Cesar Millan Ambassadors Greet and I with Cesar...Sadie too!

"The only way to travel" - Cesar, crew and dogs "Team Millan"!

Sadie and Bob head onto the coach leading the way............... "Come on humans time to go to the next show town"!

Aflie shows us how to relax as we chat with Cesar................... "Sofa style rock-star ..no.. dog-star sofa style"!

These are some of my favourite pictures from the UK Tour, here in the top one are the "European Ambassadors" with Cesar - Greet from the Netherlands and I along with Sadie "JRT posing"!

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Greet came along to the first 4 live shows, she was a tremendous help back-stage as well as a great photographer - the photos that follow are all with thanks to Greet. Many times Greet helped me with the pack, preparing dressing room dog areas with crates and water bowls, looking after 2 of my dogs if 1 was on stage with me. Greet was a star, always happy to help out including taking care of the dog owners who came along to take part in shows and so much more....we sure missed Greet when she returned home...but I don't think she missed being outside in our cold weather!

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Greet also stayed with me before the tour and helped me with the pack, she was an instant hit with all my pack and we very much enjoyed sharing our home and walks with Greet. Greet helped me get the dogs ready for the tour which included bath time, we both got a little wet but the dogs looked good!

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The second photo shows you how we travelled around the UK...in the coach...not just "any coach" rather a luxury coach with blacked out windows! Luxury meaning it had sofas, tables, TVs, kitchen areas and even beds upstairs! These photos were taken at the Cardiff hotel, which gets Alfie's vote for best location as the walks just outside the hotel were heathland and sea...English Setter Perfection! Mind you they needed a good brush before they went on stage as all 3 dogs had had huge fun in and out of the water!

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As you can see from the last 2 photos here, Sadie and Bob knew when it was time to go into their "home from home"...."doggie time to go travel" and then Alfie showing all how relaxed he was on the coach..."Alfie sofa style" just like at home hey Alfie?!!

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On tour we had shirts and a jacket provided to us as Crew, labelled up as "Cesar Live Tour Crew" this became what I called my "uniform" for 3 weeks and readily recognisable so maintaining a positive view important...just as well the dogs behaved so well in the 5star hotels! This also helped with keeping up with the washing while on the road - as all the same colour so could all be washed together! They make for great souvenirs too :-)

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Greet and I had a lovely time with Cesar talking all about dogs, packs and human-dog interaction during the drive from Cardiff to London. I learned from Cesar much more about energy - one key to communicating with our dogs and how one dog's energy can impact another, sometimes negatively. This is something which is needed to be understood when running a pack of dogs and readily explained why some very-high energy dogs I have had here before did not work-out living in my home - as my pack are middle energy, as am I, so such additions unbalanced my pack dynamics upsetting the family balance....and we are a home we do not have any kennels so....lesson learned! "Cesar Insight" - even in a kennel environment it is best to mix energy types to maintain balance e.g. not all the high energy dogs in one kennel else they bounce off each-other, which again helps explain why my pack work well in one home as they are a mix of energies...except high! We talked too of how important it is to match a dog's energy with that of the human, in my opinion not something that is considered enough when choosing a new dog to join humans as a member of the family.

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My dogs show how quickly dogs can adjust to a new routine ...with my 3 dogs here who adjusted from "Home life" to "Tour life" ...from sleeping in hotels to travelling around the country, from new walks to show time....my pack moved on into the routine within a couple of days and then taking a little longer than my dogs... so did I! But...did all 3 dogs adjust well to being on tour?...find out more in the next post!

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Alfie "The Star dog"

Alfie My "Wonder Dog"!

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When the UK Cesar Millan Tour began I had with me 2 of my dogs, Bob and Sadie, Bob my JRT mix Border Collie, Sadie my tiny JRT so they are both small in size. At the dress rehersal the day before the first show at O2, the crew asked if I had another dog who was more medium in size to help with some of the balanced dog demonstrations on stage...so enter Alfie one of my English Setters, a last minute dash down to London from Norfolk..driven by Simon Alfie arrived at O2 just in time for the show!

Here is Alfie on stage demonstrating the "meet and greet", accompanying him as his own personal dog handler I stand to his side while Cesar introduces a member of the audience on how to meet a dog for the first time. ""Way to go" Alfie you were the first dog on stage, great job sniffing the person then relaxing! As you can see from the photo...my smaller dogs would have been hidden from the audience by the techy equipment box on stage :-) we needed "Alfie size"!

Meantime Sadie and Bob waited calmly back stage for their turn. Bob, who became known as "Bob The Dog", showed the audience how to walk around following his Pack Leader...me, going through doors then relaxing by my feet as I sat on the sofa...perfect Bob! Sadie on the other hand...showed the audience how not to be walked...pulling Cesar ....out in front she came to me, great demo Sadie! The pack also played the role of balanced dogs pack walking in a park while a hyper dog and owner learned from Cesar how to lead their dog calmly walking past my pack and I.

Back to Alfie, at nearly 10 years old he is retired from working as a balanced stooge dog for me, yet he happily and readily came out of retirement for Cesar. Alfie very much enjoyed the lovely hotels we stayed in, the extra walks and of course the breakfast leftovers of which there was always plenty...I always ordered a room service full English breakfast!

Mind you looking at Alfie in this photo he could have been a show dog..if he wasn't a "working bred English Setter" as this means he is actually smaller than the average show bred Setter, when we meet other Setters out on walks Alfie is always dwarfed by them. Worth remembering is that Alfie only came to us at 4yrs old, with many problem behaviours himself, look at how well he recovered balance through pack leadership - so much so he was even able to run off-leash while still following my lead and direction around Regents Park in London...what a great boy!

