Log on Tonight to Chat with Cesar!

Tonight's the night to log on to www.ngcdogwhisperer.com for a chance to chat live with Cesar Millan! He'll be taking questions to solve whatever doggie dilemmas you might be facing. The chat will begin at 8:00 p.m. (ET) and a full transcript will be available early next week!
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62 Comments

Hello: I am fairly new to the dog world. All of my life, I've been a cat person. I had 4 beautiful cats when, 6 mos ago, someone gave me the gift of a little mini poodle cross. The cats have learned to tolerate her for the most part and I have had to teach the dog to respect the boundaries of the cats who were here first and are important members of the household. I have recently added a larger standard poodle who is about 18 mos old who has never lived with cats before. She is a beautiful loving and intelligent dog and is in the process of learning to respect cat boundaries. When the cats are in the room, however, her pupils get really large and she stares them down, making them very uncomfortable. She is very smart. She knows that she can't chase them but she is playing psychological games with them by staring them down. All in all, it's going ok but I would appreciate anyone's success stories on integrating dogs and cats. Thanks, debbie

Cesar I just wanted to convey to you that me and my wife are animal lovers, and we think that your Pirate Pack are a bunch of the greatest guys ever. You do wonderful work, and we enjoy watching you and the gang enormously. God Bless!

Shawn and Michelle Marshall
2600 Brinkley Rd. #704
Temple Hills, MD. 20744

Debbie-

I hear you soo much there!! I too have been a cat person all of my life. I own three cats, and about 7 months ago, I decided to take on the challenge of adopting and rehabilitating a rescue dog. Hes a german shepherd whippet mix. They said that he was good with cats, but I could tell when I brought him home that living with cats was a new thing to him. I quickly learned from The Dog Whisperer that establishing yourself as the pack leader (of all animals in the house) creates a lasting trustworthy relationship between you, your dogs and your cats. As you know, cats are above the dogs in the heiarchy and the dogs are at the bottom. How long have you had your Standard Poodle? My dog used to give my cats that "im gonna get you!" stare, and he used to be possesive of his food and his bed a little. He would bare teeth if he saw a cat walk by his possessions. I quickly solved this by saying "hey" or "shoosh", then he would turn his attention to me. Sometimes I would hold the cat, while making the dog submit by rolling over on his back. Other things I spent time doing were placing the cat on his bed, while putting the dog in a "sit" "stay". This was just to let him know that I will decide who is and is not allowed on his bed, that the cats were here first and everyone shares territory. I also practiced that with the food (even though my cats could care less about the dogs bed, or his food, I did not want to take any chances that one day he just might snap at my cat just for walking by his possesions). One thing that was a great bit of advice that someone gave me was to give affection to the cat and dog when the cat comes around. This tells the dog that good thing happen when the cats are around, but this does not mean that you should tolerate any jealousy from the dog. If you find that you are petting your dog and cat at the same time, and your dog gets the jealousy look about her, immedeately say "shh" or "no" and send her to go lay down if it continues. Being friendly and calm when aroung the cats=praise, being jealous=discapline. One last thing that cesar has mentioned is to have the cats and dog share the same sleeping space, though easier said than done right?! You and I know that cats sleep wherever they want. lol! But its not a bad thing to have the dog sleep at the foot of the bed with you while your cats are right there too. I for one beleive that a few of the smartest, most responsive dogs for training are boxers, and standard poodles. Remember that she is new to the pack, and she is trying to establish where she belongs in the rank, so keep up the great work and making sure that she knows that the cats are fellow pack members and respect for them is a number one rule. My dog is much different now than he was 6 months ago. He is well balanced and well behaved. It was so cute the other day I found my cat sleeping in the dogs bed, and my dog just curled up and went to sleep right next to his bed. He did not mind her being there. Every so often he will chase them, but you can see it in his eyes that he wants to play because once he catches up to the cat, he puts his butt up in the air and wags his tail. The cats like him now, and they actually provoke him sometimes, but I dont ever let it get any more intense. I can snap my fingers, and he immedeately will stop what he is doing and look at me for direction. So I think that in due time, your kids will learn to share the house. I highly reccomend that you have a large crate, or find a way to make sure that when you are not home, you know that your cats are safe. Crates are not cruel, and they are not to be used ever as a punishment. They serve as a "den" or a comfort zone for your dog, and beleive it or not, most dogs who are crate trained love it and feel safer in there when the strong, protective pack leader is not around. Good luck!

Debbie, Your dog is fixating on the cats. Not good! I, too, was a "cat person" for many years, and I LOVE cats, but now I'm categorically a "dog person" LOL!! We had 28 cats at one time on our farm. I'm "down to" one -- all having passed away due to old age, very sad each one in its own way. The one I have is sitting right here on the desk sleeping while I type! She's 15 y/o. Time for a new kitten, but my dogs are really cat aggressive to cats outside of our pack (they love my cat very much and were just cuddling together during a passing thunderstorm a few minutes ago). It's not good to let the dog fixate on the cat. This develops his prey instinct. You should block the behaviour by either re-directing to something more appropriate, or standing in between him and the cat blocking his line of vision, etc. Tianna is correct, the cats should always be higher up in the pack heirarchy than the dogs. I like to let the cat on the bed and on the desk and other high-up spots because it sends the message that she's to be respected, and they do respect her very much. However, they are cat aggressive outdoors to cats that aren't part of our pack, particularly if the outdoor cat is moving/walking. I try to stop any fixating immediately when it happens to block that prey instinct. It's difficult, but it can be done!
Actually, that was gonna be my question for Cesar tonight, if I can get through!

Hello!!

I have a 12 year old maltese who is now deaf. does any one know any ways to deal with a disobedient dog when they cannot hear you? also, do dogs get alzeimers?? I know this may be a silly question but my dog has been re-developing old habits that she has not done in over 10 years (i.e eating her stool). Any tips for curbing a deaf dog's behaviour?

