Cesar Millan

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Cesar Millan
Born	César Millán Favela August 27, 1969 (1969-08-27) (age 40) Culiacán, Mexico
Residence	Los Angeles, California, U.S.A
Nationality	Mexican-American
Occupation	Dog trainer
Employer	National Geographic Channel Self-employed (Dog Psychology Center)
Known for	Dog Whisperer
Spouse(s)	Ilusion Millan
Website Cesar's Official Website

Cesar Millan (born August 27, 1969^[1]) is a professional dog trainer widely known for his television series The Dog Whisperer, now in its sixth season and broadcast in the US, Australia and Europe,^[2] as well as his best-selling book,^[3] Cesar's Way.

Prior to The Dog Whisperer series, Millan had focused on rehabilitating especially aggressive dogs^[4] and had operated the Dog Psychology Center^[5] in South Los Angeles (2002–2008). He has co-authored several books on dogs and dog-training, participates in numerous philanthropic activities, and in 2009 in conjunction with IMG, introduced a monthly magazine titled Cesar's Way.^[6]

Contents 1 Biography 2 Personal life 3 Methods 3.1 Awards 3.2 Criticism 3.3 Legal 4 Television guest appearances 5 Philanthropy 6 Bibliography 7 DVDs 8 References 9 External links

[edit] Biography

"Stay calm and assertive." —Cesar Millan [7]

A native of Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico, Cesar Millan was born in 1969 to Felipe Millán Guillen and María Teresa Favela de Millán.

The family later moved to Mazatlán, and there, at age 13, on their way to his judo competition and standing in front a large statue, Millan declared to his mother he would one day be the best dog trainer in the world.^[8]

Subsequently Millan illegally crossed the border into the US. Sources variously report that when he crossed into the US, Millan was "18 years old, spoke no English and knew no one in America"^[9] or that he was 21 and crossed in 1990.^{[7][2][10][11]}

Later founding the Pacific Point Canine Academy and developing a following. Jada Pinkett Smith (then, Jada Pinkett)^[2] became one of Millan's first clients and supporters, providing him an English tutor for a year.^[8]

Subsequently, Millan created the Dog Psychology Center, a 2-acre (8,100 m²) facility in South Los Angeles—specializing in working with large breed dogs.^[12] A new Dog Psychology Center is planned on 43 acres in the rural outskirts of suburban Los Angeles.^[8]

In 2002, after a profile in the Los Angeles Times, Millan worked with MPH Entertainment, Inc. developing a television pilot for the Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan, pitching it to the National Geographic Channel. The show would become National Geographic's #1 show during its first season.^[13] Millan's book Cesar's Way debuted with the show's second season, becoming a bestseller.^[3] Millan works with a broad spectrum of individuals, as well as celebrities including Oprah Winfrey, Nicolas Cage, Will Smith and Vin Diesel.^[12]

[edit] Personal life

Millan lives in Santa Clarita with his wife, Ilusion Wilson Millan, and their sons, Andre (b. 1995) and Calvin (b. 2001). Millan's son, Andre, has a dog named Apollo as featured on an episode of The Dog Whisperer.

Millan became a legal resident of the U.S. in 2000 and a U.S. citizen in 2009.

[edit] Methods

Millan approaches dog behavior with the goals of having the owner understand the natural needs and responses of a dog, to have a dog accept its owner as its leader,^[2] and to have dog and owner work together in a calm state of mind.

Millan prioritizes fulfilling the dog's primary needs:^[2] exercise, discipline and affection—in that order. In other words, it is the owner's responsibility to fulfill the dog's energy level through challenging exercise; to provide clearly communicated rules, boundaries and limitations^[14] for the dog's behavior; and to give the dog affection at the right time. Millan encourages owners to give affection, but to give affection when the dog is in a balanced state of mind, not when the dog is fearful, anxious, avoidant or excited — when the affection itself can reinforce imbalance. According to Millan, a common pitfall for dog owners is to give a great deal of affection with very little discipline and even less exercise.^[14]

“

To be happy, (dogs) basically need a good job, and good food, and a pat on the head. Americans tend to overdo on the affection and under do on the exercise.[15]

”

As dogs are pack animals and walking is one of their primary pack activities, Millan emphasizes the importance of walking a dog, not only for the dog's exercise, but for the owner and dog to bond—with the dog ultimately recognizing the owner as its leader.

