Every dog owner who's interested in learning more about dogs and searches for tips and advice on dog training and dog care knows who Cesar Millar is.
This famous dog trainer, well-known as Dog Whisperer on TV, has been teaching owners tricks for years.
Below is a list of the best dog whisperer tips on dog training.
1. Exercise is not optional
Many pet owners fail to meet their dogs' exercise requirements.
In addition to health issues, Cesar Millan mentions how under-exercised dog is more likely to develop behavioral problems and is less responsive to training.
A happy, healthy, well-exercised dog is eager to please and always ready to listen.
One of the most important dog whisperer tips is that a lonely, bored, or frustrated dog is likely to develop all kinds of bad habits to entertain himself.
Before trying to fix these bad habits, you need to research and address the root cause.
“I believe a calm dog is a happy, obedient dog that won't get into trouble.“ – Cesar Millan
2. Walk your dog as a leader
Walking your dog is one of the key components of successful training.
Unsurprisingly, a lot of dog owners completely ignore how important the process of walking your dog is.
Cesar Millan makes it one of his priorities with dog whisperer tips to educate pet owners on why it's vital to walk your pooch with supremacy.
Some of the key components are: always keep your dog beside you but not in front of you, have your dog stop whenever you stop without any vocal commands, and always stay “in the same zone” with your Fido.
Principles such as these are what help professional dog walkers to sustain their business when they have to walk five, ten, or fifteen dogs at a time.
“The reality is, if you have a high-level-energy dog, it's not going to be happy with a one-hour walk. Those types of dogs are going to require more than one hour of physical challenge in the outside world.“ – Cesar Millan
3. Always have a plan
Cesar Millan says that dogs crave order.
A consistent daily routine grants your dog the peace of mind of knowing what to expect for each part of the day.
When you leave for work, your dog will know that you'll be home at some point. He'll know to hold his bladder until then because he knows the pattern you've already taught him.
Canines are creatures of habit, and an unpredictable routine causes anxiety and stress in dogs.
When you leave them alone, they won't know how long to expect you to be gone.
They might whine, bark, or howl out of fear, or they might destroy your leather couch out of frustration.
“I have never met a dog I couldn't help; however, I have met humans who weren't willing to change.“ – Cesar Millan
4. Stay in control
Staying in control is vital, and it's not the same as “alpha dog” training.
Just as dogs crave a structured daily routine, they also operate best within a well-defined social structure.
If you establish yourself as the confident pack leader, your dog will learn to trust and respect your commands.
On the other hand, if you don't stand your ground, your dog will constantly challenge your authority, according to dog whisperer tips.
In time, he may even view himself as the pack leader, and expect you to defer to his authority instead.
“We're the only species who follow unstable leaders. This is true – it has little to do with America – around the world, pack leaders are unstable. Animals don't follow that.“ – Cesar Millan
5. Train yourself, too
To stay in control, you must train and educate yourself as well.
The reason Cesar is always accepted by dogs is because of the knowledge he has of their behavior.
To project an air of confidence to your dog, you must first be confident in yourself.
Your commands must be clear and straight to the point, demonstrating confidence in your voice and actions, and showing that you know what you're doing.
Start by educating yourself ahead of time. Know what you want to accomplish before starting a training session with your pooch.
Anticipate possible issues, so that you can handle them without losing your cool.
“The dog is a reflection of your energy, of your behavior. You have to ask, ‘What am I doing?' That's the right question to ask.” – Cesar Millan
6. Maintain your cool
Speaking of cool, try your best to maintain it.
Sometimes, your dog training progress can be slow. Very slow. This can lead to frustration, which can cause you to lose your cool.
Your dog picks up on your anxiety and views it as an opportunity to challenge your authority.
This only fuels your frustration which compounds the problem. Very quickly, training deteriorates and progress can grind to a halt.
To prevent this kind of breakdown in training, Cesar Millan recommends setting realistic goals and adjusting them as you go along.
Patience is key to successful dog training.
Getting angry with yourself or with your dog is ultimately counter-productive.
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The dog can only become what's in your bubble. The dog is imitating the energy that is in your bubble. You are the source, the feast of energy. If you feel anxious, the dog becomes anxious with you. If you become nervous, the dog wakes up nervous with you.” – Cesar Millan
7. Don't humanize dogs
If you treat your dog like a human, your dog will learn to behave like a human.
