Dog Whisperer?

I know I am a new guy around here so this subject maybe old ground for you guys, please forgive me if that is the case.
I have had dogs most of my life all though having one from a pup is new ground for me really. I have always loved them to bits and they have been my best friends, as some of you know I am out to do the best for max (13 week old SBT) so I have bought books and started watching the Dog whisperer to try and polish up my care skills, kinda love but by the book.
Some of the things I am finding out appear to be a little harsh to me for example, if I walk in to the room and my dog greets me by jumping up then he is saying he is the boss or he should do nothing unless I tell him to, walking through a door before me means he is boss?. I am not saying I know better than any expert far from it but it seems to me that things could get very formal where is the room for love if we are to prove a point each time we interact with our dog, I like to think my dog likes a cuddle and that it is not just for me as the human.
Ill cut short there I get carried away when typing sorry.

Do a search on Cesar Milan a wide range of opinions

If you want a kinder alternative have a read of Jean Donaldson`s Culture Clash (daft title, great book) which covers training and behaviour.

try reading The Dog Whisperer by Graeme Sims and The Dog Listner by Jan Fennell. You may find these of help

Max is a lovely little thing well behaved I have no issues with. I am a builder and have no problem with been his boss lol, but, dont let him bite your hands in play, dont play tug of war? and many other things they say you should not do...seems like you end up with one bored pup.

I often play tug games with my Border Collie and she is also goes in to the local nursery to help with lessons. Horses for courses I guess!

I think you have to be really careful these days because you can set up as a `Behaviourist` with no qualifications or training. If you are really smart you skip the courses and get a book deal, then set up a franchise and sell other people with no qualifications a way to make money out of people with even less idea that yourself.
Not mentioning no names of course.............

If you want to train a pup you don`t need to worry about eating before he does. You can train your dog by rewarding when he does good and not giving him the opportunity to do bad. Personally I`d turn off the TV and play with your dog instead. You`ll get a lot more out of it.

As has been said - there are a wide variety of opinions on Cesar Milan (I can't stand his claptrap to be honest).

I have a friend who is very dominance based in her approach to dogs and because Takara puts her paws on her to give her kisses (something she does with anyone she loves) she shouts 'don't you go being dominant putting your paws on me!'

She's not, she just wants a kiss

There's manners and then there's CM... lol - I like to teach manners - my dogs learn to wait til I tell them they can go through the door - that way they don't knock me flying or get out if I don't want them out, they wait til I say they can eat (even from their bowls) - that way they don't pinch as much from the floor or get their heads covered in food by diving in when I'm still filling their bowls...

I do play tuggy with them, it's a great energy burner but they have to know leave means leave and I do teach them not to mouthe or bite my hands but then I'm on warfarin and bruise/bleed easily and I wouldn't want them biting a child in play.

So it's a bit of common sense that is required and a better understanding of dogs than thinking every single behaviour has a hidden motive! Dogs aren't trying to take over the world...

As has been suggested the Culture Clash, also The Other End of The Leash, The Power of Positive Dog Training are all good books.

with a pinch of salt I will take it then. Dogs taking over the world LOL, wished I could trust some people as much as I been able to trust my dogs

Yes, plenty of opinions. Mine is that Ceasar Milan is a fake, a phony, and has dragged the dog world back toward the 50's. As above, plenty of other, better books.

I like this discussion of him, http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...MGPHL9D1N1.DTL

There are reactionaries that want to completely throw out pack behavior. They are wrong too.