Dog Whisperer Comes Under Fire

Animal experts are questioning the training methods of Cesar Milan, star of the hit TV show The Dog Whisperer, charging that Millan’s philosophy is based on animal studies that have been discredited and saying that some techniques he uses are cruel, according to an article in Time magazine. “Discipline doesn’t come in the form of screaming at your dog, hitting your dog or putting it into an alpha roll,” says Victoria Stilwell, who emphasizes positive reinforcement training methods on her own Animal Planet show, It’s Me or the Dog. “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.”