Cesar's Way by Cesar Millan

Evidently I'm the only one I know who has not watched this show! I have a Queensland Heeler who is a wonderful dog, but a bit nervous about a few things including car rides and running water (aka baths). When I mentioned this to the ladies at the kennel the last time I dropped Molly off, they said I had to get this book: Cesar's Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems. So I did.

He has some fascinating stories about "problem" dogs (usually caused by problem owners, of course) and makes some interesting parallels between permissive parenting and spoiling dog owners who give their dogs nothing but affection, rather than the exercise and discipline they need.

The most interesting point he makes is about homeless people and their dogs. I work with a local veterans' shelter, although I don't think they allow dogs to come in to the shelters. Millan's basic point is that homeless people rarely have leashes yet their dogs are well-behaved, enjoying walking endless miles with their homeless owners, sharing food, etc. It's a more "natural" life for the dogs than being cooped up in a suburban yard with no exercise and no work to do.

While reading, I was reminded of when I was getting into horseback riding as a young adult. It struck me at some point that the horse was behaving because I expected it to behave. I behaved differently with the confidence that I earned while learning to ride. And once I had the expectation that the horse would do what I wanted, they usually did. It's an attitude that cannot be faked however.

I haven't tried bathing my dog yet but I have noticed some differences in her behavior since I read the book and just started doing a few of the minor things. First, I don't let her go out the door in front of me when it's walk time. And I wait until she's calmed down after I put the leash on before we try to go out the door, which usually means I put the leash and she jumps around wildly, then she sits. She tries to go out the door first, but I'm not letting her. She's seems to be catching onto this before she figures out the "don't jump after the leash is on." On the walk, I'm keeping a shorter leash and not letting her walk in front of me. She's never been a strong "puller" but she likes to walk in front and I'm not letting her anymore.

The other thing is that at the end of our walk I usually let her off the leash. In the past she's run home in front of me, which I was fine with since I'd let her off leash. But now she drops back behind me and just trots there. The other day she either didn't see the cat she would normally chase or ignored it. I'm not sure which. But either way, the trotting behind me is a nice thing with no leash.