VitalAccurateThinking

Cesar's Work: Pack of Lies?

The New York Times rips Cesar Millan a new orifice on their opinion page today.

Mr. Millan brings his pastiche of animal behaviorism and pop psychology into millions of homes a week. He’s a charming, one-man wrecking ball directed at 40 years of progress in understanding and shaping dog behavior and in developing nonpunitive, reward-based training programs, which have led to seeing each dog as an individual, to understand what motivates it, what frightens it and what its talents and limitations are. Building on strengths and working around and through weaknesses, these trainers and specialists in animal behavior often work wonders with their dogs, but it takes time.

Mr. Millan’s sexism is laughable; his ethology is outdated.

The thing about this editorial is that it really dismisses the great results Cesar gets at rehabilitating problem dogs. He takes death penalty case dogs and turns them around.

Also, I think people mistake the methods Cesar uses as to what should be applied to ever dog. He does not say "don't give your dog affection"; he says "don't give your dog affection until he is in a calm, submissive state." Rules, discipline, boundaries along with exercise is Cesar's formula. My dog is balanced so I give him a lot of affection, just not when he is acting up or acting scared.

As to the sexism bit, I suggest the editorial writer read his book. He devotes some time talking about Mexican machismo and how his wife changed his way of being.

And lastly, the NYTimes follows the standard liberal line that dismisses the difference between men and women. Mark Derr better not read Tom Peters' book Re-Imagine! in which Peters submits that women are not only different than men, but better. Tom, you sexist!

posted by Jim VAT @ 5:26 AM