One of the examples Cesar Millan uses is if your dog sees you as an equal, he will constantly compete with you for dominance.
Worse yet, your dog may try to assert dominance over people he doesn't know which can lead to dangerous aggressive behavior.
Although it can be tempting, humanizing your dog will only make life harder for both of you.
On the other hand, don't completely alienate your pooch. Outside of training, there's no reason not to care for your dog, especially his health.
But an important part of dog whisperer tips is that a dog who knows and accepts his role as a domesticated canine will gladly accept that dynamic, so long as his needs are met.
This leads to a very trainable dog, and a happier life for both of you.
“Owners lavish love on their pets, which is why so many go from non-aggressive pups to being out of control when they're older. People just don't realize their dog must respect them as leader of the pack.“ – Cesar Millan
8. Set boundaries
Part of establishing order in your household will be setting – and enforcing – boundaries for your dog.
Your dog needs to learn to trust that you know better, Cesar teaches. This bond is established by being firm with your pooch about what is and isn't acceptable dog behavior.
When your dog starts with undesirable new behavior, send clear, consistent messages telling your Fido that this isn't okay.
If your dog has taken up chewing on power cables, focus your entire training routine on breaking this habit.
If you focus on one important lesson at a time, your dog will have an easier time keeping up with your expectations.
“Many dogs grow up without rules or boundaries. They need exercise, discipline, and affection in that order.“ – Cesar Millan
9. Consistency is only fair
Do not forget that dogs have no common sense.
One of the most important takeaways from dog whisperer tips is staying consistent with your training.
If you give into your dog's begging routine on Monday, “just this once”, how is your dog supposed to know that the rules have changed by Thursday?
It's hard enough for a dog to learn how to fit in with humans, even when the rules are straightforward and stay the same.
Don't undermine your training efforts by switching things up.
This will only lead to frustration for you and confusion or anxiety for your dog.
“Dogs don't rationalize. They don't hold anything against a person. They don't see the outside of a human but the inside of a human.“ – Cesar Millan
10. Coordinate your efforts
It isn't enough for you to be consistent with your dog.
In addition to consistency, Cesar Millan mentions that you also need to make sure your dog isn't getting mixed messages from other people.
This means that family members, roommates, and even visitors need to be aware of how to treat your dog.
Most importantly, your dog needs to understand that any human is still a human, and therefore dominant over any dog.
Ensuring everybody is treating your dog consistently gets a lot harder when you take your dog out into the real world.
A shy stranger on the street might be sending your dog submissive messages in his body language. A friendly neighbor might let your dog sneak a bite of his burger.
It's impossible to control everyone, so just do your best to be consistent yourself.
Your dog should always consider you the final authority, and an occasional slip-up with a stranger won't undermine a consistent, well-designed training plan.
“People say I train dogs, but in many ways, I train people.” – Cesar Millan
11. Begin today!
It's never too late to teach an old dog new tricks.
Dogs are intelligent creatures. However, training takes time, so get cracking!
The sooner you start, the sooner you'll see results.
Cesar reminds us not to think that we have to pick one training regime and stick to it forever.
Improving your rules when you learn something new isn't the same as the problematic inconsistency discussed in previous slides.
Just stick to the new rule once you decide on it, and give your dog a while to adjust to change.
In the end, dog training isn't about where to pee or how to walk on a leash, or how to balance a Frisbee on your nose.
Dog training is about teaching your Fido to trust your authority and obey your commands.
If you are firm and fair, your dog will follow your lead no matter what.
“When I go and work with people, I never say, ‘Your dog is changed for the rest of its life.' It's like a diet. You've got to maintain a discipline and ritual in your life to keep a certain figure.“ – Cesar Millan
You can check out Cesar Millan's Youtube page for more dog whisperer tips!
Dog Whisperer Tips from Cesar Millan – Final Thoughts
There are a lot of dog whisperer tips up and about the internet but we're confident one of the most trusted ones is Cesar Millan. After all, his ways are tried and tested!
Learning these tips and tricks from the dog whisperer himself will help you have a harmonious relationship with your pooch.
Also, you can check out our next article for additional know-how on dog training tips. Enjoy!
