Dogs, the old saying goes, are man’s (or woman’s) best friend.
This is where dog behavior expert Cesar Millan comes in.
Mexicans are very much into spirituality.
Mexicans are very much into connection with Mother Nature, Earth.
We have strong traditions and passion.
Since I was little, I had this connection with Mother Nature.
My first language, in a way, was talking to animals.
I just have to put words into the feeling."
Have your dog training techniques changed over the years?
If so, how have they evolved?
I don’t train dogs, so it’s a difference between training and rehab.
There’s people that rehabilitate people, and there’s people that train people.
In that training, I teach people about energy, philosophy, and activities.
The activities [are] where you’re free to find training techniques or strategies.
[Connection, communication, and having a relationship are] one, two, three.
The number three is techniques or strategy.
But number one is the most important because they’re animals, and animals pick up on your energy.
Before you even think, you have to know what energy you have.
It’s very Eastern, what I teach.
It’s about energy; it’s about yin and yang.
It’s about not working against nature.
Latinos or Mexicans have a lot in common with Asians.
Technology is for connection, communication, and relationship.
A leash is the first technology that humans invented, right?
Then we have to learn how to convince the animal not to fight, flight, or avoid.
But technology is moving extremely fast, and humans are becoming more and more intellectual about it.
People understand this more than a dog.
Nowadays, you see kids watching this or [using] a tablet.
That was my connection, communication, and relationship.
I have to adapt to the times people are definitely more savvy about technology.
We created a technology that actually mirrors what I teach.
That’s why we created the Halo Collar.
The Halo Collar helps dogs understand and respect boundaries
Can you tell me more about that?
The other thing that does extremely well is …
The indoor life is one life that’s ruled by limitations.
The outdoor life is “follow, play, explore.”
That’s when the dog needs to walk with you, play with you, explore with you.
With some dogs, people are afraid that the dog will never come back.
you’re gonna wanna have the activities for the dog to be connected with you.
Can you give me an example of how that might work in practice?
Say your dog has a Halo Collar on and you’re outside, what would it do?
How would it affect the dog’s behavior or your behavior?
First of all, after you snag something that is going to help you, it calms your energy.
A lot of times, dogs go away if your energy is tense or if your energy is nervous.
Remember, he’s animal, species, dog, breed, [and] name.
It is an instruction manual that if you follow for 21 days, you create an imprint.
It takes 21 days to create a behavior, so you’re free to’t skip those 21 days.
[That’s] not organized.
When you’re not organized on behavior, you create this chaos.
Let’s put it into a more practical perspective where people will get it quicker.
Rescuing a dog is a beautiful thing.
It logically doesn’t make any sense that we enter into anything if we don’t have the knowledge.
It is like an emotional buy.
It’s an emotional thing.
It is not well thought out.
I need a dog because I always wanted a dog."
The relationship is a long run.
It’s not a short run; it’s a long run.
You need the knowledge.
Knowledge is different from heart.
The dog is going to bring out the good side of you and the bad side of you.
The dog is going to awaken the dragons.
You have to deal with that secret that you’ve been carrying for a long time.
The dog is just going to intensify what you already had.
You already had the fear; you already had the anxiety; you already had the confusion.
No dog gives it to the human.
Self-analysis is something that is becoming more and more in the conversation.
Then you enter into self-love, self-value, self-knowledge.
Those three things are like, “How much do I love myself?
How much do I value myself?”
That’s one thing.
We have to use our mind sometimes to turn it off or to be creative.
But the intellectual world has been leading for a long time.
Remember, we are the only species that follows unstable leaders.
My clients can be Harvard graduates, but they can’t walk a Chihuahua.
VisitHalo Collarto learn more about better communication with your dog.
This interview was edited for clarity.
