Random Controversies Surrounding Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisperer (11 items)

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  (#1) Many Experts Dispute His Theories

  Cesar Millan bases much of his training techniques on the idea of dominance theory. According to dominance theory, a dog's human owner should display power over the animal to become the alpha leader, stemming from an old understanding of leadership in wolf packs. 

  However, many behavior experts and dog trainers dispute this theory, claiming it's based in debunked science.
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  (#2) A Post On His Blog Claims Science Is Coming Around To His Theories

  On Cesar Millan's blog Cesar's Way, a post titled "Science catches up to Cesar" by Jon Bastian highlighted a study in which European researchers used GPS to track the movements of six vizslas over 14 long walks.

  "Dogs that led more often had higher dominance ranks in everyday situations, assessed by a dominance questionnaire," the study found. Still, researchers conceded that "there is still much debate as to whether groups of domestic dogs have a social hierarchy."
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  (#3) His Training Techniques Have Been Criticized

  Cesar Millan's training style has come into some criticism. According to Nicholas Dodman, a dog behaviorist and professor at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Millan is abusive. Others have pointed out that Millan carries no medical or behavioral psychology credentials to legitimize his theories. 

  In 2008, the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior advocated against the use of punishment when training dogs - like Millan's methods of pulling on a dog's collar, forcing the animal onto its back, or poking it in the stomach - except in specific circumstances.
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  (#4) Many Experts Say His Techniques Are Counterproductive

  On his show, Cesar Millan often trains a dog by poking it in the stomach or pinning it to the floor and grabbing it by the neck, claiming he's asserting his dominance over the creature. However, many behavioral experts and trainers state that the fear Millan sometimes instills in dogs is actually harmful.

  According to a 2009 paper in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, efforts to establish dominance can actually make a dog more aggressive.
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  (#5) His Ideas About Dominance Are Derived From Studies On Wolves From The 1940s

  Dominance theory comes from several studies on wolves in captivity carried out in the 1940s. Those wolves, researchers found, competed for dominance. But according to Dave Mech, founder of the International Wolf Center in Minnesota, more recent research contradicts this theory, indicating that wild wolves live in nuclear families that don't compete for dominance; the parents serve as the pack leaders.

  “In the wild it works just like it does in the human family,” Mech told Live Science. “They don’t have to fight to get to the top. When they mature and find a mate they are at the top.”
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  (#6) Critics Say He Makes Dogs Insecure

  Many trainers and behaviorists now advocate for building trust with dogs as opposed to fostering an aggressive, fearful environment. "Discipline doesn't come in the form of screaming at your dog, hitting your dog or putting it into an alpha roll," trainer and It's Me or the Dog host Victoria Stilwell said, according to Time.

  "When you do that, instinct tells the dog to shut down, which is mistaken for calming, but really you're making the dog more insecure."
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  (#7) Many Experts Say Positive Reinforcement Is More Effective

  Experts like Nicholas Dodman of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine say a dog should be trained through positive reinforcement. Dodman told Live Science you can gain a dog's trust by "making sure that the dog understands that all good things in life come only and obviously from you."

  A 2004 paper in Animal Welfare found that dogs became more obedient as they received more reward-based training, and that bad behavior increased when they were punished. A 2008 study in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior made similar findings.
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  (#8) Cesar Millan Was Investigated For Animal Cruelty

  In one episode of Cesar Millan's show, Cesar 911, Millan planned to train a dog that was attacking its family's pigs. During the training session, the dog attacked a pig and blood was shed. As a result, the dog expert was investigated for cruelty toward animals. 
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  (#9) His Results Produce Made-For-TV Moments

  The dog training techniques on Cesar Millan's show contrast greatly with the ones advocated for by trainers who use positive reinforcement in part because of the time it takes for the techniques to be effective. Millan gets results almost immediately, which makes for good TV, though critics argue his methods have negative long-term effects which won't make it into an episode.

  Positive reinforcement takes a long time to be effective - often too long to be shown on TV. With this method, dogs have to be trained repeatedly until they show results, and there isn't a dramatic turn of events.
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  (#10) The American Humane Society Called Cesar Millan 'Cruel And Dangerous'

  Once Cesar Millan's show became popular, the American Humane Society offered a harsh criticism, asking producers to cancel the program. They even called Millan's work "cruel and dangerous," offended by his pinning animals to the ground and use of shock collars. 

  After receiving a number of complaints from viewers, the National Geographic network eventually began issuing an on-screen disclaimer in each episode: “Do not attempt these techniques yourself without consulting a professional.”
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  (#11) A Customer's Dog Developed Serious Problems After Seeing Cesar Millan

  Ligia Morris consulted Cesar Millan for help with her three dogs, and she was shocked by the methods he used in attempts to calm them down. According to Morris, Millan told her she wasn't the right fit for her Brazilian mastiff - due to the breed - and only an alpha would be able to take control, which she apparently wasn't. 

  The small amount of training had some immediate positive effects, and soon Morris decided to board her Brazilian mastiff at Millan's Dog Psychology Center for a trip she was taking abroad. When she went back to pick up her dog, she noticed that it had injured its eyelid. The center informed her that her dog was a "fighter," something that was never apparent before Millan's tutelage.  

  Shortly after this stay, Morris noticed her pet was acting strangely, getting distraught when she left the house. "My [dog] had been damaged by those methods and developed an anxiety disorder," she wrote. "He had developed noise/storm phobia associated to separation anxiety, which he had never presented before those 10 days he was 'whispered to.'"

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