Millan encourages owners to watch their dog for subtle cues in the dog's posture, movement and facial expression—to eliminate poor behavior before it arises or escalates. He also strongly encourages owners to understand the profound affect their own attitudes, internal emotions and physical postures have on a dog's behavior, counseling owners to hold strong posture (i.e. shoulders high and chest forward) and to project energy that is both calm and assertive.^[11][16]

“

You can say as much as you want, but the (dogs are) picking up what is... inside of you.[16]

”

Millan also stresses that owners identify their dog in a hierarchy of three levels:

• Firstly and most importantly, as a dog with canine rather than human needs.
• Secondly, as a particular breed of dog — for example, a Boxer-Rottweiler mix — with a breed-specific energy level and behavioral instinct.^[17]
• Thirdly, as their individual dog, e.g. "Bella."

Mimicking the way dogs communicate with each other, Millan is widely known for using vocal marks, e.g., his tsch or tsst^[8] sounds, while working with a dog (rather than words, especially the dog's name), and he encourages owners to create their own unique sound that works for them.^[16]

Millan stresses that when meeting a new dog, not to make eye contact, not to speak, and not to touch the new dog^[2] — rather letting the dog approach on its own terms.

[edit] Awards

In 2005, the Humane Society of the United States Genesis Award Committee presented Millan with a Special Commendation for his work in rehabilitating animals.

In 2007, Millan was awarded the Michael Landon Award for Inspiration to Youth Through Television. Young Artists Awards.org In 2008, Millan was recognized as a "Treasure of Los Angeles" for his contributions to the City of Los Angeles.^[18]

In 2008, Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan won the award for TV Best Variety or Reality Show at the 23rd Annual Imagine Awards.

In 2006, 2007 and 2009, Millan's TV show, Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan, was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Reality Program. In 2006, Millan and his wife, Ilusion, were awarded honorary membership of the International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP). [1]

[edit] Criticism

Criticism of Millan's work has included the American Humane Association, who requested that the National Geographic Channel stop airing the program ^[19] and Dr. Nicolas Dodman, director of the Animal Behavior Clinic at Tufts University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, who contended in a February 2006 article for the New York Times, that Millan had "put dog training back 20 years."^[20] Jean Donaldson, the San Francisco SPCA Director of The Academy for Dog Trainers criticized Millan for physically confronting aggressive dogs and using choke chains for fearful dogs.^[21] In 2006, the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants expressed concern to the National Geographic Channel "that the program may lead children to engage in unsafe behaviors" and called for a change in the program's rating of TV-G.^[22]

[edit] Legal

In 2006, Millan's original publicists, Makeda Smith and Foster Corder, sued Millan^[23] — later settling out of court.^[24] Also in 2006, Floyd Suarez sued Millan, claiming that his dog had been injured while on a treadmill at the Dog Psychology Center,^[25] with Suarez's personal dog trainer present and Millan absent at the time. Suarez later settled out of court.^[26]

[edit] Television guest appearances

Millan guest-starred as himself in Ghost Whisperer in Season 2, Episode 218, "Children of Ghost". In the episode, Melinda (Jennifer Love Hewitt) seeks out Millan for advice on how to help "Homer", Ghost Whisperer's Ghost Dog (from Season 1), cross over into the light.

Millan has been featured twice on the Oprah program (May 2005 and September 2005). Millan was portrayed in a tenth-season episode of the Comedy Central animated series South Park (entitled "Tsst") that aired on May 3, 2006. In the episode, Millan is hired to train Eric Cartman to behave after popular "nannies" (see Nanny 911, Super Nanny) have failed.

Millan played himself on the September 17, 2008 episode of Bones ("The Finger in the Nest") helping the lead characters to determine if a location was used for dogfighting.

