 3yr old was neutered at about 9mths. I wish he could learn to love and trust people like our other dog. It hurts me to see him so scared of a garbage can, people we pass by, etc. I just wish I could help him be less fearful. At the same time, I feel embaressed because I feel he is picking up my insecurities. How can we help him to be less fearful and enjoy life??

Sincerely,

Lisa

i have 1 dog :american bull dog

I love youur show you do great things your wife and you make a great team
I have a mixed dog he is a year old i have had him since he was a month old. I used to work in a doggy day care he was able to go with me to work he was around other dogs he was doing well ,but before i left my job on my way to work he was atacked by another dog.Then 2 people dogs moved in down stairs once again he was atacked lucky that both dogs had muzzles on both times i had to pull those dogs off my dog after that guess what he was atacked right next door to my cousins house the people let their dogs out knowing their fence was broken he bite me and my dog one more time 3 mothesafterthatsome guysthatlive across the street have a black lab mixed i was walking by the other side ofthe street they let their dog go he tryed to atack my dog my dog turned and had him by the neck now my dog doesnt want anything to do with other dogs he gets upsit and trys to bite them i cant take him to the dog park i walk with him and when i see a dog i try to walk with him and be in control he still becomes upsit he even atacked thedownstairs dog i hadto pry him off the other dog thank godhe didnt hurt him what can i do people see him and think hes a big dog hes notthat big hes a lab mixed with pit and gremen sheperd please help me thank you

HELP! I live in a neighborhood with many dogs who are all "friends" with one another (even the mailman, my dog included.
My neighbor is a very sweet, soft-hearted woman who loves animals. She now has three dogs, after rescuing the third one last year on the street as a puppy. My problem....THEY BARK NON-STOP when they are outside. I mean NON-STOP....it can go on for 30 minutes or more, if they allow them to be out that long. They are within a fenced in yard.
It is loud and very, very annoying. If we are on our patio, or even in the house with the windows opened, we can't hear each other to talk or it is impossible to be on the phone.
She has tried shock collars, citronela spray, silent whistles and sounds up in the trees. (?) nothing works.
The neighbors have all just about had it. They wake us at 6am, we hear them throughout the day and into the night. One neighbor has difficulty sleeping and is always disturbed, another has only Saturday morning to be able to sleep in and is always awakened by the barking. The list goes on. I have talked to the owner and she feels bad and says she has tried, but something has to give. What do you suggest? I think neighbors are ready to call the police and have the dogs hauled away.

Hi,

I saw Cesar's show about walking your dog, backpacks to tire them out, etc. I just logged on this website and would love to read it, however, the text on the black side is illegible. Can you please change your settings so the entire page is able to be read? It would be appreciated.

We have a new kitten and our dog doesn't stop barking at it.What can we do

help my dog will not stop barking all night long she a nice dog but when night time rolls arounds she barks and howls. please tell me what to i dont have the money for products and stuff just tell me some commands or something please help

"Brenda Austin says:
Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisperer,
My 4 year old Doberman Pinscher is afraid to go into our swimming pool. Have you aired an episode regarding this behavior? If not, when will you air an episode with this behavior? When I viewed your last episode with the yellow lab that would not stay out of the pool, I heard you mention that you are frequently called in for the opposite behavior, the dog being afraid to get into pool, and have very high hopes that you will air something of this nature soon. At least before summer. Thank you so much for all that you are doing to help us humans"

I am having the same problem with my 1.5 year old lab mix. In the summer we spend a lot of time camping and canoeing and would like my dog to swim. Should I not care if she swimms or not? She doesnt mind going in where her feet will touch the water. Its just will not go out on her own. I tried taking her out with me.. to like 5 feet deep where she cant touch but she just swimms back to shore when I let her go. Then doesnt want any part of the water. I would love to see an episode on how to fix this behavior..

I really enjoyed looking at your site, I found it very helpful indeed, keep up the good work.

Cesar -
I have 3 dogs! 2 wonderful labs, Then I have "Muffy" (terrier/shitzu mix) Muffys....more then a handful, my elderly neighbor nicked named her "HUDINI"!!! Muffys aggressive, protective, nasty, full of attitude, escapes chains that Rotwielers couldnt!, doesnt come when called, pees on the floor, poops on the floor, chases the mail man, kids, dashes out of house when door opens!, Tonite was the topper, SPRAYED BY SKUNK! HELP ME!
I honestly am at witsend. Shes the cutest little thing to. but she costs me a fortune in vet bills from her charades, and trips to the pound!
Tonite...I cried....my son went out to spray her off, with vinigar, untill I get to the store tommorow. but my house reeks. I need help with her! Fix her...maybe she needs prozac, or ridlin.....its not because she lacking in attention, cause she was rocked like a baby till I couldnt rock her anymore....probably why she so rotten,...Okay...vented, thanks for listening......Want a pretty little TERRIER???? Freee......
Cryn over Muffy in Adk Mtns!

I have a beautiful lab/huskey named Mia who is 7 now. I have had her since she was 14 weeks. A few months ago I watched an episode with a dog afraid of bath time. Ahhh I thought Mia is afaid of the tub, I'll have to try these tips he his giveing. She now gets in by herself and enjoys bath time. I've been hooked ever since looking for the next tips to use on her. Mia has always been a good girl with knowing what is expected from her but we are far from perfect. Anything I can do to improve our bond is priceless. Training is something to be practiced daily like any other sport. Ever since she was a puppy people thought I was mean to her for not letting her do what she wanted when she wanted, but what has worked for me is exactly what Ceasar has said all along and I feel much better about what I'm doing with her. God bless Ceasar!

I have 4 Dachshunds (mom, dad & 2 girls). My boy Max (dad)is 4 years old and has always had a submissive urination problem...as well as lifting his leg up and urinating on legs of chairs, etc. I do get all the dogs out for a walk...at least 3 times a week, and they are in and out of the house via a dog door during the day. Any advise you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.
Connie