Dog Whisper Cesar Millan returns with new show on pandemic pooches

He’s keeping paw-sitive.  

Famous “dog whisperer” Cesar Millan is back with a new series on National Geographic, “Better Human Better Dog” which largely deals with the influx of dog-adoptions that resulted from the the pandemic. 

“I believe especially right now after Covid — where there’s so much confusion and unhappiness and chaos — that a dog can bring you back to your calmness, to your confidence, to your joy,” Millan, 51, told The Post. 

Cesar Millan walks 3 dogs on a leash on his new show.
Cesar Millan walks three dogs on his new show “Better Human Better Dog.”
National Geographic

“Especially when some people have lost their homes, have lost jobs, have lost family members. It’s a lot of loss. So that’s why I’m always focusing on, ‘How do I help the human to stabilize?’ because if the human is not stable, then the dog is going to absorb that energy. And when the dog lives in an unstable environment, he can only show aggression, fear, or avoidance.” 

Each 45-minute episode of “Better Human Better Dog,” airing Fridays at 9 p.m., follows cases in which people bring their misbehaving dogs to work with the renowned Millan at his Dog Psychology Center, a 45-acre ranch in Santa Clarita, Calif. 

Cesar Millan sits on a bench on his new show "Better Human Better Doig."
Cesar Millan at his ranch in California.
National Geographic

“Every home is going to create a different variety of side effects,” said Millan. “But aggression is aggression, fear is fear, anxiety is anxiety. Your energy as a family will create something different with a particular dog — the way [the family] opens the door, the music they listen to. All of that are the variables that will alter a dog’s energy. But a dog is a dog, no matter where you go in the world.

“It’s like water. Some things are very universal.”

The series premiere follows the pet parents of Ducky — a Yorkie with a large social media following who often bites and barks at random — and the pet parents of Goliath, a pit bull whose owner gets seizures. (Goliath’s aggression issues once made parademics afraid to enter the house.)

Cesar Millan (center) with Jason (left), Christine (right) and their dog, Ducky, posing holding some ducks.
Cesar Millan (center) with Jason (left), Christine (right) and their dog, Ducky, with some ducks.
National Geographic

“Everybody talks about ‘Oh, I don’t have time.’ So now they have time, but they don’t have knowledge,” said Millan.  

The number-one issue that he’s observed with the new influx of pandemic dog adoptions is working on getting the dog accommodated when their owners must leave the house more frequently.

Cesar Millan pulls a wagon full of ducks next to Ducky the dog on his new show.
Cesar Millan pulls a wagon full of ducks while Ducky the dog walks next to him.
National Geographic

“[People] don’t understand the meaning of ‘allow the dog to follow you, and then ask the dog not to follow you,’” he said. “So, for example, if a dog follows you 50 times throughout the day in your house, make sure he practices not following you 25 times. Why? Because the 25 times that he doesn’t follow you, that’s the training moment for when you have to leave the house.” 

Otherwise, if the dog is not acclimated, separation anxiety will ensue. “He’ll become anxious. And the anxiety will trigger that destructive behavior such as barking or destroying the furniture.”

Cesar Millan kneels and gives a dog a treat on his new show.
Cesar Millan (center) works with the dog Kuma and Kuma’s owners, on “Better Human Better Dog.”
National Geographic

Millan’s sons, Calvin, 21, and Andre, 25, also appear on “Better Human Better Dog,” assisting their dad. Previously, Andre and Cesar hosted the show “Dog Nation,” while Calvin starred in the show “Mutt & Stuff” on Nick Jr. (2015-2017).

“It’s my pack, helping their family,” he said. “I’m a man with a mission. I saw many years ago that my purpose in life is to educate the world about connection, communication, and relationship with a dog. I don’t train dogs, I train humans.” 

source: nypost.com