Dear Cesar,
Ts it possible for our very energetic 3 yr. old Lab Mix to have more self-control? Our vet believes that this will occur when she is 5 yrs. old. Raisin is jumping on people, goes crazy at the door when someone (people, dogs, bike,MAILMAN) walks by or comes to visit. We have been "training" her for 3 years and are still dealing with the same behaviors. We walk her twice a day and play with her daily but she wants to be the leader on the walks, too. We have been doing the "corrections", and it has helped but something is missing. It's difficult to stay "calm/assertive" when you are getting discouraged. We would love to hear what you have to say. We have your first season on DVD and am reading your book now(chp.3). Please come to Denver...Colorado is a BIG dog state!

Cesar,
I have a boston terrier/lab-collie mix. He is a great dog, but has some aggression issues. We have been trying different methods that you use during your show and in your book. However, we are thinking about starting a family but we are nervous about having the dog around a baby. He's never been around any babies, how do you know it will be safe?
Thanks for your time and endless wisdom.
Bethany

Is anybody else having difficulty getting into the chat room? It is not available for me, and I've been trying for over an hour.

We currently have 3 rescued dogs. Sammy, our 3rd & newest addition moved in with us 5 months ago and he gets along very well with the other 2 dogs. It was, in fact, an easy transition. He is visually impaired and was a year old when we adopted him. His rescue foster mother felt sorry for him and pretty much let him do anything he wanted. I am comfortable as the Leader of the pack and the dogs all accept me in that role. Sammy is smart & has readily learned to use a doggy door, stays within the boundaries of our electronic fence, he sits, he fetches & returns rubber (therefore, smelly) balls and he enjoys unleashed hour long walks in a local dog friendly park. He is very affectionate & enjoys people EXCEPT... we have a variety of international students living in our house for varying periods of time and Sammy has nipped at every one of them, some more often than others and he has drawn blood several times - we are very concerned. Sammy has endeared himself to us but we can't have the students feeling threatened/frightened. We have tried to educate the students but they are often unable to comprehend what we are trying to do or their culture promotes fear of dogs or dogs as stupid cattle. We have pinpointed several issues such as Sammy getting nippy around "crinkly' noises such as plastic shopping bags or nylon crinkly exercise pants - so the students don't help us unpack the car after shopping anymore but there isn't much I can do about what kind of clothing they wear. He also seems to get nippy when students wash dishes but at other times he nips quickly and without warning and without any apparent provocation. He also does not enjoy having doors shut in front of him, he will often bark and snap. We introduced him to a crate recently and he will get in himself and sleep there comfortably but when I close the door he gets ballistic with very loud barking/howling and gnashing of teeth. We are in desperate need of help, escpecially since we often have no way of knowing when Sammy will nip someone. The students are our income and we can't jeopardize that but Sammy is essentially a good - we need direction and guidance. I hope you can help. Thank you

I have a serious problem!! My dog has recently become very aggressive, he is a pit, and I have a two year old. My dog is five years old, and just recently has become aggressive. He has bit my husband, and nipped my son and daughter, and ripped our clothing, while we were wearing it!! This is all happening recently. I need your help, I love my dog, but of course, love my children more.

HELP!!!!
ATLANTA, GA

Cesar,

My boyfriend and I have a 4 yr. old Chesapeake Bay Retriever named Kobi. He is a great dog... full of energy and, most of the time, very loving. We adopted him at 5 months and I wish your show had been on when he was that young... I think it would have made a world of difference! Now we watch it all the time, and I have read 'Cesar's Way,' but there is still an issue we're not exactly sure how to handle.

Over the past 2.5 years, we've had a couple of aggressive incidents, which have resulted in bites. On one occasion, early on, Kobi bit my boyfriend. I attributed that to the dog's ability to sense a bad mood, and reacting when that mood was directed towards him. It became, in a way, a collision of testosterone.

I now see that Kobi doesn't react well to forceful or aggressive behavior towards him. I can also see that he reacts aggressively to children if they convey fear. Once, he ran up to a child, barking, the child threw his book bag, threw his arms up in the air, and screamed. Kobi jumped up and bit him in the arm. Another time, more recently, he was off his leash, in the yard with me, when we were at home alone. A friend stopped by, and got out of the car with her young son. Before I could ask her to put go in the house until I hooked up the dog, he approached the boy. Not aggressively, but now that I have seen your show, I realize that he was too intensely focused on finding out what this young boy was all about. As soon as he got close, the boy cried out and Kobi reacted by biting him. It happened very quickly.

We are now going to fence in a large portion of our property. Is there a way to adjust our behavior so that we can ever have Kobi in the vicinity of children? Or will we always have to keep him separated from people and children who could potentially express fear?

Thank you, Cesar! We love your style, your show, and all your wonderful advice!
Michelle Lockwood, Naples, New York

And yes, K2, I am on a Mac and cannot access the actual chat room. At least we are able to post here, but not exactly what I was hoping for!

hi Cesar- I was wondering if you had a different approach to potty training than the tranditional methods? I love your show, enjoyed your book alot and had a great time at your seminar in Lake Zurich Illinos. Thanks- Tina

Dear Cesar,
I have just been given your book and am almost finished with it. I am new to your approach. I am from the U.S. currently residing in the Caribbean where I do volunteer animal rescue work. I don't have a TV so I haven't been able to watch any of your shows except the little mini clips I found on NGC website. I also have a Mac so I am not sure how this chat room works either.

A year ago I rescued my third dog Nate from the side of the road. He had open sores all over his body from mange. He had heartworm and tick fever too. We treated him and for him to heal physically it took over eight months until he was feeling better and started growing in all the fur that he lost from the mange treatment. He is now a healthy, beautiful boy. Nate is just a mixed breed dog, but I think he has some spaniel in him. Coconut Retrievers, is the local term for a mixed breed.

