cesar's way

I just finished up the Dog Whisperer's book, Cesar's Way.

Cesar Millan is something else. He definitely looks at dogs in a whole different light, one that seems foreign to Americans. There are so many good concepts and thoughts in this book. Where do I even begin to talk about them here?

I'll hit the highlights...and some of the things that I think are worth sharing...

:: Dogs are pack animals. And within a pack, there is a leader and there are followers. It is important that dog owners take on the pack leader role. Otherwise your dog will take it over, and then you have no control.

:: Dogs sense ENERGY. They don't really understand much of what we're saying. But they sense what we're feeling, and what kind of energy we're giving off. If we're excitable, they sense that as weak energy. If we're frustrated, they sense that as weak energy. And pack leaders do not have weak energy. To be a stable pack leader, you must try to always put off a calm-assertive energy...

:: We Americans create dogs with issues. Dogs in the wild aren't afraid of their shadow, or refuse to eat out of a bowl, or go crazy when someone knocks on a door. These are examples of animals who are being treated like humans instead of dogs. They are not living balanced lives. They can't be happy dogs when they are treated like something they aren't.

:: Dogs live in the moment. They do not hold grudges. They do not fret about what happened yesterday. They do not worry about what will happen tomorrow. They are purely cause and effect.

:: Dogs need limitations, boundaries, rules...routine and consistency.

:: You should always walk through a door before your dog...this tells him that you are his pack leader.

:: You shouldn't let your dog jump up on you, because this tells him that he is in charge of you. You shouldn't let him be your alarm clock. You shouldn't let him bark for something and then do that thing...

:: The order you should do things with your dog is Exercise -- Discipline -- Affection. Always in that order. American dogs are so bombarded with affection and that isn't even what they really need to be balanced. Exercise is #1. It's a guarantee that you aren't exercising your dog enough. He should be walked before he eats. So that he can work for his food. Without enough walking, he will have a lot of pent up energy that can only lead to negative side effects...this is where most of dog issues come from...

Really, there's so much more. It's a good book worth reading. It will change the way you look at things. If you care about your dog, it's interesting to hear what they really need vs. what we think they need & what we are giving them...

Your dog deserves to be balanced and happy! As a dog, not a human in dog's clothing...