The man has no scientific training or qualifications in animal behaviour and welfare, and this is quite evident through his shocking ignorance of our modern understanding of canine behaviour. His methods are outdated by some 80 years (which is when the wolf pack theories and methods were originally researched and implemented) and no modern behavioural science backs him up. Sadly the laws in the US do incredibly little to protect animals from harm, which is why it is legal to use shock collars, spike collars and use other pain related deterrent methods of training. If he were to use these same methods in the UK he could be arrested and jailed for up to 3 months for violation of animal rights and banned from keeping dogs. You will find that societies such as the RSPCA most certainly do not endorse his training methods because they are cruel and unnecessary. Remember always that a dog could easily crush your bones with its jaws, yet chooses not to, humans should show the same restraint when disciplining their dogs. Just because certain cruel methods of animal husbandry are not illegal, it does not mean they are acceptable. Example: keeping chickens in batteries is well known to cause great distress and significant long term health problems, yet it is legal. But it does not mean it is kind or acceptable. Using a choke on a dog has been proven to cause long term physical health problems by damaging the trachea and neck, yet it remains legal. Cesar Millan has been condemned the world over by animal rights groups and animal protection organisations, by many canine behaviour experts and veterinarians, yet he remains popular because he has a TV show and several books, and a website, and calls himself a canine behaviorist. Such things have a habit of lending legitimacy to unacceptable and damaging theories and methods, there is a long history of this in human psychology such as the Milgram experiment on obedience to authority figures (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment).Tania&Bella wrote:I think its the same with CM, Ive seen his TV shows and I like his rules and boundaries. By showing my 5 year old some of them it demonstrates to him how HE should behave. Bella is only a puppy and will use her mouth a lot. We socialise her with other puppies and she shows restraint which is fantastic. Obviously I don't agree with kicking/ strangling/shocking or any other physical/mental violence towards Bella.
I do understand some peoples passion on this subject but I feel that being a public figure - surely he would have been arrested for animal cutely by now ...
.... PS the show is around my birthday so I might go to the Bristol one !
Would you trust a child with an untrained self proclaimed expert, who shows significant lack of knowledge of behaviour and welfare in children, who would inflict pain upon your child as a so called means of distraction when they misbehave? Such an individual would be arrested and jailed for committing such crimes against a child in the UK. Would you pay to go and see a show given by a child abuser on his/her methods of childcare?
The concept of rewarding an individual who promotes painful, distressing and abhorrent training methods, who is responsible for unchecked and dangerous training methods on an international scale is frankly sickening and makes me feel ill to the pit of my stomach. I would urge anyone I knew who was considering seeing a Cesar Millan show to use their money in a more constructive way, treat their dog, see a professional canine behaviourist who has a BSc in Animal Behaviour and is endorsed by the appropriate authorities, or go out with your family for a good meal, or simply give it to an animal charity. If you care for dogs, please do not help to promote this dangerous man by giving him your money.
)