Anyway, ever since Nate came home from the vet and has been with me he is very protective of me and territorial. I have taken him to local obedience classes. He started to get better then the last class he bit one of the dogs that he was friendly with. I'm sure you hear this all the time, he is a teddy bear with me. He only tries to bite me if I try to clip his nails but after reading your book I am proud to say that I have 9 nails clipped in the last two days with no bites from him. I have used your "SShhh" technique although I think it scares him and then I get scared that he might bite me. He cuddles with me and is a sweetheart.

I live in a little cottage house on a property that has a main villa that is rented to tourists. I can't let him run on my property because he would bite any guests that might be here. When I have friends over Nate has stopped growling at them. I have them make him sit and they give him a treat. I keep him on a leash while they do this. They don't pet him until he is finished sniffing them and then really I tell them only to pet underneath his chin if he nudges them to do so, otherwise it could be too much too fast and bring on a fear bite. So I don't know how to give him his proper exercise to help exhaust him. He's very strong and walks great on a leash within the safe confines of his property. When I try to take him on the road he is like the Tazmanian Devil when he smells another dog or a car passes. He spins in the air and barks like mad. I have started to put him in a down stay to try to give him a job to do when cars approach, it doesn't work very well most of the time. Thank goodness we haven't actually met a dog off leash yet, only thru the fence.

I love Nate and he is a great dog and I don't want him to become one of those "red zone" dogs that I have just read about. Unfortunately, there is no one here available to help train Nate and I can't get him to the States without having some proper training first as I fear that the airlines would reject him from flying for being an aggressive dog. (I am experienced with flying animals, our rescue group has shipped over 140 dogs/pups off the island to great homes in the U.S.) How can I make sure he is not in the "red zone"? Can he be brought back from that if he is? How can I get him to walk nicely on a leash on the road? I work with him constantly and he is so much improved from where he was. He loves to play with toys and is the most playful of all my dogs. I do continue to let him know that I am the leader though. I can't let him get away with anything or he might think that he has control and I don't want that.

I am excited for the coming week as I will be going to a friend's house for marathon Dog Whisper week. Thank you for all you do and I hope to hear from you!!
Shelley
St. Martin, FWI

yes, I'm also having trouble entering the chat?

I'm very upset since I'm honestly cesar's #1 fan and I was hoping he can give me some advice.

hi all,
I got in right away, but he didn't answer my questions, but having read his book, watch DW, saw his DVD, I feel like all my questions are answered for now, even the problem i had with my dog, shirley barking in the car. I got a bottle of water & sqirt her, now she doesn't bark, but the chat was good, I noticed that Cesar probably needs to see the dog to address it properly, it's hard for meeven with my limited knowledge to answer questions without seeing the dog, except basics, excersise, disipline,affection.

SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP
About 2 years ago i adopted a 2 week old german shepard mix puppy. We have treated her very well and disciplined her, but she is very big and very ferocious, not against family, but against every thing else. When someone comes over, she barks and bites visciously, and when we try to take her for a walk it is almost impossible, we have a HALTI but im afraid it doesnt work. She will attack anything that comes into our yard, even people, and it leaves us very worried all of the time. She has even drawn a little bit of blood from a neighboor. She is a very sweet dog and very nice, but not around other animals and people, especially men. If anyone has any advice for me and my family, please email me at neverwinter1750@netzero.com please help out a fellow animal lover in need! please take this neverending amount of worry off of my chest!
with love, and god bless all
Zach

oh, and one more thing... DOG WHISPERER PLEASE COME TO COLORADO there are many dog owners here (Just about everybody) and i desperately need your help, i really do not want to have to put my dog down... she is family(look at the coment above)

Isn't it funny how many of us say we're Cesar's #1 fan??!! I finally got into the chat, and he answered my question! Wooo hooooo!!!!!

Susan Palmer #6, It seems like a simple fix for you would be to make sure humans are being pack leader 100% of the time. These behaviors are normal for a dog, especially a Lab, but they are very simple to correct if you use some very simple tools that Cesar demonstrates on the show such as "claiming the space" (the door, the couch, etc.), and telling guests "no touch, no talk, no eye contact." Standing in front of her when she rushes the door to "go crazy" when people/dogs are passing by, and walking in front of her on your walks. I'm not criticizing you, as I was pack leader 50% until I started practicing every day. It takes a LOT of practice and dedication, I will not lie to you. You have to be committed to changing the behavior (of YOURSELF as well as the dog). Practice, practice, practice. Watch Cesar's show & DVD over and over again -- every time I watch each episode I learn something new, even if I've seen it 10 times before. I am now pack leader 99% of the time. I slack off every once in a while. A month ago, it was only 80% of the time, and before that it was 50% or less!! So, if I can do it anyone can. I think this post applies to most of the other people here who posted last night about aggressive dogs: Bethany, Eileen, Michelle, Shelley & Zach. And of course, seek professional help if your dog is aggressive, you don't want your dog taken away from you.

Cesar fans,

Although some of us were not able to get into the chat, it was helpful for me to read the postings of others who share similar problems with aggression. I have seen Cesar's episodes on aggression towards other dogs, but I have yet to see one geared on aggression towards people, specifically children. Because these are such vulnerable little folks, I am very interested in gaining the knowledge to successfully change my behavior, resulting in my dog's reaction, toward their fear. It is one thing to explain the 'no touch, no talk, no eye contact' to an adult, who can objectively control their actions. It seems to be a completely different realm when children come into the picture. I'm not sure if Cesar will be reading these non-chat room postings, but I would love to have his insight on this problem! Cesar, or fans of Cesar, any suggestions?! Also, I read that Cesar will be coming to the New York City area to do show tapings. Wondering how far outside of New York City he will travel?

P.S. I love the chat room idea... and hope next time it can be expanded to include Mac users.

K2

Please explain how you were able to get into Cesar's live chat room. I tried for a long
time, with no success.

