The only dog I have seen that isn't remotely ruined or shut down of cm's was Daddy, he in general IMO was a cool dog.

allow me to play devils advocate here for a second; in the shots at the DPC (acronym for dog psychology center) all the dogs seem to be happy, milling around doing their own thing walking around happily & minding their own business.

The point I am trying to make is that you are seeing edited footage. Please note the dogs are kept in separate pens and are managed by staff (not CM who is off filming and schmoozing most of the time).
Please look beyond the hype.

Sure but I'm sure the staff practices the same methods, right? I'm not in the cm camp, but I also like to examine all angles & POV's. Please don't think I'm for his kind of training.

No I didn't see a symposium on snakes, on the other forums I'm on (which will remain nameless) some posters actually recommend e collars to aid in a deturent for snakes.

Whatever your views on CM's schooling or lack of, or his socio-economic history, it doesn't take a lot of education to know that pain hurts & inflicting it on animals in the name of training is wrong!

I find it difficult to believe that CM is unaware of the growing brigade of people that abhor his methods & have publicly spoken against him. I also find it difficult to believe that CM really now believes his methods & views on dog training are right given the body of evidence against what he practices. Now if he sincerely still believes his methods are right, then that speaks volumes about CM as a person!!

As regards dogs, I agree.

have to admit when we first started getting 'cesar stuff' over here I thought he had a good point - exercise your dog, give them clear bounadries and affection. Before I realised all the e-collar and kicking extent, forcing dogs and other pets who didnt like each other to stay in each others space....now I dont think I would let him anywhere near my dogs and dont see what he has to offer the world of animal behaviour, or how he continues to make so much money...isnt his time about up on the fame part?

He also goes on and on about 'energy' but hasnt seemed to have realised that dogs do not respond to 'calm-assertive' energy which translates into calm and bossy/aggressive, but DO respond to positive energy which reward based methods offer. I seen one episode where the dog was being corrected for not walking properly...then when he was the owner asked can I tell him hes good as he is being...he said NO. He goes on about balance but wheres the balance in that?

Yeah I have noticed that he says stuff like that quite frequently like not to to talk or comfort the dog when they are distressed, which I have found that makes things better but cm says that its weakness or something on the owners part, *shrugs*.

Oh don't tell me about his "weakness" thing! One episode he was working with a woman and an Aussie Shepherd, and she was so blown away with his mystical explanations she started crying. her dog reached up to lick off her tears and CM just said: "See, he's doing it now, he's taking advantage of your weakness right there!"

What a load of cow poo! How to take every little bit of joy out of owning a dog, and destroy the emotional bond.

all good trainers practice calm assertive energy - i think its a great phrase.

its otherwise known as being dog savvy.

Just another catch phrase of a celebrety salesman. Bit like the Amichien bonding thing another celeb trainer coined.

Suppose they think it gives the impression that they know something that no one else does until they deem to spread the word .

Personally, I think 'dog savvy' is fine