Let me put this in perspective for you. Maybe you just havenât been informed yet, but it isnât because of âdislikeâ of the training methods or Milan as a person, and it isnât just âtumblr cryingâ. Cesar Milan has single-handedly set back the dog training community by twenty years.
Many reputed individuals and organizations have spoken out against Milan and his rather barbaric methods.
Below the cut will be my observations, riddled with sources from professionals.. who have more sources to back up the information.
First, I must address the inherent problems with the term âdog trainerâ.
In this day and age, anyone may call themselves a âdog trainerâ without any qualifications because the dog training field has no regulations. While there certainly are classes and qualifications that make one more reputable, anyone can call themselves a dog trainer.
Cesar Milan is a self-proclaimed dog trainer. He has no previous schooling history or qualifications that make him reputable. He just claims he has always had a âway with dogsâ. He gets away with using the word âpet behavioristâ or âpsychologistâ because these titles are generic and arenât governed by any official regulatory organization or licensure requirements. (source)
Here is the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behaviour (ASVAB)âs statement on the alpha / dominance theory in practice with dog training. If you donât trust me, some random on the internet, trust a bunch of experienced veterinarians.
Where did the alpha theory come from? In 1948, a study by W. Schneckel called âExpressions Studies on Wolves,â (available for reading here) surfaced. Individuals who believed the theory such as David Mech and Schnekel himself have come out and renounced those studies.
âAlphaâ implies competing with others and becoming top dog by winning a contest or battle. However, most wolves who lead packs achieved their position simply by mating and producing pups, which then became their pack. In other words they are merely breeders, or parents, and thatâs all we call them today, the âbreeding male,â âbreeding female,â or âmale parent,â âfemale parent,â or the âadult maleâ or âadult female.â In the rare packs that include more than one breeding animal, the âdominant breederâ can be called that, and any breeding daughter can be called a âsubordinate breeder.â
On top of the alpha theory being entirely incorrect, dogs are not wolves or âfake wolvesâ. Dogs separated from wolves approximately 14,000 years ago and have evolved differently. They are a separate species entirely from wolves and therefore should be treated as such. (source)
Observing feral dogs gives us a much more accurate picture of the domestic dogâs social structure than either wild or captive Wolf Packs. It is more likely that modern domestic dogs are descended from solitary feral dogs that scavenged human garbage for food than from a true familial pack. Scavengers do not need a team to track and bring down prey; they are usually more successful when operating by themselves rather than being reliant on other members of their group to find food.
What does this have to do with CM? The entire theory that his training methods are based on consist of outdated science! Â
HIS METHODS DONâT HURT DOGS:
In the episode Fondue, Chip, Hope & JoyJoy, small dogs are lifted several feet off the ground and swung by the scruff of their neck. In Teddy, a Labâs feet are pulled off the ground by hanging him from the leash. Most disturbing, Shadow, according to veterinary experts who have viewed the footage, shows signs of asphyxiation after being hung by the leash (reports say that the rescue group that had previously adopted Shadow reclaimed him after seeing this episode).
However, the main criticism is aimed at the psychological stress that dogs are placed under during the show. Many dogs that offer avoidance behaviors at the start of the show are often pushed to the point of aggression. One example is JonBee, a Jindo who is forced to lie on his side. After a significant and dangerous struggle (during which the dog appears to have urinated), the dog finally gives up and allows himself to be rolled over. However, the dog is not relaxed. Quite the opposite. The dog exhibits numerous signs of stress, and is exhibiting a phenomenon known as learned helplessness, often referred to by trainers as âshut down.â JonBee, muzzled, is lifted off the ground by a choke chain, a procedure known as âstringing upâ. Prior to this, the dog had been attempting to avoid interaction with the star completely. Learned helplessness was originally observed by scientists who placed dogs in a box with no escape and shocked them through the floor. The dogs first tried to escape and then, exhausted and finding no exit, simply lay down on the floor, despite continued shocks. The dogs werenât enjoying the shocks more than they were in the beginning, they had simply given up.
YOU SHOULDNâT CRITICIZE HIM JUST BECAUSE YOU DONâT AGREE WITH HIS METHODS:
Why not? Isnât that how progress is made in any field?
When methods have great potential to cause harm and fail to accomplish the advertised results, professionals have an OBLIGATION to criticize.
American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior Statement on Punishment
Experts Say Dominance-Based Training Techniques Made Popular By Television Contribute to Dog Bites
Cesar Contends âI Help The Dogs,â Experts Question His Approach
4Paws Universityâs Stance on Cesar Milan and 4Paws reading reccomendations:
Wolf Pack Theory of Dog Social Behavior PDF
Attachment to humans: a comparative study on hand-reared
wolves and differently socialized dog puppies PDF
2 The Social Organization of the Domestic Dog: A Longitudinal Study of Domestic Canine Behavior and the Ontogeny of Canine Social SystemsPDF
The Domestication of Social Cognition in Dogs (abstract) PDF
Dog Whispering in the 21st Century
So I would like to kindly tell you to shut up until you do some reading.
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