I tried to enter the chat around 6:00 PST. Page was blank I didnt realize it was EST. So dissappointed (:( Will there be another opportunity. What about the scheduled session, I entered my name for a reservation?
I dont have red zone dogs. I have Border Collies. Since reading Ceasars Way I have changed my whole thought process for training them. We have a schedule for excersize the same time every day we live on 11 acres so there is plenty of room for an eary morning romp (and again later if its not to hot)... Followed by 20 minutes each of working on the agility equipment. Then breakfast. They nap and I can get some work done. I take them out to walk on lead in public. I am the pack leader.(Im pretty sure) I train my girls in agility and my oldest does very well. She even made it into the CPE Nationals last June. Its the baby (1 yr in June) Shes gets worked up into a frantic state and shrill churps when we dont pick up the ball/frisbee whatever and thow it. At class she gets into that frantic state( churps) because its not her turn. I have great results lead walking with Halti's, but they are not allowed during class. She yanks and pulls and is not only hurting her neck but my shoulder. I wrap the lead around her belly and make it a harness when ever possible. She also wants to herd any dog that is not behaving. (my older BC does the same thing. Its a job)
What I want is to get her to 'take a breath' so to speak so she will focus on me. The agility is new and she is excited and doing a great job on the equipment. But her drive could cause injury if she doesnt pay attention. I shuss and do the 2 fingers to the neck... she doesnt notice. I have put her in what I call the Mommydog down to get her calmed down. That helps. Regarding the ball throwing, churping (high pitched baby bark) she flys into the pool (after the ball) and swims non stop. I have to watch her closely.
We practice no eye contact until she brings the ball to our hand. Also, "no Brodi, quiet" is our command. Its annnoying.
One last problem.. Both of them jump up on people in greeting. If I am standing there they behave better.. as soon as I turn my back they start with the licking and jumping. I cant seem to convince people to give them the off command and push them back and have them sit stay.. Whats up with our friends. Maybe they like getting jumped on by 45 lb border collies with muddy feet. Any suggestions?
Sorry I missed the chat. Cesar Please come to Sacramento.. its not that far from LA. I would love to come volunteer at your faculitly for a week or two or more . Ill even pick up poop!
Dee

My husband and I have looked everywhere, or so it seems, for guidance on raising a female mixed breed and THREE of her offsrping. The vet's office has labeled them "pointer mix", and their weights range from 40-65 pounds. Rosie was rescued by my husband, and even the vet couldn't tell she was pregnant. Lo and behold, we've had Rosie for 17 months, and three of her five puppies for 15 months. They're wonderful dogs, all four of them, but it has been such a challenge trying to raise them and train them (especially since we have a 7-year-old daughter, too, who has her own ideas about how to raise them). Has anyone seen or read something that can help owners like us? If so, please post your information. We would be eternally grateful.

Valerie-

Wow! This sounds as though you have your hands full with these guys. You are in for being a mother and pack leader to all 4 dogs. The mother is your focus as of now because instinctually, the puppies already know that she is in charge of them, but they will get big fast, so it is up to you to make sure that you are working on excersize, discapline, rules, boundaries, and limitations with all of the dogs so that as they grow big, they already know that you are the alpha, if not they might listen to the mother dog, but they might not listen to you. Affection is last because it is a human need more than a dog need. Dogs need all of the above first just to be fullfilled as a dog, especially puppies that are growing, you want them to grow up in a balanced state of mind. So they are labeled as Pointer mixes, well it might be a good idea to look up the history of that breed and how they were used, and apply that knowledge to the best of your ability on what sort of actions you might take to work with these dogs on a daily basis. Pointers are working types, and in the future, they will become more of a handful if they do not feel that they are being physically and mentally challenged enough, so daily routine walks and training is highly reccommended. Remember that in your house, you make the rules, no aggression, no jealousy, no dominant states of mind, no possesion of food or toys, or any other unruly behavior. Have them learn these things as they grow up, and this goes for mama dog too. You love and treat all dogs equally. Dont forget that even though your 7 year old daughter is above the dogs in the heiarchy, you are still in charge of her too. If dogs sense an insability in the pack, they will move in and take control, so she certainly need to be rasing these dog the same way that you and your husband are. This is important so that the dogs grow up learning to respect, and be gentle with her. I know that some people in this blog certainly understand what its like to be in charge of kids and dogs, not me, but I can only imagine that being calm and assertive applies to both kids and dogs. I had to take control of the situation when the neigborhood kids wanted to pet my dog, but my new dog was scared of kids. They came running up to him, and that did not help his fear, so I learned that once I asserted myself with the kids and told them they are not allowed to pet my dog until they are calm and they get on their knees and let my dog sniff them first. Well, it worked, I had to be patient, but from that day on, the kids automatically knew how to act around my dog whenever they saw him. That led to my dog liking kids, and me learning how to assert myself while my dog was figuring out that he could trust me not to lead him into a scary situation because I was in control. I hope that all goes well with you and your pack, but I am sure that you will make a great pack leader. You might want to try basic obedience classes for all dogs, or at least the puppies as a helpful starter. Good Luck!

oops, I realize that your puppies probably ARE big already, but the same rules apply. excersize, discapline, and then affection.

Looking for some advice as to how to introduce a new puppy to a household dog of 2 years. Both are min pins. Connie

Connie-

This applies to pupies and dogs alike: when first introducing a new dog to a current dog, it is best that it be done on neutral territory, not in the home. Cesar mentions that when introducing dogs it is highly reccommended that you lead them on a walk together for at least 45 minutes before anything else, but we do have a puppy here, so he/she might not know how a leash works just yet. So do your best if possible to at least lead them on a brief walk together. From my experiences at least, min pins can be rather dominant at times, so first before all else you might want to ask yourself if your current dog views you as the alpha. Does he/she walk next to you always, or in front of you? If the dog walks in front, then he/she is the alpha in the pack. Who steps out the door first? if its the dog, that also gives a clue about who thinks who is the leader. Do you have a daily routine for your dog, or does your dog have a daily routine for you? think about these things and consider whether or not you have a balanced pack already established and a bond with your current dog. When bringing a new dog into a pack, if there is any slight instability of any pack member, the new dog will take control. This can cause many issues futher down the line. If you have a balanced, stable pack relationship with your current dog, you are in charge, you set rules, boundaries, limitations, and provide excersize, and discapline on a daily basis, it creates a ripple effect so the new pack member will try to simply fit in with the daily routine. Affection is last, but not least, simply because affection is good for a humans mental state, but dogs thrive on following a strong stable leader as opposed to an emotional, nuturing, or affectionate leader. Being a calm, assertive and loving leader makes for a special bond with your dog(s). Remember who was in your heart first, and try to make it a point that no one is being favored more than the other. Treat your kids as equally special as they are in your heart. Good luck!

