Cesar Millan speaks at the Cobb Energy Center, Marietta, GA.

First, Cesar is funny. I mean very funny. He remarked that he prepared for his presentation by watching the Comedy Channel a lot. He pantomimed, he told jokes, and he parodied our daily struggles to cope with misbehaving dogs. For three hours, he captivated and entertained the audience with a style and a sense of timing I had not expected. It helps that his audience was dog-crazy and ready to laugh at Cesar’s antics. This was his first and only seminar for 2008. He appeared to have spent some serious time preparing; and he must have received professional coaching on his delivery. It really showed.

Second, if you have read The Dog Whisperer books, or watched his show, there really wasn’t anything new under the sun at this seminar. On the other hand, listening to him live reinforced his core points:

1. Dogs are animals, not people. We humans assign and attribute human qualities and personality to dogs. In their world, dogs do not think in terms of personality, only status with a pack. When assigning personality to a dog, we are seeing only what we want or expect to see, not what is actually there.
2. We transmit our expectations to our dogs as energy. Energy, as Cesar calls it, is the way we project our feelings to the dog through our tone of voice, posture and expression. For example, if we walk our dog on a leash and we pass another dog coming in the opposite direction, we can actually provoke an aggressive reaction if we project our tenseness to our dog. He calls this a “conversation with a dog through the leash.” Energy is an unspoken dialogue with a dog.
3. When we interact with dogs, we typically behave in ways that serve our own bests interests, not our dogs’ best interests. Dogs are great therapy for what ails us, but we often place a burden on the dog by forcing it to respond to human problems in ways that go far beyond the capabilities of the dog.
4. Dogs are first and foremost, nose-driven. We humans, believing dogs are the same as us, expect

Cesar answers questions while holding a Yorkie.

dogs to respond to language. While we humans listen first, look second, and then maybe use our nose. Dogs lead with their nose, look second, and then listen—exactly the opposite order of our behavior. How do we greet dogs? We rush into their personal space and speak first, usually in high-pitched tones. “Hiiiii puppeeee!” Some of us think we are conforming to a dogs needs when we shove our hand towards their nose so they can check us out. Dogs can smell us coming from a long way off. Shoving our hands in their faces is an aggressive gesture and completely unnecessary.
5. Dogs can do only one thing at a time. They are not multi-taskers by any means. If a dog is fully engaged in a scent on the ground, it will completely tune out any attempt by its owner to call it over. We humans tend to get frustrated by our dog’s seemingly lack of care about our desires, and yet dogs are just doing what comes naturally.
6. Dogs are pack-oriented animals. They respect only one leader and that leader must project calm-assertive energy to maintain that respect.
7. Dogs are animals first, species second, and breed last. This means that all dogs are animals, not people. Dogs as specie mean all dogs generally do dog behavior. The variations we see in behavior are not breed specific but environmentally specific. Dogs respond to their environment, not their breed. There are well-behaved pit bulls and there are poorly behaved pit bulls. The difference is in how each pit bull is raised by its owner. Breed does influence capability, such as scenting ability, or the ability to run fast. (Jeff’s note: I do not completely agree with this. I believe a dog’s breeding influences behavior. For example: a Jack Russell Terrier will naturally want to hunt down and kill mice while a Bloodhound might enjoy having a mouse as a companion. A dog owner can train any dog to ignore its own instincts, but the natural tendency for breed-specific behavior cannot be ignored. I believe what Cesar ultimately means is dogs should not be considered victims of their breeding. All dog behavior can be modified, regardless of breed.)
8. For a dog to be a balanced animal, it must have, without exception, exercise, discipline and affection, in that order. Too often, we humans get that order mixed up. We give affection first, regardless of a dog’s behavior, then we offer exercise, though usually not enough to de-stress and relax a dog. Then we half-heartedly discipline, sometimes failing to set clear boundaries and limitations for our dog.

The bottom line from Cesar’s seminar is this, and it has been repeated by so many other dogs experts: In order to have a happy-well balanced pet, we need to treat dogs as dogs, not people. If we meet their basic needs and communicate at their level, working with their natural tendencies, we will have more satisfying and stable relationship with our dogs.

I have mentioned elsewhere that in addition to helping run Kelsey’s Dog House, I also work as an airline pilot for a major carrier. My “night job” takes me to many places that are culturally different from the United States. These days, I primarily fly to Latin America. A couple of weeks ago, I flew a trip to San Jose, Costa Rica. After laying over for a day in town, I returned to the airport with the rest of the crew to fly the leg back to Atlanta. Upon arrival at the airport, I discovered I had left an important personal item back at the hotel. The hotel staff was gracious enough to retrieve the item from my hotel room and send it to me via taxi, provided I wait for the item outside the airport. So there I was, standing in the morning sun by the employee entrance to the San Jose Airport, waiting for the taxi by myself. Nearby, there was a guard house next to the airport’s service entrance. Next to the guard house was some overgrown grass and shrubs. As I waited, movement in the grass caught my eye. The movement turned out to be a small, young dog, that looked to be a cross between a German Shepard and a Beagle. The dog bounded out of the grass and began to do his morning stretch routine on the asphalt near the guard house. Moments after the dog emerged, a homeless man sat up in the high grass. He was awakening after a night’s sleep near the guard house. The man rose, picked up a light blue blanket from the grass, folded it and gave it to the guard manning the post.

