1 of 4 | New episodes of Better Human Better Dog will air Friday. Photo courtesy of National Geographic
NEW YORK, Aug. 16 (UPI) — Cesar Millan says he will continue to give stressed-out pet owners advice on exercise, discipline and behavior for their dogs as long as they need it.
“I look forward to continuing to educate the world,” Millan, 54, said in a recent Zoom interview with UPI.
“We can do it together as a world, right?” he added. “If we have the right energy, the right philosophy and take the right actions, all the dogs in the world will benefit.”
Over the past 20 years, Millan has hosted numerous series, including Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan from 2004 to 2016.
His show Better person, better dog premiered in 2021, is now in its fifth season, and new episodes air on Fridays.
Millan’s guiding principle is that people’s interactions with their pets can improve their own mental health and relationships with others, as well as foster an appreciation for the natural world around them.
“We can start with our dogs so we can see that it is tangible: If we change our energy, change our mindset and how we treat dogs, we can practice respect and love for all people,” he said.
“I am a father of two and I tell my children that crystals, minerals, plants and animals connect them to Mother Nature so they can live a natural, simple and profound life,” Millan added. “The world wants you to live for money, fame and power and that separates people from natural happiness, natural health, natural love and natural intelligence.”
During the lockdowns due to the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and 2021, many animal shelters were emptied as bored people working from home for school and work decided to adopt dogs to relieve their anxiety and boredom.
The problem is that some people don’t know what to do with their pets once they get them or go back to work, Millan said.
As a result, some dogs suffered from separation anxiety and were returned to shelters by their owners when the world returned to normal.
This is one of the reasons why Millan began Better person, better dog.
“It was a blessing for us,” he said of these special circumstances.
“Humans were simply allowed to engage in an emotional activity, right? (They thought), ‘I’ve always wanted a dog. I didn’t have time for it,'” he said, adding that many people were surprised to discover that “a dog’s life is a responsibility” that requires commitment and time management.
“You learn how to choose a dog and hopefully you don’t get discouraged, because a lot of people get discouraged when they don’t get it right and think, ‘Oh, that hurts so much.’ No, no, no. You just didn’t get it right, that’s it. Now get it right.”
Since Millan first began working as a celebrity dog trainer, several pup trends have emerged, including the increasing number of dog parks and the use of protective pet strollers in urban areas in the U.S. and Asia, as well as pet-sitting services and security cameras to monitor animals when their owners aren’t home.
And although many people love their furry friends, that is usually not enough to train a dog to be well behaved.
Millan said he sees many dog owners still make mistakes when teaching their dogs to follow rules and boundaries, but he commends them for trying to change things by watching his shows and reading his books for tips.
“The energy of calm is still not part of (their training). The energy of silence is still not part of it. The dog will absorb the energy that he lives in, and so a large percentage of people are beginning to understand that first of all, it’s not the dog’s fault, and secondly, it’s not the breed’s fault,” he said, meaning that the human is in charge and responsible for his dog’s reactions.
“Animals are not there to cause problems. Quite the opposite,” Millan added. “They just want to remind us to live a natural, simple and profound life full of trust, respect, love and the feeling of security, peace and love.”
Millan stressed that pet owners don’t need money to raise a dog to be well-behaved and loyal. He noted that animals were a part of his life when he was growing up on a farm in Mexico and was initially homeless after moving to the United States.
“They’re not after money,” he said of dogs.
“They’re just looking for a family, and that’s why it’s good to have someone you can rely on at that level,” Millan said. “Low-income family, middle-class family or rich family, it doesn’t matter.”
“This is something we – the whole world – can have as a community. We all have this wonderful relationship with dogs.”