I have loved all animals since a child. I have learned a long the way, but never before now!! i just finished "Cesar's Way"
and say a big "Wow"!! And I totally understand and have learned so much more than I ever expected. Thank you Cesar!!
I own two pugs , Fancy [Ma-ma] and Otis {Fancy's son] Ma-Ma is 13 and Otis is 12. She was staying at my frinds home while I perpared for her to come into a fles-free home & yard and mean while at 10 1/2 mo.'s > her brother got to her at the end of her heat. She had 2 pups and one was too weak to survive.
They have had some training and walking well as you have explained in the part of energy,submission etc.
I started volunteering with a pug rescue group for 6 years and took in 'fosters' till they were adopted.
I no longer do this now- for 3 years. It sarted with my house trained pugs that they started to relived themselves at anytime and had to since allow them only in our kitchen area. They are crate trained also.
I haven't since unable to walk them due to sugery on one knee, now am able to walk at least once a day and having no 'treadmill' YET!! They are not too happy and have been for a while now barking when they want to eat, it appears they have a built in clock and they start barking an hour before it's time to feed.I have tried the "SHHhhh" sound to no avail, waiting for submissivenesss from them is a joke and goes on and on, untill I leave the room and finally they will stop [for a while]
I go back in to feed and they start up again.
They had trained me to get up and feed because I couldn't stand the barking. Not good! I walked them for the first time in ages and for 45 minutes, in about 15 minutes it was going quite well. Got home, feed them and went out back with coffee in hand to relax a while, they were very good. Calif is so humid now that I couldn't walk during the afternoon and won't at night alone.
They are both non aggressive eaters and while walking pay no attention to dogs barking or cats laying out and do not relieve on peoples yards, till we return to ours.
I tell people I'm training and please ignore them and thank them.
Anyways, till I'm able to walk each day w/o pain, I try my best.
Kids have all left the home for their own families. No dog walkers that are any good and afforable.
Ant suggestions for this delima? Appreicate... Thanks.
ps. Just up graded dish network to view Cesar's show on national Geographic channel!! Kindly yours. Mary Lou

I am a dog trainer & love cesar's show,I have adopted some of the techniques into training my own dogs and have also incoperated them into my classes,Calm and assertive walking is great for all dogs,exercise is so important to a dogs mental/ phyical well being,I hope cesar's books and tv show will teach people that dogs are not people, they are animals first and need to be treated and trained as such.thanks cesar for teaching me to be calm and assertive it really works.

Hi Rudy, I had to keep clicking "refresh" like 500 times for a good 90 minutes (started at 6:45, finally got in at 8:05!). I sent my question, never expecting a response because last time there was a chat w/Cesar, I got in an HOUR before, and I sent my question and it didn't get answered. So, I was really surprised because I got in AFTER the chat had begun and my question was answered. But they probably see me on the blog all the time, and figured they'd better answer me -- I give them a lot of free publicity LOL!!! I would imagine it all depends on how many people are out there trying to get in, if the chat rooms are full or vacant, whether you have high-speed internet access, and I guess Mac users can't do it (????).

Dee Poynter, yes, there will probably be another chat. The last one was in April. So, I'm guessing he does it every three months. There'll probably be one to kick off the new season in October, is my educated guess!!

Michelle Lockwood, there is an episode with a Border Collie who is afraid of kids. Cesar uses his own two sons to help the dog overcome its fear. It's not really "aggression" but I think the same principles apply. However, if the dog is aggressive to people, I would strongly suggest you seek professional hands-on help. As Cesar's show says at the beginning, and throughout, "Don't try these techniques yourself without consulting a professional." If you go onto Cesar's web site (Cesar Millan Inc, not this web site) he has links to other trainers around the country who are skilled in the same way as he is. One of them does telephone consults, I think she is located in the Chicago area (not sure).

My name is Bethany Hooks and I own a 3 year old Akita. As of two days ago he attacked a neighbor coming into my house and now the state of California is telling me basically my only option is to put him down.
I recently moved here and do not know the CA law but from what I have been told, the DA could press charges.

If there is anyone out there who has been through this experience and might have information that would help, please respond. He is like my child and I don't know what to do.

Bethany

Bethany, I feel so sorry for you. I know exactly how you feel because I felt the same way when my dog attacked a cat, which later had to be euthanized (the cat). I thought my dog would be taken away, but my neighbors and I settled everything between us and I paid the VERY EXPENSIVE vet bills and fenced in my property immediately. My precious dog is still with me.

Unfortunately, I live in Mass., and don't know Calif., laws. Maybe others here do, or maybe you should go to one of the groups on yahoo where there are a ton of knowledgeable people who could email you directly. The Dog Whisperer Fans group on yahoo is one place to start and then somebody could direct you to different places from there.

In the meantime, get yourself a good attorney. My thoughts are with you.

Hi Bethany,

Google "akitabuddies.org"; they are the akita rescue here in CA. We live in the LA area, and I was pretty sure that a dog got one bite before they ordered euthanasia; it might be your city presenting the problem tho.

I think the akita rescue could at least advise you as to what your rights are and whether or not they could help.

