Dog Whisperer Millan: I train dog owners, not dogs

By: Nestor Corrales - 11 years ago

MANILA, Philippines—He went up the stage with the energy of a pit bull as he wowed the crowd with his pet dog wisdom.

Famous dog trainer and award-winning TV host Cesar Millan shared useful advice on understanding dog behavior and pointers on how to relate to pet dogs during a live appearance at Eastwood City in Libis, Quezon City.

“I am home. I love the weather,” Millan, who has been dubbed as Dog Whisperer, said as he opened his most-awaited show in the Philippines.

He admitted he is often mistaken as a Filipino and not as a Mexican.

“The funny thing is the world thinks I’m a Filipino. But no I’m a Mexican,” he said.

“But I love the weather, and the warm welcome, so I’m home,” he added, drawing loud applause from the crowd.

Millan did not waste a time imparting his pet wisdom, which was punctuated by humorous quips.

“I am not gonna train dogs, I am gonna train people,” he said. “The dog is not the problem.”

According to him, dog owners should change their bad habits so their dogs would not develop bad habits too.

His tips in understanding dog behavior and having a good relationship with your pet dogs included:

The dogs should keep their identity as dogs. Dog owners should not dress their dogs like humans or pamper them with a walk using strollers and many other misconceptions about dog care.

Exercise, discipline and affection are what dog owners should give their dogs—

not affection, affection and affection.

Dog owners should first establish respect from their dogs and show them that they are the boss.

The first 180 days of the dog is the most crucial. They follow their owner naturally.

The tendency of people to be so excited around dogs doesn’t work to the owner’s advantage since the dogs don’t see them as pack leaders. Dogs respond to calm energy so if a person is calm, the dog considers his owner to be in control.

Millan said, “Dogs fulfill your life with happiness. Dogs love you.”

Dogs, according to him, only express what they learned from their owners.

“We must be more patient than our dogs because we are teaching them,” he said.

He ended his talk by quoting a famous line from Mahatma Gandhi: “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”