American Humane Association and Cesar Millan Together?
If you haven't been to American Humane Association's website lately, you might want to visit THIS PAGE. AHA announces plans to convene a symposium later this year, bringing together top notch experts in the areas of "dog-friendly" training and behavior modification techniques to meet with Cesar Millan to discuss mutual areas of interest.
It's not yet clear what the purpose of this meeting will be, or what it's organizers hope will be a desired outcome.
AHA states they've had significant differences with Mr. Millan about his training techniques – we hope so! But their common interests of promoting spaying and neutering, encouraging owners to exercise their dogs more, and promoting shelter adoptions, don't compensate – in our opinion – for what divides them – his training methods.
But, we'd like to know what you think? Do you think such a symposium is a good idea, a bad idea, or does it depend?
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9 Responses to “American Humane Association and Cesar Millan Together?”
Suz and Dan
Hi Beth – We too were chagrined when we first heard this. AHA has not yet updated their website, but they will be convening a new “summit” meeting on humane dog training sometime in 2011 which will not focus on Mr. Millan. So stay tuned, we are hopeful this will all turn out for the best.
Suzanne and Dan
Beth
This just makes me sad. All people will see is AHA and Cesar and *boom* the connection is made. Now Cesar is more legit, regardless of what AHA says about the techniques he uses. Ask a PR specialist what this will do. Sound bite: Cesar and AHA working together at last. Cesar is not interested in changing his techniques – why would he be, he's making millions doing what he does. Do you think Cesar doesn't know about other techniques? Do you really believe this is going to be some light bulb moment for him?
Suz and Dan
Certainly if Cesar is serious about learning positive reinforcement based techniques, the last thing he would want to do is sue the organization that is going out on a limb to help him learn. We too hope AHA holds firm in their concern about the confrontational, punishment based techniques used by Mr. Millan. We hope to hear more from AHA in the coming weeks.
Suzanne and Dan
Anne
Respectful discourse is always a plus, but there are also rumblings about threats of legal action by Cesar Millan against some groups who oppose his tactics, so I'm not sure that this conference will actually result in his re-education or that AHA will not cave to his machine as IAABC seems to have done, withdrawing from the group of behavior and training organizations that had banded together to express their displeasure at his methods.
Suz and Dan
Hi Bill – Well, we tend to agree with you. There was a move afoot “behind the scenes” from a number of professionals to encourage AHA to re-think this “symposium”. But as of today, we haven’t heard any news indicating they had changed their plans. But we will keep you posted of whatever we hear.
Suzanne and Dan
Bill Stavers
1. this is a marketing opportunity for CM; not science or behavior mod. or "dog friendly techniques." 2. Why would you want to discuss ideas, hear what CM has to say. We hear and see what he has to say on TV every day. I belief there are many better ways to spend my time than listening to misinformed and incorrect opinions. 3. Whatever "change" comes from CM will be market-driven to expand his reach; not because he has changed his views. 4. A lot of harm can come of this meeting; the very act of discussing "ideas" and techniques legitimizes his point of view. 5. Those who like and admire CM will continue to do so; those who don't will continue to disagree with his advocating punishment training methods. 6. It is disheartening that this organization is providing a platform for misinformation, and the popularizing of mythology. 7. Let's just assume for argument's sake that it is it good to "open the lines of communication." What do we want to communicate and what, honestly, does CM have anything to say other than what is advocated on his daily TV show. If he has such a need to communicate, he's got a great platform already. 8. I think there should be a massive campaign to AHA to cancel this meeting. It is not a symposium. It is a PR event.
Bill Stavers
Suz and Dan
Thanks to you both Jodi and Shana for your comments. We agree that it's good to open the lines of communication – IF both parties are serious and sincere. Our concern is that Mr. Millan isn't really serious about learning "dog friendly", science based techniques, and will turn this into a publicity/media deal to his benefit with no real change coming about. So – there is the potential for harm, in our eyes. That's why some specific criteria we think need to be put in place as part of an agreeement from both parties before the symposium is a 'done deal'.
It's our understanding that NG channel and Mr. Millan have refused to allow AHA's film and television onto his set to monitor the safety and well being of the animals. If that is true – we ask why? Seems a bit hypocritical to want to attend a symposium on humane dog training, yet refuse to open up his set for monitoring.
I think we'd all like nothing better than for Cesar to stop the punitive, hurtful, confrontational techniques he uses, and change to ones that are better for dogs, and for their owners. But since what he's doing now is so financially rewarding – we aren't sure if there is sufficient incentive for him to change. Guess we'll all wait and see.
Suzanne
Shana Ruess
I believe this is potentially a great opportunity for CM to actually learn something about training and behavior modificiation. If such symposiums never happen, we can't expect a whole lot of progress from him in terms of trying new (to him) methods based on the scientific understanding of how dogs learn.
This sounds like a good first start, with people on both sides of the aisle coming together to talk about their shared beliefs, and to discuss those ideas they disagree with. If they can come together respectful of each other, and not put him on the defensive, perhaps the door will open for change.
And if not, no harm is done. If we can't even attempt to work together though, we can expect no change. But talking respectfully, showing how other methods can address the same issues and be successful, might just change his methods for the better. He wouldn't be the first crossover trainer.
Jodi
Oh no!!! What people need to understand is that Cesar Millan is just a gimmick. It is a crying shame that people don’t understand the science of behaviour and learning theory when it comes to animals. The worst part of all is that the so-called “pack theory” that he claims to follow has even been proven incorrect. In wild canids, packs are simply family units, and the “alpha” position is fluid. The idea of an alpha roll, the most ridiculous concept of all, is so incredibly wrong and grossly abusive. “Alpha” dogs do not attempt to roll “subordinates”. In fact, canids that wish to show “i’m your friend” will voluntarily show their bellies. I could go on for days about all the terribly wrong bologne he feeds people. All I can hope is that the AHA uses this opportunity to teach Cesar Millan some correct info and use him as their own gimmick to retrain people with some true science.