Also I just went to "Handelonthelaw.com" -- Bill Handel has a radio show on KFI in LA and is an attorney. There is a place to choose a legal specialty (dog bite is there) and your area; it will give several choices of referred lawyers with that specialty. In our experience they will tell you what your options are and if you mention Bill Handel they will reduce their bill.

Hope this helps -- please let us know what happens, and remain calm and assertive!

We rescued lab mix from the animal shelter. He was a 3 time loser and now we know why. He digs and is horrified of fireworks to the point of destroying things, scratching paint off of the door and has managed to learn how to open the door via the knob! We are getting better at locking the door but we have tried meds for the fireworks but they don't work (he walks around like a paranoid crack addict) and all of the remedies for digging but they don't work. Anyone with suggestions...HELP! Thanks

My husband and I truly enjoy your program. We have a wonderful 2 year old golden retriever named Maggie. One problem, she is terrified of stairs. As a puppy she fell down them a couple of times and now when she approaches any staircase she will just lie down and not move. We have tried many ways to encourage her, or we have tried to use her leash and brought her to the stairs. Any suggestions that anyone has would be greatly appreciated. In all other ways Maggie listens and obeys. She is a very calm and gentle dog. Thank you.

I am still waiting to hear if Cesar will ever tackle a Basenji. To us Basenji owners....then, only then will we believe that Cesar is the real deal.
The dog must be a pure bred basenji pup or young adult and not an older basenji nor a basenji mix!
Waiting with baited breath!!

I have two dogs - both of which are very obedient, calm, and submissive in the house or on the leash. When they are outside AND off leash, they are very different dogs.

Tawny, the 6-year-old Golden Retriever will not come when he is called. I can't use a fishline leash because of all the trees and bushes in our sturdily fenced back yard (we live in a forested area, very rural). I've tried everything I can think of and am now about ready to use a "zapper" collar. It delivers a painless but significant "zap" to a dog who doesn't obey a command. This strikes me as being rather cruel, but I don't know any other way to make him come to me when he is off leash and outside. (He comes to me perfectly, every time, when he is in the house or on leash.) Does anyone have any ideas I can try before I go the zapper route?

Greta is our 6-year-old Shepard/Terrier mix. She came to us at the age of 18 months, very hyper, very aggressive, and very domineering. She's given all that up now, and seems to be a much happier dog. Cesar's techniques worked very well. She has a few habits that cause difficulty. First, she will not "stay" if I leave her sight. As long as she can see me, she'll happily stay where I ask her to stay, but as soon as I'm out of sight, she comes looking for me. She doesn't mind being in a different room from me unless I ask her to stay in the other room. Do dogs remember being abandoned? She was abandoned by 5 different owners that we know of before we got her, and she acts as if she's afraid I'll leave her, too. I know dogs do remember some things or they wouldn't be trainable, but I'm not sure whether she'd remember that. How can I correct this? By tying her in place? Any ideas?

The second problem is that she bolts if she is outside and off leash. I think I can cure that with the "zapper" collar (it delivers a painless but significant "zap" to a dog who doesn't obey), but that strikes me as being rather cruel. Does anyone have any ideas how I can cure her of this problem before I try the "zapper?"

The third problem is that when I am out of sight, in another room, she digs through the trash and tears up the kleenex. She does not do this if there is any possible chance that I'll catch her at it, and she is very quiet about doing it. I have not forced her to enter a crate (which was one of my earlier ideas of solution) - she was apparently kept in one for several months at a time when she was young, and she is terrified enough to cringe, cry, and urinate all over the floor when I try to put her in a crate. I don't know how to make her less afraid of the crate. Over the years, she's learned that it is safe to stick her head inside the crate to reach the water, but that's as far as she'll go. Is this something I can use the zapper collar on, too? In this instance, I'm concerned that it will just make her more afraid of the crate. Any ideas, anyone?

"The dog must be a pure bred basenji pup or young adult"

Kevin, Cesar works with "good dogs gone bad", not puppies. In last night's re-run of the two women with the two Rottweiler puppies, Cesar specifically said that he normally doesn't work with puppies, but that these two would develop into red-zone behavior if they were not shown the proper handling techniques.

Also, Cesar doesn't discriminate between breeds -- i.e., one breed being "worse" than another. "No dog is too much for me" is one of his famous phrases. But also, the whole point of Cesar's methods is to teach the HUMANS how to handle the dog. The problem is not the dog, it's the human. I don't see why that is so misunderstood by so many people who need to be "convinced" about Cesar's methods. He's not training dogs, he's training people how to handle dogs and how to relate to dogs in a way that the dog understands.

If I'm not mistaken, there HAS been an episode with a Basenji. I'm going to investigate that. But it doesn't matter, because it's not the breed, it's the human that creates the problem dog.

Jeff and Debbie, There are tons of posts in the archives here about dogs and fireworks. There are also a lot on the Dog Whisperer Fans group on yahoo. Bottom line is, a tired dog is a good dog. Labs needs TONS of exercise. I have two Lab-mixes and they are 5 & 6 1/2 years old and they are extremely energetic. My black Lab lived to be 18 and was extremely energetic until age 16. A Lab who is less than, say, 8 years old, needs a TON of exercise (and that means structured walks with you being pack leader -- not just running around in the yard without supervision, or at a dog park). Walk, walk, walk. Fish swim, birds fly, dogs walk. When my dogs were pups, I walked them 2 - 3 hours a day (two walks per day) so they'd be tired enough to behave when I went to work. Tiring him out will relieve some of the pressure and make him easier to deal with during the fireworks. Also, he shouldn't be locked up and left all alone while fireworks are going on. You need to redirect his attention onto something fun. He also needs to be part of your pack, especially during times that might stress him out like when fireworks are happening. All dogs are pack animals, and Labs are especially pack-oriented. If you separate him from the pack (you and your family are his pack) that is going to freak him out. He needs to be included in your pack, with you as leaders. I strongly believe that medication is not the answer, and it ticks me off that vets just prescribe medication for dogs in this situation. You need to bring him into the back yard and toss a ball around, or give him a rawhide bone to chew on or some other kind of acceptable toy to chew on to occupy him while the fireworks are happening. Let him know that nothing bad is going to happen by YOUR behavior signaling that to him. If you behave normally and don't lock him in a room (for heaven's sake!! think about it!! he is associating fireworks with being locked in a room!) If you MUST put him in a room for his own safety, then at least one human should stay with him to keep him with part of the pack. Dogs are meant to walk and work, they are not meant to be locked up. If you act like nothing is wrong, nothing is different, and tire him out every day with exercise, you will see a WINNER, not a loser. Also, as Cesar points out, humans don't live in the moment. We are forever remembering what happened in the past, or what's going to happen in the future. If you view your dog as a "loser" then that energy gets projected onto him and he will always and forever behave like a loser and be given away and considered hopeless. Live "in the moment" and forget about what happened to him before. Move forward and create new and different ideas that will challenge him and make him feel better instead of tired old tricks that have already failed him in the past.

