We honestly tried a few. One lady was quite renowned, doing talks worldwide on training & behaviour. She used 'positive reinforcement' methods. We never got anywhere on 'recall'. When she tried to help with his aggression to other dogs, to cut a long story short she ended up using a piece of garden furniture to hit our dog with to stop him attacking hers. We didn't particularly mind, as she didnt hurt him, but it was clear that wasn't going too work & we never went back. We still haven't resolved his aggression, we just don't let him near other dogs off the lead & use distraction methods when he's on the lead to help him pass by without too much fuss.

It is the responsibility of the parent/adult to exercise a duty of care and to keep a small child safe until such a times that it is able to understand the concept of what is safe or dangerous. This means making sure that things like live sockets are not accessible to small children.
Smacking a child however lightly teaches it that violence is acceptable and the child will go on copy and repeat the behaviour, children learn by copying the behaviour of adults.

Likewise with a puppy, the owner has a duty to keep it safe from those things which may cause harm including trailing cables and articles it may chew while exploring the world and teething.

It's a sad fact that a few people who buy a puppy honestly think the pup should know how to behave without being taught. Pups have to be taught right from the beginning what is acceptable behaviour and what isn't....you do this by kindness and example just as you would with a small child. A dog should never be hit by it's owner, all you will end up doing is making your dog aggressive or neurotic.

Yes - but when the problem is severe (I would call aggression severe) people are nearly always told to seek the advise of a vet OR a local Trainer.

I don't recognise that at all, Of the few shows I have watched (I will not watch it anymore, I refuse to give it viewing figures)
I have not seen any of this behaviour from him, accept staying calm...and he doesn't always manage that.


What you describe is certainly not positive and I am sorry you had such a bad experience, but I find it hard to believe that after so many years of practising aggressive behaviour your dog was cured just by you being calm...however - as long as he was thats all that matters.

Bowing out now.

I don't think anyones going to win this debate. I love Cesar Millan & you guys don't. I accept you don't like his some of his methods & I hope you respect that I do.
However, I still do not accept your allegations of 'cruelty'.To anyone using this forum for help & advice, please keep an open mind, give him a go & make up your own mind, he has worked for me!

JuniorDaddy you are, by no means, alone in "loving" CM. Myself and other Dogsey people out there really like a lot of what CM does. I've been at the heart of too many CM debates; the reason I resisted getting involved in this one. I just wanted to let you know though, that there are many Dogsey people that do think CM is cool

Another CM fan to swell the numbers! I don't bother 'discussing' CM as there is little point. There are those that do like him and those that don't. Bit like Marmite.

Dogs are quite an emotive topic and I have come to understand that I will not get on with many on here as our views and opinions are poles apart.

How would Cesar deal with a dog pulling on a leash for example?
How would a positive trainer differ?
This is not me trying to ring this debate dry but maybe if people stepped away from the big ethical picture and saw a small example or two.
I have watched Cesar and I have found some of the things he does extreme but then so are the cases he deals with, I have read his book too and not really judged him untill I came on here.
If this man is so distructive in his methods then maybe the better way to make people realise is to bring things back to the lamen terms, I am no expert nor am I a trainer I am pet owner so in my eye,s there needs to be examples of certain cases ie the problem and the solution to it, firstly by Cesar and then ( in many peoples opinion) the correct method.

And wouldn't life be boring if we all had the same opinions/

Difference of opinions is what makes Dogsey what is it... a vast informative site, regardless of what side you come down on.

RE-- CM.. he is always going to evoke strong opinions , the majority of members here see him for what he is... the minority see something different...

Whichever side you come down on, its all good for the debate, and information to those who come looking for advice and help, if it helps one person realise there are other ways to train dogs , (positive) leaving the dominance and negative behind... then long my that last..

I'm surprised no-one yet has posted this link:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0217141540.htm

A study published earlier this year which says it all, really.