Cesar Millan tours Thailand
By Tatat Bunnag and Suwitcha Chaiyong
Photos are courtesy of BEC-Tero
Did you know
Cesar has appeared on top TV chat shows like Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, The Today Show and The View.
Local dog lovers will be delighted to hear that one of the world’s best-known dog trainers, Cesar Millan, is coming to Bangkok for the first time to present his live show to a Thai audience.
Over the years, the Mexican-born dog-behaviour expert has become widely known from his television series, Dog Whisperer, as well as his new show, Cesar 911.
Cesar has written three books, all of which have been on the New York Times best-sellers list. He also founded The Millan Foundation, which provides financial support to non-profit animal shelters and organisations engaged in the rescuing and rehabilitation of abused and abandoned dogs.
Student Weekly recently had an exclusive interview with Cesar about his experience working with dogs and about his upcoming show, Cesar Millan Live — Love your Dogs Tour, which will take place at Royal Paragon Hall on June 3.
Student Weekly: How did you learn about the body language of dogs?
Cesar: By watching how a pack works together and communicates. A dominant dog can get another dog to move out of its way just by the energy it projects. You can tell a lot about a dog’s position in the pack by how they hold themselves around other dogs. When reading a dog’s body language, you can’t do it intellectually. You can only do it by using your instincts.
Student Weekly: How did you feel when you saw yourself being affectionately parodied on popular TV show, South Park?
Cesar: I love the parody on South Park. I use clips from that episode in my live show. I think I’m one of the few celebrities to be parodied on their show that they didn’t make fun of! They showed my techniques pretty accurately, too.
Student Weekly: Can you talk about your pet American Pit Bull Terrier, Daddy?
Cesar: Daddy was my constant companion for 16 years, until he passed away in 2010. He helped me with a lot of difficult cases. He meant everything to me, and he taught me the lesson of wisdom. Daddy always knew exactly what to do in any situation. He also picked his successor, Junior, who has taken his place working with me.
Pit Bulls are one of my favourite breeds, but I also love mutts because they usually bring out the best in whatever breeds are in them.
Student Weekly: Do you have any tips on how to walk a whole pack of dogs?
Cesar: It’s not much different from walking one dog. You have to project calm, assertive energy and move with confidence. Initially focus on leading the most dominant dogs in the pack, because the others will instinctively take their places and follow them.
Student Weekly: You’ve been bitten by dogs many times. What has caused dogs to bite you in the past?
Cesar: Whenever I’ve been bitten, it’s because I made a mistake. I either misread the dog’s body language or let my guard down at the wrong time. I’ve never been scared of dogs, although I once met a dog that I knew I couldn’t work with. From the second he saw me, I could tell he was trying to decide whether to hit me high or low when he attacked.
Student Weekly: There are a lot of stray dogs in Thailand. What kind of body language should we be aware of to avoid being attacked by stray dogs?
Cesar: Watch the dog’s ears. If they’re pinned back against the head, it’s a sign of aggression. The hair along their back may also stand up. If a dog yawns, it doesn’t mean the dog is tired — it’s showing its teeth. It’s also a sign of aggression of the dog tries to make eye contact with you. To prevent being bitten, remain calm and don’t face the dog directly. Turn sideways, so that you can see the dog out of the corner of your eye. If you’re carrying something like an umbrella, hold it out in front of yourself to claim your space, then walk away casually.
Student Weekly: What’s the best thing about being a dog behaviour specialist, and is there any downside to the job?
Cesar: The best part is seeing people learn how to have a happy, balanced relationship with their dogs. Nothing makes me happier than when a person I’m working with suddenly gets it and has a breakthrough. The only downside is that I’m very busy with the touring, the TV shows and the books. I really have to make an effort to do what’s most important to be, which is spend time with my family.
Student Weekly: What can Thai fans expect at your upcoming show?
Cesar: I cover the fundamentals of my techniques in a lot more detail than I do on my TV shows. I deal with misunderstood aspects of animal behaviour like anxiety and aggression. I teach people how to respect different species and let a dog be a dog. The show will be educational, but it will also be a lot of fun.
Ticket prices for Cesar Millan Live start at 2,000 baht and are available at Thai Ticketmajor. For more information, call 02 262 3838 or visit www.thaiticketmajor.com and www.cesarmillanlive.com.
Vocabulary
- delighted (adj): feeling great pleasure
rehabilitation (n): the process of restoring somebody or something to health or a normal life by training, therapy, etc.
affectionately (adv): in a way that displays fondness or tenderness
parody (v): to produce a humorously exaggerated imitation of somebody or something
mutt (n): a dog that is a mix of different breeds or types
project (v): to display something in your behaviour
initially (adv): at the beginning
fundamentals (n): the basics, rudiments, foundations, etc. of an idea, a method, etc.