Pam, You should watch the episode with Kane, the Great Dane, from the Season 1 DVD. If you use the same kind of methods (be gentle and kind!) you can probably conquer the stairs. It will be a slow process. None of this stuff is instantaneous.

"As long as she can see me, she’ll happily stay where I ask her to stay, but as soon as I’m out of sight, she comes looking for me"

Kaelinda, sounds like you are her pack leader! And she wants to be with you!

"Do dogs remember being abandoned? She was abandoned by 5 different owners that we know of before we got her, and she acts as if she’s afraid I’ll leave her, too. I know dogs do remember some things or they wouldn’t be trainable, but I’m not sure whether she’d remember that."

They probably remember, to an extent, but remember that they live in the moment so you need to forget about what happened in the past and move on. If you keep remembering that she was abandoned, that energy will transmit to your dog and she'll pick up on negative vibe and act accordingly.

I'm not a fan of zap collars or zap anything (fences, etc). I strongly believe that the BEHAVIOR has to be changed. You could use the zap collar temporarily to teach the behavior and slowly wean the dog off the collar as it learns. I think that's the way the collars are intended to be used. But, in my personal opinion, I feel it is better for the human to learn how to redirect and change the behavior instead. Get some of Patricia McConnell's books -- they are a godsend -- Cesar recommends her books in his book. Get his book & DVD too if you haven't already. McConnell describes, in easy-to-understand-language "how to" get your dog to listen to you off-leash. One thing she recommends is going in the OTHER direction, maybe with a treat in hand for the first few sessions, and make a lot of noise -- whistle, use a squeaky toy -- anything to get the dog's attention and make him follow you. Too many of us "chase" our dogs and then can't figure out why they won't come back to us. Chase is a game to them, and establishes the DOG as leader, not the other way around. It seems illogical to our human brains to go the other way, go AWAY from the dog -- after all what if he's loose on a busy road or something? But, it works!!! Try it once and you'll see.

As far as getting into the trash, you need to give her a "nothing in life is free" way of life. You need to keep everything out of her reach, and you need to "claim" everything in the house as belonging to you. NOTHING belongs to her. She has to earn everything she wants -- food, toys, treats. Give her appropriate things to chew on, don't just leave her in the kitchen alone and expect her not to get into the trash. She will be bored alone, and will want to burn off some energy. Make sure she's tired and give her an appropriate toy like a Kong or something to play with, and put the trash out of her reach.

I don't use crates, but just logical thinking, I think if you put some food or treats or a favorite toy or blanket in the crate and leave open all the time, and put it in a place where she can see and be with the pack (you and your family) then she will eventually go in. Don't force her.

Bottom line, use the zap collar if you wish, but only temporarily. Learn how to change the behavior instead. Because, what if, some day, you don't HAVE an e-collar on hand? Right?

To ZACH #18:
Hi Zach , hope you got an answer for your dog.

Cesar has worked on the show with several dogs with the exact same issues as you described. You might try buying some of his episodes on dvd now - I think you'll find an answer there. Cesar seems to believe that all dogs can be rehabilitated, and I am beginning to believe him.

An episode that might really help you is the one title "Pasha, Cosmo, and Contessa" - Cosmo is a shepherd with agression issues too. There are other episodes like it.

And obviously, get a professional trainer to help you, preferably one who works using the pack power approach. Since the agression is concerning you, your dog is picking up on the emotions around her and acting out even more.

I have done a complete about face! I have 5 huskies and love to mush, skijor and scooter with these guys. All but one are rescues and I have been convinced that if a Husky is taught to walk on heal, they won't pull. That thinking is not only WRONG thinking, it was beginning to cause some serious health conserns for me. (I can scratch the backs of my knees without bending - my arms are getting stretched) There are barking dogs, dogs that run out into the street at you and cats everywhere in my neighborhood! It got so bad that I was driving my dogs in the car as far as 10 miles or more one way just to get in a walk!

I got brave after reading Cesars book, tried some of his techniques and thought after about a few weeks of working with my dogs, I might be able to walk them all at once. I met that goal in less than 5 days! Right through the neighborhood with all the barking, meowing and rushing out at us! Whew! It is exciting and I never know what might happen next. The one think I do know is, "I am definetly the leader of the pack!" My dogs are working as a team better than ever. I don't dread walking though my own neighborhood anymore and some of the barking dogs are bored with us and don't bark as much as they used to.

Thank you Cesar! I love what you do! AND thanks to you, I won't have to retire as a recreational musher because my knuckles are dragging on the ground when I walk!

Thanks, Tianna. I appreciate your thoughtful comments. I will look up Pointer traits. As for my 7-year-old, well...

