Cesar’s Way

If you know me at all, you know that I have become obsessed with the idea of owning a dog.  Growing up, I always had cats, and since I’ve been on my own, I’ve had fish.  I’m going to be honest, the fish aren’t doing it for me anymore.  I need something fuzzy and cuddly that wags its tail when I come home instead of puffs up its gills or ignores me.  I’m still considering getting a cat, but I’ve never had a dog and I think it would be a great experience.

So, since I’ve never had a dog but have a deep and burning desire to own one, I thought I should do a little research and reading up on the subject.  (What else would you expect from someone with an English degree and who works in a library?)  The book that I ran across and decided to try out first was Cesar’s Way, written by the host of National Geographic Channel’s TV show Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan.  I had never seen the show and I knew next to nothing about Cesar Millan, but I dove right in and barely surfaced for air.

This book gave a lot of background information on Cesar, where he grew up and how he always seemed to have a special connection with dogs.  He explains how he came to the United States (a very interesting story, I might add – he wasn’t originally a legal immigrant) and how he decided to and eventually became a significant force in the dog business.  I was amazed to learn that he has his own Dog Psychology Center, and here he keeps 30 to 40 dogs on a regular basis, all of whom get along and can run next to Cesar without leashes, can eat without showing food aggression, and can even play with one tennis ball and never have a problem!  Cesar gives information on dogs in general – their overall psychology and, in relation to that, their physiology.  He explains why dogs act out the way they do, and what you, as an owner, need to do to curb that aggressive or unwanted behavior.  While I wish he had more direct instructions as to how to train a dog, the insight he gave me as to why a dog needs to be trained and the basic rules on how to keep your dog happy and psychologically healthy (“exercise, discipline, and affection, in that order!”) is invaluable.  He also discusses how you can (and should) become the pack leader to your dog, instead of letting your dog rule you.

After reading his book, I happened to stumble across a TV with cable and it just so happened that his show was on.  Watching it, I saw what he had tried to explain in his book, and everything that was just a bit hazy in my mind clicked into place.  By reading, I understood why Cesar did certain things, but watching the show I got to see how.  His website also has a ton of helpful and interesting information.

5 out of 5 stars.  This was the absolute best book I could have picked out before owning a dog.  It opened my eyes to the amount of responsibility a dog entails (much more than a cat!) but also gave me the tools I needed to succeed as a competent and responsible dog owner.  I am currently waiting to get a hold of his second book, Be the Pack Leader, and am looking forward to watching more of his show.  While this is not the book for you if you are just hoping to teach your dog to sit and stay, this is definitely required reading for all current and potential dog owners.  The information I received is invaluable and I can’t wait to learn more!