Kane’s breed was specifically bread for this purpose and I feel that we’re just not used to see working dogs work. It’s actually sort of beautiful to see these dogs fulfill their “destiny”. They’re much happier when working. I’ve even considered getting a pull harness for my rescued Pit mix (with some serious issues) and Staff Terrier (who is very stubborn and bouncy). I’m just not sure how that would work out in an extremely urbanized area. I've noticed that (large) dogs are a lot more powerful and durable that people give them credit for.

Great episode!

HELPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!
Okay I have a poochie (half poodle, half chihuahua) he shreds any kind of paper he can find, including toilet paper from the waste basket, the corners of my couch etc. But he only does this when we're asleep or gone so we can't correct him. I'm lost as to what to do!

I agree with Lisa. I recently caught a few episodes and have been addicted to the show ever since.

I, too, find Cesar very sexy. The nice looks, the accent, and just the fact that he's so great with dogs - it makes me weak in the knees. :)

Hi Cesar,

I have a 1yr.2mos old Neopolitan Mastiff/Pitbull mix, name Block and he is very hard headed and aggressive. He likes to bark and jump up on people when as they come into the house. Block is very hard for me to live with, because he don't listen to anything you say; when we tell him to sit he go's around in circles about (4) or (5) times before he sit. When you tell him to come on so he can go out back he sits there and put up his leg when you come near him. It's so hard for me to tell you everything wrong what my dog, because there's so much for him to learn. Block had a setback at 3mos. he fell down the steps and broke his leg he had to have major surgery and was in a cast for 8wks. I think that's why it's so hard to break him out of wanting to be around everybody and not listen to anything. Can you PLEASE HELP ME and my FAMILY. Please tell me how much it would cost me for you to HELP US.

I know this is more a comment page, but I did not know where else to write for help. My husband and I purchased an 8 week old male
Cane Corso. He is now 6 months and very aggressive towards other people and animals. He has already been in two dog fights and shows his teeth and growls at people. I'm sure he would bite them
out of fear if he was not on his leash. He's a very shy dog. It takes a lot of encouraging to get him out and do things with us. He has been in puppy kindegarten and now starts obedience classes.
I know it is just a matter of time before there is a serious incident with him. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

i agree that the program is awesome but for those of you who haven't read "cesar's way", you are in for an even bigger treat! it's the best book on owning a dog that i have ever read. thanks, cesar, for the inspiring story of your family & all you do for us "pack leaders" & our dogs. my lhasa is a very opinionated little guy but when we "migrate" every morning he is a much more cooperative follower & i don't even have to do any disciplining. it IS magic; the energy thing is for real! thanks, carol schumacher in minnesota

I have a 3 year old German Shephard named Maverick. He is a wonderful dog when we are in the house by ourselves. When someone comes to the door he wants to be the first one there. He thinks everyone that walks through the door is there to see him. He starts jumping on poeple and trying to lick them. He also is dog agressive. He can't see any other dog cause he will go after it. He also loves running out of the house. I did see in your archives another shephard that likes to chase her tail. My dog does that as well. I wasn't able to watch that show. Why is this a problem? I always thought he was just playing.

I have a 7-year old Jack Russell. I realize after watching a few episodes of the Dog Whisperer I have been the problem. I put him in the role of a buddy after my divorce instead of being the leader of my pack. We shared lot's of time together, ate together, slept together and in the process he became the leader. He ran the household. Now that I am engaged and we are trying to build a new family, his habits are magnified. He goes where he wants, begs constantly, gets into waste baskets, attacks the TV when he sees any animal on the screen, (yes he watches TV)is impossible to walk with on a leash, bolts for an open door and is nearly impossible to catch and is not very social amoung other dogs. I could really use help not only in rehabilitating him and training me but it will go a long way in saving my relationship as he is a source of major stress and anger with my fiance. Thanks.

I walk three basset hounds for a dog walking client of mine, their great dogs and alot of fun. I know that some dogs eat dog poop but one of the hounds "Charlie" does it too much. His owner and I were discussing this issue of why dogs do this and wondering if there's a way to stop this bad habit. I watch Cesar's show all the time to learn how to work with dogs better.

Regardless of either the IWPA's weight pull rules or Kane's vet's opinion, any knowledgable Swissy breeder or owner will tell you that 1 year old Swissy is NOT a physically mature dog and having him pull any extra weight is simply foolhardy and unnecessary. Weight pulling and drafting are two different activities and you can not apply the guidelines of one to the other. Also, the IWPA rules are not specific to any particular typye of breed, therefore what may be okay for a 1 year old APBT may not truly be okay for a 1 year old GSMD.

