Wednesday, April 8, 2009

How Cesar Millan Helped Me Help Dogs!

A lot of people have a lot to say about Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer. Many people criticize him, saying his methods are out-dated and that he uses punitive techniques to change the behavior of an animal. I want to say from the beginning that I think Cesar Millan is the best thing that has happened to dogs in a long time -- maybe since Barbara Woodhouse told us that there were "no bad dogs" or since the Monks of New Skeet taught us "How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend."

This is the first of many posts talking about Cesar. Right now it is very very late at night -- early morning -- and I have not been to bed. An upper respiratory cold/infection has kept me out of it most days and I have been spending a lot of time sleeping and just feeling miserable. Thankfully, I have one large Plott Hound sharing the bed on one side of me and a large (for his species) black long-haired cat lying between me and the edge of the bed! Now, Eve and Mu Mu don't really get along -- Mu Mu is so bonded to me and so jealous of any other critter that comes between me and him that he automatically gets his alpha up and running! (and, yes, Virginia, cats DO form bonds with people!)

The thing I like most about Cesar has nothing to do with techniques -- and everything to do with his encouragement of calm assertiveness. It's this attitude that allows me to become like the Berlin Wall or the Great Wall of China while I lie between Eve and Mu Mu without fearing that something fur-flying will erupt on top of me! I cultivate a calm attitude, trying to project my peaceful energy to both animals so they will mimic my calmness.

Cesar says that animals are our mirrors. They pick up on our energy and reflect it back to us. I have seen this in action. My high stress and anxiety attacks have made Mu Mu, who is my emotional sponge, sick -- requiring valium (diazepam) to de-stress him so that he wouldn't have urinary blockages!

There are so many aspects of Cesar's philosophy and techniques that I like. Some of his methods I simply can't use -- either because I don't possess the physical strength or because I can't do something as simple as snap my fingers convincingly (arthritis)! But I can let my animals know that I am their pack leader and that they don't have to shoulder that burden -- and yes, cats want to be pack leaders too, sometimes -- at least my Mu Mu does. I can try to live in the now and not worry about whether or not Eve is hanging on to the baggage of her suffering before we found her. I know that she's simply basking in the comfort of couches with warm blankees when she's cold, good food twice a day, treats when she comes indoors and praise for learning new tricks.

In short, Cesar has given me the confidence to believe that I can bring stability to the lives of my animals -- and that goes a long way to answering any negatives people who don't "get" him may express.

So, I hope I can post again sooner than my last post. Maybe someone will even read me sometime! :)

Jackie, Eve, and the Cat Pack

1 comment:

  1. Oh honey ceaser is the man my husband and i watch him all the time the dog whisprer is the best show.we have a bostin terrier and now we know how to take care of him and we have a 1 year old lil girl that loves him and because of the training we dont worry about the dog around her he is very very well mannered it's amazing what a little ceaser can do

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