Cesar Millan's Trick For Acing Dog Training Will Test Your Willpower

Dog whisperer, dog trainer, canine behaviorist, television celebrity: Regardless of what comes to mind when you think of Cesar Millan, you likely know he's earned a reputation for helping thousands of people with their dog dilemmas. His tips and tricks, spanning more than 25 years, have been featured in books and television shows, including National Geographic's "Cesar Millan: Better Human, Better Dog," which just aired its fifth season. He also co-founded the Halo Collar to help dog owners train with consistency, with the new Halo Collar 4 offering even more benefits than before. This is why Cuteness was thrilled to have an exclusive interview with Millan, who emphasizes to us the importance of not leading with your emotions or seeing your dog as your child or partner so you can confidently establish yourself as the "pack leader."

When it comes to training a dog, Millan shares with us that his goal is "for your home to feel safe and peaceful and for you to have a trusting, respectful, loving relationship [with your dog]." He compares his approach to "Avatar: The Last Airbender" in that he focuses on three pillars at a time: safety, peace, and love; trust, respect, and love; or body, mind, and heart. "It goes back to the Fire Nation, or the nation and the pack, and the energy and who's the pack leader ... who's in the middle ... and who's at the back," he explains. During our interview, he also addressed the disadvantages of leading with your emotions during training.

As a famed dog trainer, Cesar Millan has seen his share of training troubles over the years and has learned which methods work and which ones don't. For example, some people let their emotions dictate their decisions when breaking up a dog fight, which can cause them to match the dogs' negative energy. Some also view their pets as their children or spouses, but he says it's important to overcome these feelings and perspectives during training. In fact, Millan provides some exclusive tips with Cuteness on how to remove hindering emotions that sometimes surface throughout this process. 

In his 25+ years of experience with dog owners, he's encountered a common emotion that can easily thwart effective training: fear. "A lot of times, [owners] think that by being [the pack] leader, they are going to hurt the dog or the dog is going to not love them," he explains. As a result, they don't train with confidence and, instead, prioritize their fear of jeopardizing the human-animal love bond.

If you establish yourself as a pack leader, refrain from leading with your emotions, and avoid seeing your dog as a child or spouse during training, you'll have better odds of success, according to Millan. This can equate to having a more positive relationship with your canine companion despite the challenge to your willpower. With a little calm confidence, you can help empower your dog's training. 

Now, be sure to check out Cesar Millan's thought process when breaking up dog fights.