However, my biggest complaint with that segment was that there was almost no prep work done to properly introduce Kane to the cart. I have attended and given carting seminars and I have taught many Swissies (and other breeds) to pull a cart safely. If Kane had been properly introduced to the activitey he would not have flailed about in the cart coming dangerously close to injuring himself or any of the people nearby. Thank goodness Cesar was physically strong enough to stop the situation, but how much better if things had just been done properly from the beginning so there was no need for him to intervene. Certainly Kane would have had a much more positive experience. And viewers would have learned a lot more than just the wrong way to introduce a dog to carting.

Perhaps next time more than just good intentions should be used when trying to use a breed's historical purpose as part of a solution to a dog's problem. It's an admirable objective, but one that takes more effort than was given in this instance.

Swissy Regrards,

Ellyn

OMG I know Lisa & Tish I agree Cesar is sooooooooo hot.......yuuuuummmmmm. :) His wife is one lucky lady.

Folks,

Cesar doesn't answer questions here on the blog.

Bryant, your dog spinning around a few times before he sits is quite normal. A lot of dogs turn or spin a few times before sitting or lying down. In your case, Mastiffs often have hip problems to begin with, AND your dog broke his leg. Work with what you've got. If you know he needs to turn or spin a few times before sitting, then work that into your program. He's probably just trying to get comfortable. He's not being a bad dog.

In response to Ellyn, Let's not forget that the segements are edited down to fit into a 15-minute time frame. The cart-pulling was two minutes of a 15-minute, edited-down videotape which could have been hours and hours in length. Many times, the producers will show on the screen how long something takes, or Cesar will say "I've been here for 3 hours" or "I've had the dog for three days" etc. etc. In that particular segment, the time was not noted, but IMO they most certainly spent a great deal of time getting the dog used to the cart and handling it appropriately. Cesar grew up on a farm. I think he knows what he's doing!

Cesar,

I am a newcomer to cable tv, so alas, to your show as well. I am a long time ethical breeder of Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs. I was past Rescue Co Chair for our National Club and to this day still rescue and rehome these wonderful clowns.

I delighted at your inginuity in utilziing the Swissy's natural love to "PULL PULL PULL" to put that silly smile on his face and to work out some of his stress.

I can assure everyone here that Kane not only had no ill effects from pulling, but could have been pulling light carts for some time.

There is a big difference between dead weight and wheeled weight and Swissy's excel at weight pull. Swissy's also excel at not being the brightest bulb in the lamp, at being completely anal about routine, and due to their clownish behavior have high tendencies to repeat behaviors that cause a reaction and repeat it during same scene scenarios.

Kane's food issue isnt really about food or aggression but about the reaction he gets and the power it gives him. This is a common problem in our breed, and our breed has a bit of a Rottie edge to it, but underneath is chicken hearted. When challenged immediately, they give up and generally dont try it again. But if they get away with it enough it becomes a fun learned behavior. Fun for them because it gives them power. Scary for us because this power is driven from fear.

I once had to take in a 7yr old male whom one day when the 2 & 4 yr old were coming down a closed hallway, barked and barooed at them playfully and the kids jumped and got scared, and the dog continued it. It became worse and worse and we all agreed that due to the age of the children and the fact that they were eye level to the dog that he needed to come into rescue.

Heartbreaking, for all, how do you explain to kids that age that a dog older than them is gone now? When he arrived here, one day my kids were coming down a closed hallway and I saw his brain click and I told my kids to step into the bedroom and listen to me.

I instructed them about what the dog would do and I told them to look straight over the top of him, ignore him and keep walking. He postured and went to barroo roo roo and he never got it out, because he had to move or be run over and move he did, and my kids kept going outside never stopped, never looked back, and then he came to me and my hubby all flustered and we ignored him.. He never tried it again. He went to a great home where he passed away years later of old age.

It's probably appropriate to point out that my kids are well educated about dogs and they trust me to have control over them at all times. I do my very best to live up to that responsibility.

I just wanted everyone to know that tho Kane seemed very aggressive, it is a misquided behavior, it is common in juvenile males specifically, and it can be fixed.

I love my Swissy's, they bring great joy to so many, I just wanted everyone to know what a great job Cesar did in utilizing our breeds natural abilities.

Jaime Garcia
AZ Animal Owner & Sportsmen Voting Alliance
Phoenix, AZ
this little light of mine....im gonna let it shine.....

This is a general response to everyone that would like to attempt training an animal on a treadmill. I recently have been unable to walk my lab/Australian shepard mix for his daily 2 mile walk. He is a very fearful, anxious dog and when not exercised becomes very dog aggresive. I purchased a treadmill specifically for his walks. I started out walking very slowly with him on the machine. Then progressed to him walking solo, but leashed, with me at constant attendance at his side. He now completes a 10 min. warm-up, 20 min jog, and 10 min cool down daily without a leash or collar. I am in constant attendance, by his side, in the room. He is in great shape and a much more social dog!

