In the 1940s, it was established that dogs are pack animals and require a leader. This theory was later called dominance theory and then alpha theory. The Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan, however, made the concept of the pack leader a part of American dog owners' vocabulary and concepts many decades later.
Millans TV series, which was immensely popular from 2004-12, brought dog training to American audiences like none other. It was the No. 1 program on National Geographic channels. It was the No. 1 program on National Geographic channels and was broadcast in over 80 countries. Milln has since had multiple shows, a magazine and a lecture series. He also wrote three NYT bestseller books. Milln also created a line of products that includes dog food sold at major grocery stores.
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Nat Geo's new series, Better Human Better Dog, premiered in July. In the opening sequence, the dog whisperer explains why the pandemic was so serious and why he had to return to action. The shelters are empty which means that more people need to help their dogs. It's time for viewers show their Chihuahuas that they are boss.
Millan, who came to prominence after his theory was disprovenobsessively reiterates the idea that dogs must be happy when their owners set boundaries.
Millans methods are rooted within dominance theory. Problem is that dominance theory has been discredited for many years. Millan has been called a poser and a one-man wrecking crew that destroyed years of progress in dog training. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior rejected Millan's methods as cruel. Experts say his insistence on dominance theory can cause dogs to become fearful and insecure. Fear does not equal obedience. Millans' fans are loyal and some even call him a genius of the messianic kind. What is the appeal of Millans shows and alpha theory? Is it as simple and easy as Millan's celebrity appeal, or is there something more?
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Rudolf Schenkel, a Swiss zoologist, introduced the alpha theory in 1947. Schenkel's study of unrelated captive wolves led him to conclude that packs are made up of individuals who compete for dominance. These fights lead to the alpha (strongest) leading the pack. Although his findings were valid for the wolves he studied, they were incorrectly extrapolated to wild wolves and dogs. Finally, dog-human interaction was included.
Dave Mech, a wolf researcher, demonstrated that the alpha paradigm is not applicable to wild wolves. These wolves live in groups and are led by breeding couples, not individuals. The breeding pair are the oldest members of the group and they mate for life. There is no pack leader. Even the breeding pair is not the dominant. They are the parents. In addition to reproducing, they also teach the other members of the pack how to behave. All of this is irrelevant for domestic dogs. Animal behaviorists agree with the conclusion that dominance-submission relationships in nature are used to allocate resources. This problem does not mirror what happens at home between dogs and people.
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Millan, who, yes, did appear on the scene after his theory was disproved, reiterates the idea of dogs being happy and healthy. One of those boundaries is teaching the dog who's boss. Millan's approach is to set boundaries and teach the dog who is boss. Millan advocates the use alpha rolls. This is where the dog is forced onto its side and held there until it surrenders. Millan suggests alpha rolls for aggressive dogs only, but experts warn that it can lead to aggression and bites. Millan was wrong. Today's trainers who support the use of corrections do not believe in dominance theory. They also don't rely on a pack leader framework. Pure positive training, which does not use corrections, teaches boundaries in non-corrective boundary games. The dog gets treats and praises for staying in a particular area. Pure positive trainers believe that boundaries are not necessary or obvious to be corrected. While dominance may seem to work from their perspective, it's not because they are confident or calm.
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Millan's promises and allure may have been a part of Millans success. His whispering and ability to relax dogs quickly without using words or to elicit desired behavior changes without repeating too many times, had the audience captivated. Millan uses energy as his favorite abstraction in every episode. He seems to be able to fix dogs in one meeting, something dog behaviorists would tell you is impossible. Millan also stated that even the most challenging dog behavior cases could be successfully rehabilitated, as opposed to euthanasia. Millan presented a revolutionary perspective to viewers: What you might think of as a frightening dog is really just a scared dog. Millan, who is a celebrity, populates his show with famous people.
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Millans popularity is a sign of something more fundamental. Alpha theory's appeal lies in its simplicity and clarity as an idea, its ease of communication and apparent transferability between canine-only and canine-human ensembles. The myth of the pack starts with the assumption that we all know what a successful family unit looks like. This provides a simple solution for times of distress and turbulence: You are in control. Millan also adds a touch of healthy values to this. Millan created the term "pack code", which is composed of loyalty, honesty and integrity. These are all qualities that humans seek in human-to-human relationships. They are particularly important in times of social instability and scarcity. People and their dogs lived in quarantine for a year before Millans' new show was released. This allowed them to manage extremely stressful living situations. It was a confusing world. Alpha theory's hierarchical model is easy to understand and provides an instant explanation of why conflicts happen (fighting for dominance), and how to solve them (gaining dominance). It is a simple and communicable way to live with other people, including humans, in relative peace.
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Millans' pack used to have 65 dogs. However, the number of dogs has fallen to around 30 in recent years. Dog hoarding is a mental disorder whereby people with low incomes keep large numbers of dogs. Millans believes that having a lot of dogs is about having an organized hierarchy and the right attitude. Exhilarating, slow-motion footage of Millan running along a beach with several dogs behind him or walking what appears to be 10 dogs, of various sizes and breeds, is the highlight of the new show's intro and ending sequences. We, the viewers, enter a multi-dog, multispecies, communal paradise in beautiful Southern California as soon as our guests arrive at Millans' Dog Psychology Center with their poorly behaved dogs. Although it appears that the entire group is held together by a single pack leader, Millans fame and wealth actually sustains them all. It's a dreamland. It's no wonder that we long to escape.
