Cesar millan v. clicker training

[yoker]

What are your opinions?
What do you think about Cesar?

I personaly like clicker training better.

 

[SurprisingWoman]

I have owned some VERY stubborn dogs and I have never had problems after I adopted them and had time to work with them.

I was using the NILIF method without knowing it. It was just common sense knowing the mind set of dog/pack animals.

http://k9deb.com/nilif.htm

People LOVE to come to my house and everyone says if they die and come back as a pet they want to live at my house. My animals are well behaved and spoiled rotten. You can have both.

I think Cesar is an idiot. Anyone that still uses rolls as a training method needs to go back to school.

 

[SillyChicken]

There's more than one way to train a dog.. I don't think it's nice to call someone an idiot because it's not the way you train.

 

[SurprisingWoman]

I said I think he's an idiot. I do.

Does that mean he is? Probably not to a lot of people since he is on TV.

The OP asked, 'What do you think about Cesar?"

I think he's a stupid, fear inducing tyrant that forces dogs into fear positions while claiming he won because the dog is now cowering. Sorry, did I say he's an idiot. I meant to say he is a stupid idiot.

We are all entitled to our opinions. If I am asked and feel strongly enough about it I will tell you.

 

[OccamsTazer]

I personally love Cesar but I think his methods are often misunderstood.
Dominance is not anger, submission is not fear. If the dog is afraid, you're doing it wrong. Remember that dogs don't have egos the way we do, a dog *loves* to express submission to a strong alpha. To them, having an alpha means they are safe, secure and cared for.
I'll agree that alpha rolls are touchy. Misread the dog's cues, force it, and you're going to get your face gnawed on.

Victoria Stilwell amuses me greatly. She claims she is NOT a dominance-based trainer, but if you look at her physical cues when she's working with a dog, she very clearly is one.

Cesar's methods and clicker training are both useful, they're for very different things. I personally think you have to have a strong leadership position with a dog before you can sucessfully train them anything beyond the basics.

 

[brownlikewoah]

I like a little of both. Cesar has some pretty handy tips (aside from rolling a dog) that I would compare along the same lines as the nilif stuff. I think my main problem with him is that he oversimplifies things, and the general public just doesn't get it. I have heard some people say that he is too focused on dominance and isn't always reading the dogs right, but I don't have the answer of who is right or not, but he does seem to get results. Clicker training is nice, fast, and very rewarding. I think it depends on what you are trying to teach your dog, and then picking which tactic to use. At the end of the day though, dogs are dogs and really should be treated like one. They should be respectful of humans, and humans should be respectful of dogs as well.

 

[greathorse]

Quote:
Since this is an opinion based thread I will give you mine. I am not a disciple of the Cesar Milan school of dog training. I do however think that many of his techniques are quite useful. In MY OPINION if you see the dogs that I have seen "cower" in fear you are either not watching the same episodes as me or you have little understanding of dog body language.

I have seen many of the dogs he works with relax and become calm when he uses some of his correction methods. I dont see that as cowering. Just my opinion you understand.

What is the roll technique?

 

[thebritt]

There are indeed many training techniques. My favorite trainer (besides our own Jamie, of course

) is Victoria Stilwell (of "It's Me Or the Dog - Animal Planet). My least favorite is Cesar. I feel like Victoria does a very good job of building a dog's and owner's confidence. The dog learns to look to it's human for leadership, and to trust the human. The human learns how his/her behavior affects the dog. I feel like Cesar is more into dominating than teaching. That's MY opinion anyway.

 

[bagendhens]

im with suprisingwoman on this one.

for the few CALM dogs ive seen on cesars show, ive seen triple on his show that have simply shut down, there so afraid to get in trouble and pushed over they just give up and loose their spark. Alpha rolling is not only 100% the OPPOSITE of what happens in a canines natural behaviour its also very dangerous!
a submissive dog will OFFER their belly...
forcing a dog onto its side/back is NOT being the "alpha" its just being a bully.
besides, your dog knows your not a dog...so using thier own pack dynamics doesnt work as well as it would if your were wolves...

i do however agree with milan that ALL dogs need excersize, and plenty of it...a tied dog is a happy dog lol

my suggestion would be the NILF method.
its very simple realy they have to do something to get something. sit before they get fed, tricks before they get a treat.
lots of positive reinforcment, keep training sessions short and fun, no yelling, no shoving. just simple praise.

its been my experience that a dog that "CANT" be trained is simply a dog who has been given lots of mixed signals.
when you tell a dog to sit say it once, clearly and show them what there supposed to do (in this case id hold the treat close to their nose and move it upwards slowly, this lures the head up and the butt down, the moment its on the floor GOOD and treat. very simple. down is the same only move the treat to the floor...

there are plenty of training methods but studies show positive reinforcment using short training sessions and building confidence combined with plenty of good excersize and mental stimulation have the best results with the majority of animals.

ive personally used NILF and positive reinforcment with not only my own dogs, but lions, hyena, orangutan, gorilla, wolf, fox, ferrets, rats, spider monkey, elephant, and tapir with great sucess.

 

[yoker]

Thanks Guys

i do however agree with milan that ALL dogs need excersize, and plenty of it...a tied dog is a happy dog lol

I to agree that dogs need lots of exercise.

I think that you shouldn't always be trying to dominate the dog but just be firm like don't let them push you around but don't push them around all the time either.
I also think that positive reinforcement is the best for teaching the dog new things while Cesars stuff would be more for a really dominanent dog.
The NILIF method is also good.

brownlikewoah: Well said.​