The Dog Whisperer: The Dr. Phil for Dogs

When my dog Tucker gets mad at me, he poops on the floor. In our two years together he has learned exactly what things he can do to push my buttons and he has no problem doing them when I’ve done something he doesn’t like. If I invite a guest over and put him away longer than he would like, or leave for the evening and don’t taking him along I usually discover a carefully placed present in the middle of my living room.

Tucker is my first dog, and I have raised him from a puppy. I read a lot of dog training books when I first brought him home, and have trained him to sit, lay down, go to his crate etc. The whole pooping thing however I have never been able to get under control.

Recently I was introduced to a show on the National Geographic Channel called “Dog Whisperer”. The show features a man named Caesar Milan who goes into people’s homes and helps them train “problem pets”. Many of the problems people have with their pets stem from them not exerting their dominance over their dog. I think that is more than likely the case with Tucker who thinks of himself more as my equal than as my pet.

Milan has gone on the Oprah show several times and has worked personally with her dogs, as well as the dogs of other celebrities such as Nicolas Cage and Scarlett Johannson. In addition to having his own television series Milan also is the owner operator of the Dog Psychology Center in Los Angeles where he gives “last chance” dogs a new chance at life by training them, and then using them in his training of other dogs.

On each episode of The Dog Whisperer Milan tackles a new home with a new dog with a behavior problem. There are dogs like Tucker who are out for attention, and will do whatever it takes to get it, as well as dogs with other problems as well. One of my favorite episodes I’ve seen is about a German Shepard who won’t stop chasing his tail.

I’ve gotten a lot of tips from watching the show that I have been able to bring into my relationship with my dog, and we are slowly but surely getting the pooping situation under control.

In most cases on the show you discover that the behavior problem lies not in the dogs, but in the way the owners are interacting with the dogs.

The complete first season of the show “Dog Whisperer” is available May 23rd.