Product Description

Bestselling author Cesar Millan takes his principles of dog psychology a step further, showing you how to develop the calm-assertive energy of a successful pack leader and use it to improve your dog’s life–and your own.

Filled with practical tips and techniques as well as real-life success stories from his clients (including the Grogan family, owners of Marley from Marley & Me) and his popular television show Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan, Cesar helps you understand and read your dog’s energy as well as your own so that you can move beyond just correcting behavioral issues and take your connection with your dog to the next level.

The principles of calm-assertive energy will help you become a better pack leader in every area of your life, improving your relationships with friends, family, and coworkers.

In addition, Cesar addresses several important issues for the first time, including what you need to know about the major dog behavior tools available and the difference between “personality” and “instability.”

Ultimately, what emerges from Be the Pack Leader are both happier dogs and happier, more centered owners.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #621 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-02
• Released on: 2007-10-02
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 336 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Millan, television's "Dog Whisperer," says that "Even the most unobservant person can see an owner's own issues totally mirrored in his or her dogs' problems," and in this follow-up to last year's bestselling Cesar's Way, he makes that connection more explicit and exploitable. Every dog wants a "clearly defined social framework, with a fair, consistent pack leader"; chances are good, then, that behind every unruly dog is an inconsistent human. To become the master your dog needs, one must cultivate "calm-assertive energy," a mind-set that puts both dogs and people at ease; besides thorough explanation, Millan offers a number of suggestions for developing this powerful form of non-verbal communication, including visualization techniques and inner dialogue ("focus your mind, and then tell yourself, 'This is my sofa.' "). Answering readers' requests for more straightforward advice, the book also offers a rundown of training tools-collars, leashes, etc.-and step-by-step instructions for properly handling common occurrences such as meeting a new dog, walking, feeding and visiting the vet. In numerous case studies, Millan's love for his work is obvious and infectious; whether you need a book for your dog or yourself, Millan's simple techniques, compassionate tone and intimate knowledge of dog psychology (and the human effect on it) makes this a worthy read.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From AudioFile
The bestselling author of CESARÕS WAY and star of the popular TV show ÒDog WhispererÓ excels at conveying his trademark sensible message and calmly assertive energy. MillanÕs light Hispanic accent is pleasing to the ear, and his natural persuasive ability and innate sense of timing and emphasis make his points about dog psychology even more compelling. Explaining how to give our dogs (and ourselves) balance through provocative anecdotes about different cases and providing valuable information about how to fulfill the potential of different breeds, Millan captivates from beginning to end. His accessible message and caring but emphatic delivery invite listeners to ponder how our own energy and inner struggles may affect the lives of our pets--and the people around us. J.C.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

About the Author
Founder of the Dog Psychology Center in Los Angeles, CESAR MILLAN is the star of Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan on the National Geographic Channel. In addition to Cesar’s educational seminars and work with unstable dogs, he and his wife have founded the Cesar and Ilusion Millan Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing financial support and rehabilitation expertise to shelters. A native of Culican, Mexico, Cesar lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Ilusion, and their two sons, Andre and Calvin.

MELISSA JO PELTIER, an executive producer and writer of Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan, has been honored for her film and television writing and directing with an Emmy, a Peabody, and more than fifty other awards. She lives in Nyack, New York, with her husband, writer-director John Gray, and stepdaughter, Caitlin.

Customer Reviews

Cesar Milan - the man who set dog training back 20 years
There is nothing new in Milan's training methods. He has just rehashed the outdated stuff of the '80s and earlier. Truly modern dog training seeks to form a relationship between dog and human, one based on mutual respect.

Yes, one can get results with his methods, but response based on fear is shallow and fleeting at best. That is, unless one keeps the poor dog terrorized. He appeals to people because of his emphasis on human dominance over dogs. There are dozens--make that hundreds--of trainers with more worthwhile advice to offer. I suggest that the person who wants a friend and companion instead of a cringing syncophant listen to them.

again the perfect gift for any cesar fan
again cesar proves that it is not the dogs that have the problems it is the humans that cause them through our lack of information and experience and also our actions of assuming we can treat a dog like a human and it still behave like a dog and picking the wrong breed of dog for our own lifestyle. excellent read a must buy

Another step back in training
Millan's methods are both outdated and dangerous, the alpha roll being one of the better known and more dangerous of them. The term was first coined by the Monks of New Skete, who (as well as Millan) base the technique on wolf research. However that research has since been disproved, and even the Monks of New Skete have retracted this method and discourage people from doing it. Yet Millan continues, in spite of current research on behavior and learning processes in animals. An alpha roll is a very good method for getting your face bit off by a dog. That and scaring a dog.

His dominance centered methods sound great, but fall far short of reality. Dogs do not live in rigid structures, but rather dominance is fluid and highly situational. Again, current wolf research from the last several years supports this and debunks previous beliefs of how wolf society works. In addition, its problematic when you attempt to take wolf society and apply it to a human-dog pack - its not a cookie cutter mold that can be applied everywhere.

Millan does get some things right, because he is accurate that you do need to be a leader to your dog. Its his methods that are dangerous and harmful. You need not dominate your dog in order to lead. For more information on methods that work better and without the pitfalls of dominance and punishment based training, refer to trainers and actual PhD behaviorists such as Patricia McConnell, Pat Miller, Ian Dunbar, Karen Pryor, Victoria Stilwell (who has a show on Animal Planet,) Nicholas Dodman, and so many more who advance both science based training, and methods that foster cooperation and respect as well as joy between your dog and you.