I have a 9 1/2 year old wire haired fox terrier. She has gotten
more dog aggressive as time goes on, I have tamed her from eating the vaccum cleaner by owning it, same with the broom. But
if a dog comes into my home she would attack. She also greets
dogs with a three second wag then says something nasty and they attack her. She will not allow another dog to sniff her. I could
never entertain the idea of bringing another dog into her life
and I would like to.
Any comments would be appreciate. Thank you,

While reading this blog, I noticed one from Carol Schumacher in Minnesota. Could this be my former roommate from Carpinteria, California in the 1980s?? We lost touch and I'd love to hear from her.

my neighbor has a sweet, affectionate dog probably just about a yr old. possibly a german shepard. he get's very little attention and is chained / confined in the yard w/ very little room to roam. i started walking him a couple of months ago but my health only allows me to do it about 3 times per week. when he sees me coming for him he gets so excited that he starts jumping. my legs are bruised as he gets heavier and harder to handle. i've tried the hand / bite technique that cesar uses but it does not work. more important than that is the fact that he pulls like crazy on the walk. he pauses and changes direction w/ no problem but when we are on a straight path he starts pulling. it is really bad when we go downhill. i'd like to spend more time w/ him and take a longer walk but he wears me out. does the fact that he is chained all the time and therefore pulling on his leash in the yard cause him to pull constantly on the walk? i'd really appreciate any advice.
thanks so much.

I am afraid that I am leaving this in the wrong post but is is about the show concerning Sugar the 11 mo. old Beagle. Sorry but that was a bad choice. Beagles are hunters by breed, when hunters go out the dogs are packed up and then sent out alone as a pack. The nose to the ground is not a BAD behavior you simply redirect the nose from one trail to another. Beagles should never be a one pet. People should have 2 beagles and a lot of the problems this family experienced would not have happened.
I currectly have 1 blue tick beagle, 2 of his off spring, one beagle mix(shelter dog), 1 bassett/lab/beagle mix (rescue) and one boston terrier mix. The blue tick beagle was owned by a "hunter" and when he quit hunting, he was being starved to death. I would not leave our former friend house without "Bubba".
Then we borrowed "Baby" for a litter praying she would throw the tick gene. She had 8, we found good home for 6 and kept 2 and my collection was born. BUT I live in a rural area and our lot is only one acre but thats enough.
But back to Beagles small Yes cute Yes naturally obident no way but when I brought Sam beagle mix rescue home and Dude pure beagle - both males it did not take long for the hackles to go up. But that is as far as it went. My husband has put a stop on my visits to my favorite Shelter. (It's getting more expensive to feed them than us) so now the shelter will send my notices on dogs once they hit the long-walk side.

i don't know where to post this, so i've just attached it to this thread. it looks like cesar is pretty busy, and he obviously can't answer a ton of questions. so, for anyone out there that has some opinion about this...does pickup up your dogs poo send the animal a mixed signal about who is in charge? and, what is the purpose? you can walk around it. your dog might discolor my lawn slightly in that one little spot, but i would rather have that than see you in my front yard fondling fecal matter. it seems like socially responsible behavior in the more affluent communities. nobody picks up poop in the hood. is it love of an idea about what the place is supposed to be like? is it over-loving your dog and everything that comes out of it? or is it just "the right" thing to do. i don't get it. it's poo.

This is in reference to the comment left by Pat H.
While I see that you have a few dogs from a shelter, or a rescue- I am curious why you would breed a dog that you "rescued" from your former friend. If you are aware there are simply not enough homes for the dogs that are in shelters- why would you add to the problem? Beagles are wonderful dogs- with the right owner. But, simply owning a dog- does NOT give you the right to breed it. I have three dogs myself- a medium sized mixed breed, and two purebred Malamutes- however- I would never in a million years consider breeding my dogs. Ethics should point you too spaying or neutering ALL of your pets, unless you are contributing to the breed. Just because one dog is ticked doesn't mean you would be making a contribution, either. Assuming you had papers with full registration rights- did you offer a warranty for health problems? Had BOTH parents been screened for any congenital disorders they may pass onto the offspring? Is your dog a good representitive for his breed with type, temperment, and conformation? Did you agree that at any time in the puppies entire life time- that if there is ever a problem- that you would personally take the dog back, if the owner could no longer care for it? These are very important issues that you must address should you decide to breed.
Also did you carefully screen the people that bought the puppies from you to make sure they would be going to the best homes possible? People fail to realize that an animal isn't just something you can sell for profit, or have a litter because you think that pups will be cute. It is a life. And if you choose to bring the animal into the world- it is your responsibilty to make sure the dog has the best life possible. Studies show backyard breeders to be the major contributor to dogs in shelters- what would you do if you found out one of his puppies ended up at the local humane society? Unless you have an outstanding example of your breed, have the time, dedication, and money set aside to handle ALL veterinary costs associated with breeding, proper care for the puppies, and enough to pay for emergencies should one arise---with out selling a puppy-- generally you shouldn't do it.
Please, please,please- spay and neuter your pets. It is not only the humane thing to do- but it is healthier for them too.
Leave the breeding up to the pros.