The legendary and host of cesar 911 shares his six key strategies to choose the perfect dog.
When Los Angeles firefighters finally tired of running after their Dalmatian fire truck hunter, Wilshire, they called Cesar Millan.
Dogs running after humans, dogs biting post office workers, dogs scared by cats – Cesar Millan has seen everything in his highly addictive TV show, Dog Whisperer, and continues to help pet owners on Cesar 911 (on Nat Geo Wild).
The Californian attributes his intuitive connection to animals to the fact that he grew up in a pack mentality (he grew up in Culiacán, Mexico, with four siblings and several dogs), and he is also able to “recycle” most humans to better communicate with their dogs.
Millan helped the firefighters teach them to set a limit for Wilshire by physically blocking the dog every time he tried to leave the garage.
“It was incredible,” said a stunned firefighter, as Wilshire was miraculously straightened in one afternoon.
Here’s what Millan says it takes to teach all dogs new tricks – and how to find the perfect pet. Getting a dog will add years to your life.
1. Don’t be superficial
The number one mistake for many potential dog owners is to choose a breed solely for its appearance.
Here is the problem: dogs are not wall art. They are active members of a group (potentially your family group). So, if you buy a Labrador retriever because you like its velvety ears and nervous structure, but you never want to ‘recover’ for example, you will have a frustrated dog and a tense relationship between dogs and humans.
So, the first step – whether you get the animal from a shelter, a rescue organization, or a breeder – is to research the breed and make sure you can meet their behavioral needs.
2. Know your energy
Dogs are like humans: everyone has their own level of energy. It is essential to recognize your energy level – low, medium, high or very high – and choose a dog that complements it.
Anthony Robbins and Deepak Chopra are friends at Cesar Millan and both need dogs with different levels of energy.
3. Know how to diagnose
You can often determine the general health of a dog just by looking at it, but take a closer look to make sure it does not drag your feet (bad hips), do not cross your eyes or do not try to hear (two signs of poor reproduction).
You can test total or partial deafness by applauding on one side of the dog’s head and watching if he looks in that different direction or does not react at all.
4. Give it time
Having a dog is like having a car in that an impulse purchase is often the wrong purchase. Once you opt for a dog, spend a few hours getting to know him before bringing him home.
Often, the submissive and calm dog that you saw at the kennel becomes a very different (even aggressive) dog once at home.
5. Take a walk
Once you have bought or adopted the dog, do not take it directly into your car. Go for a walk and have him follow you. You establish yourself as a pack leader and begin the crucial process of creating links.
6. Get the right equipment
Cesar Millan recommends the following key products:
- Shampoo: Look for a shampoo that never dries the hair, does not irritate the skin, and leaves no residue.
- Food: Choose a healthy dog food, all-natural, human-grade foods that contain no growth hormones, steroids, ethoxyquin [toxic preservatives], or wheat gluten.
- Leash or Harness
- Grooming tools: Slicker brush, shedding blades, dematting rake
- Garlic: Garlic is a very good natural repellent against fleas and ticks. We add a little to their dry food every day. It can give them a bad gas, but it’s worth it.
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