[edit] Philanthropy

In 2007, Cesar and Ilusion Millan created the Cesar and Ilusion Millan Foundation: "a national, non-profit foundation designed to aid and support the rescue, rehabilitation and placement of abused and abandoned dogs."^[27]

The Cesar and Ilusion Millan Foundation donated $10,000 to L.A. Animal Services' new East Valley Animal Care Center.^[28] Cesar and Ilusion, along with pit bull Daddy, presented the check to Councilman Tony Cardenas. The Foundation created CesarMillanKids.com ^[29], "a safe and easily navigable place for kids to experience the internet and learn about their canine companions, with special emphasis placed on learning to safely interact with dogs and provide what they need to live a happy and balanced life". The Foundation also awards grants to rescue groups and shelters throughout the United States to fund programming in canine rehabilitation, spay and neuter, and humane education for children.^[30]

Following Hurricanes Ike and Gustav in 2008, the Foundation donated $5,000 each to the Galveston Island Humane Society, the Houston Humane Society, and Hope for Animals to help care for the animals displaced by the hurricanes and to aid in the recovery effort.^[31] Since 2007, the Cesar and Ilusion Millan Foundation has supported over 60 shelters and rescues across the country. The Foundation has also provided over 90 organizations with more than $75,000 in Cesar's Mastering Leadership DVDs for education of staff, volunteers, new caretakers, and potential adopters. The Foundation also donates both raffle and silent auction items, to help raise funds for organizations at their special events. These items include autographed Cesar Millan books, DVDs, apparel, and posters. To date, they have provided over $30,000 in goods, helping raise even more for the organizations that benefit from them.^[32]

Millan has supported other projects, including K-9 Connection, for at-risk teens;^[33] Pups on Parole, a program for inmates; ^[34] and the Pets911 project,^[35] which works to "effect social change in this country by providing a free public service that will one day ensure an environment where all animals are valued companions and have lifetime, loving homes."^[36] His 2006 seminar tour donated a portion of the proceeds to the hosting rescue groups.

[edit] Bibliography

• Cesar's Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems. New York: Three Rivers Press. March 2007. ISBN 978-0307337979. 
• Be the Pack Leader: Use Cesar's Way to Transform Your Dog . . . and Your Life. New York: Three Rivers Press. March 2007. ISBN 978-0307381675. 
• A Member of the Family: Cesar Millan's Guide to a Lifetime of Fulfillment with Your Dog. New York: Three Rivers Press. March 2008. ISBN 978-0307408914. 
• How to Raise the Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond. New York: Three Rivers Press. pending: 2009. ISBN 978-0307461292. 

[edit] DVDs

• People Training for Dogs
• Becoming a Pack Leader
• Your New Dog: First Day and Beyond
• Sit and Stay the Cesar Way
• Common Canine Misbehaviors
• Power of the Pack
• Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan - The Complete First Season, DVD, 2006
• Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan - The Complete Second Season, DVD, 2007
• Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan - The Complete Third Season, DVD, 2008

[edit] References

• Biography Today, Vol. 15 (3): pp. 73-83
• Millan, Cesar and Peltier, Melissa Jo (2006), Cesar's Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems, Harmony Books, New York, ISBN 0-307-33733-2.
• Millan, Cesar and Peltier, Melissa Jo (2007), Be the Pack Leader, Harmony Books, New York, ISBN 978-0-307-38166-8.
• DogTime.com/cesar-millan-and-ian-dunbar.html (January 2008), "The Dog Trainer's Trainer"

[edit] External links

• Millan's Official Website
• Millan's Non-Profit Organization
• National Geographic pages on The Dog Whisperer
• "'Dog Whisperer' Training Approach More Harmful Than Helpful", American Humane Association, September 6, 2006
• "What the dog saw", profile on Millan written by Malcom Gladwell, published in The New Yorker, May 22, 2006
• Millan's Kids' Website
• BBC: Cesar Millan talks about upcoming UK tour on the radio and TV