Excuse me! Ill have you know I am 22 this year!

With HOW many years experience

I started young! Very young!

Better get back on topic before we're told off

And the rest

Admin and Everyone: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE FORGIVE ME !! I know this off topic completely ... BUT :

I have just collected my new dog from Lancashire !! I have been BURSTING for the past week or so to tell everyone the good news, but didn't dare, in case it didn't happen !!

He is the SPIT of Hal, although more obedient and less gittish ... much less gittish ... but he is absolutely adorable and we are going to get on just fine !!

Now to get back onto the correct topic !! We stopped twice with him on the journey back, and I have started as I mean to go on. So far, he is responding very well to the calm assertive energy. Nothing happens until he is sitting and calm, and I have not had to give him the CM touch at all ... just a couple of ah ah's, and he's obeyed the command!

Although of course I have not let him off the lead yet, I have just taken him round the field in the dark on the extending lead and each time I call him, he comes bounding back straight to my side ... Hal never did this in all of his 10 years, choosing at best to do a meander rather than a straight line. We are going to get on so well !!

I have been bursting my britches all week wanting to tell !!

I'll shut up now and go back and read all the posts on this thread.

You rotten sod you!

My dogs used to get away with quite a lot until I realised the only one being trained was ME. Yes I should have been firmer from the onset but you get so wrapped up in cute 'puppy behaviour' that you let things slip
I've been watching CM for quite a while, - though I was put off by people on another forum who told me I shouldn't like him and his methods - but I started watching it again. I have to say that the one most annoying problem I had was that when myself or anyone else came in the dogs would all go mad! Barking, jumping up and generally pushing you around making a nuisance of themselves. People said I/we should turn our backs and ignore them, then they will stop. No they didn't. Others said it was fine for them to ambush us because they were pleased to see us etc etc. No it wasn't. - can you imagine 3 hairy beasts with a combined weight of 140 kilos rushing at you as you come in the door? - Have you ever been 'head butted' by a leo? It hurts!
Then on one programme CM said 'don't turn away, face them, walk forward' adding his words ' in a calm assertive manner'. So I tried it, and after a couple of attempts It worked! As each went to jump up I stepped forward, making them move back. I even put my hands on my hips like he does I was then able to get further through the door and head off to the kettle and even though they all still followed me, it was more calmer than they had ever done. Ok I commit a sin and ignore them but now they don't rush me anymore and they are still pleased to see my return, they just know that as soon as the kettle is on and they are calm I will fuss them and give them a treat. Much better. My family/visitors have all been 'practising' this method now and its on the very rare occassion when they haven't seen someone for ages that they will 'try it on' but for now its working for us.
There are lots of other things he says which have helped me make a difference, and whilst I haven't got the most obedient dogs in the world, I am happier with them which makes them happier with me. I don't practise every thing he teaches, just the things I need to
Each dog is different. Each reacts to different methods of training, whether its Cesars, Micks, Lyns or Victorias way. I just like him. And his wonky moustache

JMHO

For what it's worth I would advise any novice or new puppy owner to forget the tv program and read the book, preferably before the pup comes home. When you've read the book you will see the tv program for what it is.
There is so much good stuff in the book that is never covered on tv and as owner of a new puppy the problems being shown are not relevent to you. Frankly I wish he would devote at least one episode to bringing up a well balanced dog from scratch.
In the book he covers
Choosing the right puppy for you.
Commitment to your dog
Bringing a dog home
The rules of the house
Dogs and kids
Babies
Visitors
Going to the groomer / vet
Travel
Moving house
Introducing a new dog to the pack etc. etc.
The right and wrong way to meet a dog
Creating a monster
He talks at length about prevention rather than cure.

I think an awful lot of the good things are completely overshadowed by the amount of venom aimed rightly or wrongly at the tv program.

Is that the order CM rates them? (sorry i do not know?) for my own dogs id rate them, Affection ,exercise(mental) ,exercise (physical),discipline.

(i have to spilt the exercise is i have separte times for seperate types)

Id be interested in how others rate them?