He’s as sexy in person as he is on his National Geographic program, The Dog Whisperer. This past Friday, Cesar Millan entertained a sold-out crowd at the Mayo Center for the Performing Arts in Morristown, NJ. As he took the stage, there were whoops and hollers—well you would’ve thought a rock star was entering from behind the curtain. Instead, a casually-attired, but glowing Mexican waved and bowed.
One of his first lines was, “Thank you to all of my clients who can’t control their dogs!” The crowd erupted in laughter. This was most definitely a dog-lovin’ bunch as well as a Cesar-lovin’ one. He couldn’t do, nor say, anything wrong, even when he was mimicking dog-owners, alpha-wannabe-pack leaders, what have you, who do all the wrong things when training their pets. He noted that we are a country with our priorities backwards when the leader of the country walks behind his dog—is actually pulled by his dog, a line the Republicans in the room enjoyed. “But they listen to a Mexican!”
He performed a quasi-monologue interlaced with honest and new age thinking when dealing with our pets. “Be calm and assertive,” he said. “Use exercise, discipline and affection in that order,” he suggested. Dogs read our emotions, and if we come at them excitedly, they will copy that. If we nurture their bad habits, they will continue to do them. “Look into yourselves, dogs will react to your own instability.” Another theme was “trust, respect, loyalty,” which he says is crucial to a healthy pet/master relationship. Dogs live in an instinctual world. They live in the present. Millan was performing a group therapy session, and we would all be better for heeding his advice.
Millan was born and raised in Mexico and lived a life close to nature. Something happened to him, his bio states, at the age of 13 when everywhere he went dogs seemed to follow. He was given his first nickname of “El Perrero” – “The Dogman” in Spanish. It fired up his dream to come to America and become the “greatest dog trainer in the world.” One bit of advice given by his grandfather seems to sum up Millan’s strategy: “Don’t work against Mother Nature.” His two-acre Dog Psychology Center in Los Angeles rehabilitates troubled canines AND their owners.
After a 15 minute intermission, Millan returned for part two of his presentation: the Q & A. All hands went up in the theatre, and the 45 minutes allotted limited the number of questions posed. But, the ones chosen, proved to add more laughter to the night. Take the lady who couldn’t figure out why her dog allowed her on the bed, but would growl at the husband. “Who do you want in your bed with you?” Cesar asked. “Well, both,” she answered. “But that may not be the signals that you are giving out,” he told her. Then she said, “Should I invite the dog and then my husband?” You can’t make this stuff up. Or the couple who needed desperate help for their big hunting dog who was obsessed with jumping into the lake, drinking up the water and getting bloated. “Even the trainers didn’t know what to do,” the gentleman stated. “Email me,” Cesar said, referring to the way some dog owners get their dog issue solved—by being on his show. And the last woman who excitedly explained her dog issue. “When I get home,” she said, hands going up and down in the air, “my dog gets so excited. I don’t know what to do.” The wise Cesar responded, “Are you excited?” There was silence. “I guess so,” she admitted.
“It’s all about knowing ourselves,” Cesar then explained to the crowd, obviously jumping on a point he wanted to make. “Really look into yourself and the signals you are giving your dog. It’s hard to pick up on that when you’re in the situation. That’s what I’m there for,” he said. And, in no time at all, his show was done, and the crowd reluctantly applauded. I’m sure if there was such a thing as an “encore” for a lecture, there would’ve been one that night.
For Cesar lovers, a visit to his site, www.cesarsway.com, is a must. Not only does he list his upcoming events, but there are stories about the dogs he’s helped, the upcoming episodes of his program, “The Dog Whisperer,” and ways you can help Cesar with his mission to create dog rehab centers across the United States.
Millan’s visit to the Mayo Arts Center was sponsored by the Morris Animal Inn, an upscale daycare, grooming and boarding resort in the town.
www.mayoarts.org
