Dog Whisperer With Cesar Millan – The Complete First Season by Screen Media

Actors

• Derron 'Smokey' Edington
• Cesar Millan
• Deborah Carmichael
• Andre Millan
• Ilusion Millan

Format

• Box set
• Color
• Dolby
• Full Screen
• Subtitled

Editorial Review

If you think your dog has behavioral problems, you'll feel better after watching 10 minutes of Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan's hard-luck cases. The smashing success of Millan's National Geographic Channel series is due partly to that feeling of relief–that no matter how bad your own dog's behavior, by and large, it's not nearly as bad as Millan's clients'; it's kind of like Nanny 911, but with dogs. Millan is also a telegenic, confident animal handler, whose basic message is reinforced in virtually every case: Don't treat your dog like a human; treat him like a dog, and be the alpha dog of your own household/pack. This canine golden rule applies to all kinds of doggie nut jobs: crazy little Chihuahua NuNu, who bites everyone but his owner; big sweetie-pie Great Dane Kane, whose puppy mishap sliding on a slick floor has made him terrified to walk on tile or linoleum; Brooks, who spins in circles trying to re-create a game involving looking for a laser light; and Maya the pitbull mix, who's sweet-tempered enough to let a kitten “nurse” on her nightly, but who tears apart her household a dozen times a day. One of Millan's most amazing success stories in this 26-episode series involves Churchill, a Rottweiler-shepherd mix who's docile and loving at home, but literally tries to attack all other dogs and even bites a neighbor, thus ending up on the brink of doggie death row. But within 15 minutes, Millan's calm confidence, and gentle but firm application of tugs on a well-angled leash have Churchill passing and sitting near a strange dog placidly.

Extras include some outtakes, footage of Millan's beloved wife and kids, and a hilarious “audition” tape, in which owners with their unhinged dogs are telling an off-camera producer why their pet should be considered for the show. All the while, the dogs are pacing, whining, refusing to budge and otherwise providing a lot of unintended amusement. –A.T. Hurley