Cesar Millan's Critics: Just A Bunch Of Bad Dogs?

Cesar Millan -- the "Dog Whisperer" -- is a pop-culture phenomenon. He is also controversial among some dog trainers and behaviorists. But are Cesar's critics barking up the wrong tree?

This article on the controversy, "Dog Whisperer, Dog Psychology and Cesar Millan," offers an interesting critique of Millan's methods:

With the recent popularity of a television show about problem dogs, the controversy over which methods are the most humane and effective ways to address behavior problems in dogs has been renewed and is dividing dog lovers all over the world.

While behaviorists, trainers and other dog professionals recognize that the show is exposing dog owners to the possibility that their dogs' behavior can be changed, the show gives the false impression that behavior can be changed within a matter of hours. Professionals are also concerned about the methods used, as many of those methods are known to incite or increase aggressive behaviors.

This article will explore the controversial issues and will attempt to separate fact from marketing. Wherever possible, additional links or book recommendations are provided as reference or to elaborate on the preceding issue. We strongly recommend those who disagree with this article read the links and/or books provided before contacting us.

I suspect there's a good reason why author Lisa Mullinax asks people to do their research before "contacting us." She probably gets more than her share of angry email. That's not fair; while I disagree with her conclusions, her arguments are well-reasoned, and her concerns are obviously sincere.

I can't, however, say the same about some of the other anti-Millan coverage you'll find online.

Consider this excerpt from a trite little hit piece published on Esquire.com:

"My position is, Millan is a poseur," Claudia Kawczynska, editor in chief of The Bark magazine, says of the ex--dog groomer. "He is a hairdresser, not the real guy in terms of being an expert. He doesn't have credentials. And it is shocking to me how easily people are ready to fall for it."

With approximately two million strays euthanized in the U. S. each year, Kawczynska sees reason to worry: "He is doing a disservice to the real experts in the field," she says. "He gives quick fixes, but they are not going to be a solution for most families with problem dogs."

Mullinax argues that Millan's critics aren't just jealous, and they aren't obsessed with defending their professional turf against a self-trained newcomer. Yet Kawczynska's venomous complaints that Millan is a "haridresser" who lacks "credentials" suggest otherwise.

And then we have this New York Times screed, in which guest columnist Mark Derr portrays Millan as a loose-cannon sexist pig, pushing a quick-fix sham on a bunch of dimwitted dupes:

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 supposedly delivers fast results. His mantra is “exercise, discipline, affection,” where discipline means “rules, boundaries, limitations.” Rewards are absent and praise scarce, presumably because they will upset the state of calm submission Mr. Millan wants in his dogs. Corrections abound as animals are forced to submit or face their fear, even if doing so panics them.

Much of what Derr says in this article is demonstrably wrong: Millan frequently uses both praise and rewards. And while Millan can be politically incorrect, he isn't likely to upset anyone who isn't already a humorless blowhard.

Mark Derr really tips his hand, however, when -- like Kawczynska -- he attacks Millan for promoting quick-fix tactics. In fact, Millan does no such thing.

In many cases, "Dog Whisperer" segments actually show the elapsed time Millan needed to complete a task that might otherwise look quick within the context of a one-hour TV episode. If anything, the fact that Millan requires a half hour or longer simply to approach and a fearful dog demonstrates the time, patience, and effort this process requires.

Here, too, one suspects that Derr's real problem has more to do with jealousy, or at least with resentment. Or perhaps he's engaging in yet another condescending effort to protect idiots who can't separate TV and reality from hurting themselves. It's a noble but typically misguided cause.

I disagree as a rule with Cesar Millan's critics. It's a position I share, by the way, with the professional trainers, behaviorists, and vets who endorse Millan's approach. Having said that, I think many of those critics, including Mullinax, deserve both respect and careful consideration, given their professional commitment and their obvious concern for animal welfare.

Unfortunately, they're going to have a hard time getting it when they're forced to share the limelight with so many embittered, mud-slinging attack dogs.