Hi I have olmost one year old shepered and she is scared of everyone exept for me. I am pregnant and concerned about the baby. When someone comes to my house she runes and hides. She dose not growl but I am scared one day she'll turn on someone. She is very scared of guys and my soon to be husband is coming home from training. We got her about a month ago. She likes my mom but is scared of her to. She dose growl when the cat gets to close to her food. I am scared that she'll atack my boyfriend because she is very pertective of me. She acts like her old owners beat on her. She is a loving dog but very scared. Its hard to take her on walks because she runs from everyone. She is even scared of kids and I am scared that my child will be in danger. So I am asking what can I do to help her come out of this shell that shes put around her. Thanks Samantha.

Cesar-
Thank you for your excellent portrayals of "calm authority." I do not currently have dogs but am training a horse. While horses are not the same as dogs in all aspects there are many similarities. They are herd animals similar to a pack, they live in the now not the past or future, and they listen to the smart leader. My trainer has all her students watching your program to help us be more effective at training our horses. "Exercize, discipline, then affection" works with horses too!

I have an agressive longhaired chihuahua.He is agressive to other dogs and he is scared of everything.I adopted him from the pound were he was going to be put to sleep.What can i do to help him with his problem? Do you put your dogs up for adoption because i would love a huskie or huskie mix.
thank you

P.S. Love your show

I have a American pit bull tierrer that is scared of human males and she tineds to pull when I'm taking her for a walk

Hey Cesar! I love your shows and I use your shows as refferences to training my dogs. I have three dogs, Odie, Blu, and Rusty. Odie is older and is very submissive around my parents, but not me. He has bitten me three times and now sees himself as dominant but now 13 years old he has mellowed down a bit. Blu is probally the most trainable of all of the dogs I have owned in my life but she jumps our fence and roams the neighborhood. She's walked 2-3 times a day, each walk takes 45 minutes but every time I have to put her in the back yard when I need to leave to go somewhere the first thing she does is jump the fence and lie on the front porch after looking for me. Acually, this has been her second to third week of doing this and she has collected her own gallery of shoes. She now has three slippers and a size 16 cleet! She doesnt run off when I take her to the front yard to do her business or even when I take her for a walk with no leash, (every now and then.) When I take her for a walk she walks either beside or behind me and with a quick glance and a "Tchi" she go directly beside me again. She's also aggressive with people outside our 13 animal-people pack. She's a no bite, bark kind of dog, and still being a pup I dont want her to become a 'red zone' dog in the future. Rusty's my big problem in my pack. He's a very smart dog, you'd be surprised! If you tell him to go outside he'll start going fast towards the door, but then slow down to the point where he's barely walking and then turns around to see if youre still looking. He tests his bouneries constantly, which is normal, being a puppy. We constanly tell him he's boss and put him in his place, and yet he's untrainable. He's still not completely potty-trained. He knows where he needs to go pee but he'll just walk up to the door and if it's not open for him he'll go right there. Blu and Odie we'll scratch and/or whine but he just doesn't care, even if he does get punished. He's very stuborn, part of his breed. Odie is a cocker spaneil, Blu and Rusty are American bulldog, Blue heeler, hound mix. I've been with Blu and Rusty since they were only a few hours old, careing for them and their Mother around the clock and did not feel Rusty was a suitable dog because he showed the most aggersion and dominance with his 10 other brothers and sisters. Blu and Rusty are now going to be 5 months of age on the 3rd of Augest. I hope you can help, Cesar. They're great dogs with great personalities and I hope you can give me some tips and pointers. I always use your "Exersize, Disaplen, Then Affection" method with my dogs. They earn their food and affection in My home. I'm a very dominant girl, and a leader in training, and I look up to you for advice.

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MY DOG SHADOW WON'T LISEN TO ANYTHING !

I have been watching the Dog Whisperer this past week and paying attention. What sticks in my mind most was people need to behave when first entering a pack of dogs. I had a chance to do such a thing this morning when I was out for a walk. I came across 2 labs without humans downtown. I walked more erect than I usually do and I kept my focus straight ahead of me. I ignored the labs when they circled and sniffed me and I just kept on walking. The labs decided to follow me. I could hear one walking behind me, panting. The other one would sometimes follow and sometimes go do some investigating but would come back to me on its own. At times, both dogs would leave me to greet/meet other people but they always came back to me. They eventually followed me home so I watered them and I was then able to get a phoned number off the dog tag. While waiting for their human to show up, the one who followed me most just liked laying next to me and enjoyed being petted and the other liked chasing a tennis ball.

My question is, what does a human do or not do so that dogs don't follow the human home? My reason for behaving like a pack leader was for my own protection.

my golden retreiver 2yrs old which we rescued 4mos ago has a habit of bringing me my shoes, clothes and towels how can I stop here from doing this. She seems to think it is her job. Also she will bark if she see's someone at the property line but welcomes anyone who comes to the door.

HI i have a chocolate lab thats aggresive to me and my famliy when she wants to be. Her name is Roxy. We listen to your show and have tried to follow what you say but its not working very well.She loves people and jump all over them and its hard to stop her.I always wished that cesar would come and fix her. Shes about 15-16 weeks.she also has a sweet loveing side that we love very much.I'm 12 years old and love my dog very much and don't want her to go like my past other dogs. that why i ask you for your help if you get this messege of help!!!!!

Cesar,
I'm having a few problems with my dog, Barney. Every time we come home or have guests over Barney runs straight to them and jumps on them. We have tried everything to get him to stop but he just won't. WE NEED HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would like to hear what Cesar has to say about puppies that have a tendency to chew on kids or furniture. I don't know if he would facilitate the same approach as with more mature dogs.
In Christ Rick.

hi Ceaser,
Im johnny i have 5 dogs i try to train them like on the show its alot of work,but goin good so far.I want to be a dog whisperer could u give me some pointers on how to be come one if so thank you Ceaser muchly be apprieciated...

I love your show. My wife and I watch it without fail.I have a question. Where do you get the COOL SKATES? The ones with the large angled wheels on the side of the shoe. I've searched for them all over the net and can't seem to find them. Thank you.
Jaime

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