“Buenos dias. Como estas?” said the guard.

“Mui bien. Gracias,” the homeless man replied. The dog wagged his tail as he looked at the guard.

Then the homeless man walked over to the employee restroom area next to the guard house and washed himself at an outdoor spigot. Meanwhile, his dog was busy rolling on the pavement, scratching his back, as he waited for his master to return. I should mention that both the dog and the homeless man appeared to be in good physical health and well-fed. Costa Ricans, as a whole are very sweet and generous people, and I believe the guards at the airport probably watched out for the man and his dog, judging from the blanket they provided them and from the kindly way they spoke to them. Both the homeless man and the dog appeared very content, especially in each other’s company.

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Kelsey’s Dog House provides grooming service for the dogs of a few celebrities that live in Atlanta. At one time we thought of billing ourselves as “Groomers to the Stars!” but we soon got over that silliness. Even though some of the dogs we serve live glamorous lives, they still behave like every other dog in our care.

Among dogs, there is no such thing as class consciousness or class-oriented behavior. That form of judgment and action is reserved for other animals, including many people. Dogs enjoy being whoever they are with as long as that person treats them well. Whether you are rich or poor, famous or unknown, sloppy or tidy, suave and sophisticated or socially awkward, your dog will love you just the same. I believe that is the essence of unconditional love.

Here’s the thing about squirrels. First, they aren’t as dumb as they look. Second, they are usually faster than dogs over a short distance. Third, they can climb trees, while dogs cannot. Fourth, they seem to know exactly what they can and cannot get away with, or from. Where does that leave our dogs? Okay, I’m just going to say it: barking up the wrong tree. Let’s move on.

Some of our customers have complained that their dogs are seemingly uncontrollable when squirrels run by. One customer said her Cairn Terrier, who is “otherwise perfect,” has the annoying and dangerous habit of darting out the door of her house when he sees a squirrel. She wanted to know what she could do to stop that behavior. The answer: not a thing, or more accurately, nothing that will work.

Here’s why. Dogs, like all predatory animals, are hard-wired to chase prey. The circuitry is so deeply embedded that there really is nothing that will short-circuit or counter the behavior. Even worse, the tendency to chase and kill small critters is arguably strongest for dogs in the terrier group. Terriers were originally bred to hunt and kill vermin. Not only is predatory killing instinctual, it is probably enjoyable. This is what reknowned animal psychologist Temple Grandin has to say on the subject.

“Animals like having their predatory killing circuits turned on, and will turn them on themselves if you show them how. When you think about what predatory killing is all about, of course it ought to feel good, because predatory killing means dinner.

“According to Jaak Panksepp, ESB [electrical stimulation of the brain] studies show that predatory killing comes from the ‘essentially the same brain areas’ as the SEEKING circuit, which produces the pleasurable feelings of engaged curiosity, intense interest, and eager anticipation . . .” From Animals in Translation, (Grandin and Johnson, Harcourt Books, 2005.)

Certainly there must be some counter-tactic that might push down or repress the chase and kill instinct in dogs. Here’s veterinarian and animal behaviorist Dr. Bruce Fogle, in his book, The Dog’s Mind:

“This [predatory aggression,] is the most difficult form of aggressive behavior to overcome simply because it is rooted so deeply in the dog’s mind. The rewards are, after all, magnificent. The chase and the kill. This transcends all the modifications we have ever imposed on the dog and strikes right through to his very core. Counter-conditioning is often pointless because it is so difficult to find rewards that are anywhere near as vital as the reward of the chase.” (The Dog’s Mind, Fogle, Wiley Publishing, 1990.)*

Both authors agree that the only way to teach a dog not to chase a prey animal is to raise that dog in the company of the prey animal. There are not too many people who would appreciate having squirrels share bed and food bowl with their dog. So here is what it comes down to: patience, a good strong leash, and careful vigilence when opening the door to your house. If you know of any other strategies, let me know. I have a backyard full of alert dogs and a couple of squirrels with a death wish.

*Note: I strongly recommend the book Animals in Translation for anyone. The book is entertaining, informative, and very easy to follow. I would recommend “The Dog’s Mind” to those who appreciate an academic style of writing, as one might find in a professional journal.