Teenaged Savior
A dog naturally commits himself to his owner through his loyalty, body, mind, and heart and he expects nothing less from you. In my experience, many parents get dogs for their kids because it’s a rush; an impulse buy. Relationships based on impulses rarely work out, and somebody usually gets hurt.
So when my son Andre wanted a dog of his own, I wanted him to understand that Apollo, a Rottweiler, needs and knows commitment. The dog trusted him and viewed him in a leadership position. When I heard Andre saying “I want this guy,” it was not just “I want a shirt or jeans.” Andre was saying “I want him as a friend because I can relate to him.”
When you raise your children, you know everything about them. You know when they are serious and when they are joking. To me this was a serious declaration, which I also saw in Calvin at an early age. When he said “I want Coco,” he said it in a way that I knew that he was committed. I let Calvin have Coco because it’s important for them to know that when they ask for things in that way he will get it versus “I just want it because I want it.”
I waited for the right time when Andre showed signs of maturity, to know I could trust that he could control a powerful breed. It’s a very serious commitment because a Rottweiler can easily intimidate people and have a bad reputation. But I know that my son has the knowledge to create a calm, submissive dog.
No TrackBacks
TrackBack URL: http://ngccommunity.nationalgeographic.com/admin/mt-tb.cgi/1671
Recent Blog Comments
- I'm not so sure I believe... on 9/11 Science and Conspiracy Director's Diary
- Top international scientists have proven beyond... on 9/11 Science and Conspiracy Director's Diary
- I happen to watch this documentary... on On pursuit to film an extraordinary story in India - Part 2
- I just read Daddy's story. He... on HAPPY 40th BIRTHDAY, Cesar!
- Happy Birthday Cesar. I love your... on HAPPY 40th BIRTHDAY, Cesar!
Monthly Archives
- August 2009 (5)
- July 2009 (6)
- May 2009 (4)
- April 2009 (11)
- March 2009 (4)
- January 2009 (9)
- December 2008 (8)
- November 2008 (2)
- October 2008 (4)
- September 2008 (4)
- August 2008 (1)
- July 2008 (7)
- June 2008 (6)
- May 2008 (4)
- April 2008 (8)
- March 2008 (7)
- January 2008 (7)
- October 2007 (9)
- September 2007 (11)
- August 2007 (1)
- June 2007 (1)
- May 2007 (1)
- March 2007 (8)
- February 2007 (10)
- January 2007 (12)
- December 2006 (3)
- November 2006 (12)
- October 2006 (7)
- August 2006 (2)
- July 2006 (12)
- June 2006 (2)
- May 2006 (7)
- April 2006 (17)
- March 2006 (11)
- February 2006 (9)
- January 2006 (14)
- December 2005 (1)
8 Comments
Kudos to you Cesar,
You are defintely heart of the pack! I've read all your posts and gained many valuable insights but its nice to have a bit of a personal one too :)
Take care,
Jackmo
I just watched the premier of this episode and cried like a baby when you said Apollo the Rotty was going to become part of the Millan family! I foster and volunteer for shelters in the Philadelphia region, and see too many "powerful breed" dogs who never make it out of the shelter, so thank you for saving another beautiful soul.
So glad to see your kids following in your footsteps, and best wishes to Andre.
PS., I was also touched to see Junior following in Daddy's footsteps!
Devoted fan,
Alison
God Bless the teenage girl Bree Justice!! She is truly an angel. To give Apollo love, patience, & a second chance brought tears to my eyes. The world needs more people like her! She'd make a great Vet!
Great job, Cesar,
I watched this episode last night, and it was truly heartbreaking and beautiful. This was actually the first time I cried in front of a TV screen.. I loved how you gave Apollo to your son. They really seemed to have a bond. You're my idol.
Maia
P.S. All 3 of my dogs (St. Bernard/Golden Retriver mix, White German Shepard, and Chihuahua) are calm-submissive. I learned most of my dog-training tips watching your show.
I think it is the ultimate American success story for Apollo! To go from being one day away from being euthanized to living the rest of his life with the dog whisperer and his family is amazing! I too was crying with tears of happiness an amazement. Thank you Cesar - your show deserves an emmy!
I watched this episode twice now and it was so beautiful and real - i could hardly watch the end without crying !! Cesar is the best human being in the world and to prove he believe's in his work and what he can do HE gave a very "dangerous" dog that he trained to his very own son !! What can bring more proof of himself then that !!! WE ALL LOVE CESAR AND HIS WORK THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS KEEP IT UP PLEASE !!
I'd just like to say, although it's been a while since this episode aired, that I was one of the truly lucky volunteers who got to work with Apollo while he was at the shelter. It took me two days of sitting in his pen with him before he would let me walk him, but by the time he did, we had become best friends. I had to move and couldn't see Apollo anymore, but the wonderful volunteers who remain at the shelter - along with Bree who works there - put their heart and soul into saving Apollo and I will always be grateful to them for that. I would have taken Apollo with me had I not already had a dog with some aggression issues. I'm so touched to see how his story affected so many of you. I want you to know that the wonderful dog you saw brought out by Cesar is Apollo's true nature. Thank you, Cesar, for helping and believing in Apollo. If he couldn't be part of my family, I'm so glad he became a part of yours. I'll always be indebted to you and Andre for that. Please give Apollo a little scratch on the butt for me and tell him that Kathy loves him! Thank you.
Bree Justice - wow, this girl is doing everything i wish i was doing , what an inspiration. Apollo reminds me so much of my rotti marlow (see link above), i couldn't help but think she could have been saving marlow.
Add a Comment