The crew loved Alfie, they had not met such a chilled out dog before as in every environment he was "soooo relaxed"! The crew were superb, setting up for the shows ahead of us at every venue they were true stars. Alfie managed to do 6 shows - half the tour schedule before returning home to a very relaxing holiday - pack life here at the beach!

The "meet and greet" demo I renamed as "to sniff or not to sniff" - sometimes Alfie would sniff the person...sometimes he would not...he would just sit near them totaly relaxed, so relaxed that at his last show in Nottingham he lay down falling asleep! The rest of the tour would have been too much travelling for Alfie as heading from Nottingham we set-off for Newcastle, Scotland, Ireland and back via Liverpool to end at Sheffield. "Home Time Alfie" replaced the saying I had just before the shows began of "Show Time Doggies" - what happens if I say that now...find out in later posts coming soon!

The first show was electric, the huge audience very welcoming to Cesar and the show very well received. I was delighted with the way my dogs behaved, they have never been in a show before not even a dog show! Yet on stage they were not distracted by the audience, the sound or the lights etc, they simply followed my lead... they were "totally awesome stars", gotta love this "mini pack" of mine and I loved having them with me on tour.

Next...more behind the scenes photos, stories and how the pack got on during the tour, as well as some of my learnings and expereinces I will share with you gained from working for Cesar.

UK - News on Dog Whisperer Tour!

Hello all - and a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR to all!

This is a year in which we here in the UK are to be honoured by Cesar Millan's Live Tour!

If your dog has everyday behavioural issue and you would like him/her to appear on stage with Cesar then please visit http://www.cesarmillanlive.co.uk/ to find the closest show to you and complete the on-line application form.

PackPower to all in 2010! With Love and peace from Suzie and the "RatPack".

Meeting Cesar Millan!

Some of my pack and had the wonderful opportunity to meet with Cesar, the Dog Whisperer! And so did I!! Meet Nic and her GWPs in this photo of the 3 of us humans and many dogs!

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Next here we are as Cesar walks some of my dogs, and a quick chat before he adds these 4 small ones to the pack with those he is already walking!

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We took the dogs down to London for an official "Pack Walk" photo shoot, they did great and Cesar simply picked up the leashes to walk around London! The photos even made the Daily Express here and are all over the Internet! So proud of my dogs they did great, all dogs had calm and balanced, no over-excitement just relaxed, Cesar enjoyed meeting and walking them. I add Cesar himself had a wonderful energy, calming and freindly, the dogs showed respect straight away to his balanced calm assertive energy without any words or commands, I assure you they simply followed his leadership! Here is a link to more photos:

http://www.celebmad.com/users/GossipGirl/photos/index.cfm/Cesar-Millan-launches-The-Dog-Whisperer-show-on-Nat/thumbs


http://www.allaccess.nl/index.php?ajax_queryzoekitem=125513&ajax_querytype=get_eventoverzicht

Nic, my friend and colleague, brought along her 3 rescued GWPs, 11 dogs in total for Cesar! Then on Friday evening Nic and I went out to dinner with Cesar and some of his team. A wonderful time was had by all and I sat next to Cesar enjoying a conversation about ...dogs of course, seeing some great photos of Daddy and Junior too!

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Now I can also say that I am privileged to be going on Tour UK in the role of the "Dog Handler" for all the UK events next March, and Nic is the Tour "Dog Coordinator". So I hope you are all buying your tickets UK - for a superb event in a city near you? Sadie, Bob and Jack will also be joining Cesar on tour as the balanced dogs, along with a couple of others from my pack at some venues! More news on how you can apply to have your dogs take part in the shows coming soon!

This is a truly exciting journey we are on here, knowing how Cesar's inspiration will help to save many more lives and train people in Cesar's special way, we in the UK are indeed honoured to have Cesar here next March.

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Cesar's Way WORKS - my pack here with Cesar are proof, look how balanced and contented canines they are with the Dog Whiperer who they have only just met yet follow no problem! AND - just in case some are wondering if my dogs are often in big cities walking around - NO - they live here at the beach some had never been in a city before, they trust me and I honour that trust to keep them all safe and well, Cesar shows us here how he can gain that turst and respect within seconds of meeting a dog. so they loyally follow him too!

Finally, Cesar confirmed my long-time thinking - Max my Dobey is a very calm balanced dog! Power breed dogs can indeed be calm submissive to a balanced leader.

Safi helped by pack!

Safi arrived into the pack as a foster for rehabilitation, a beautiful looking GWP yet a rescue dog at only 9months! Here she is with her "mentor" Max my balanced Dobey, to find out more about the top photo see the end of this post! Safi was rescued by GWP Rescue UK, thanks to this organisation for being there to help rescue dogs like Safi finding them both foster and forever homes.

Safi had some key problems, she would bark, be destructive (as my ex-blinds would soon find out) and toilet when left alone. This one needed the pack to help out by showing her how to behave when left, within weeks she rests well at such times and no acting-out...thanks Pack now I have new blinds!

She was also crate phobic, having spent much of her life in a kennel, this is still a work in progress, she can be calm in the crate now for about 20minutes, we gradually increase this with daily practise!

In the beginning Safi was leashed to me or dragging a leash while she learned the home rules, between the pack and I Safi has graduated and no longer needs any such leash boundary. A work in progress is Safi seeing my pet rabbit having his free time run around, this fires up her preydrive via my window she stares...points at him....we are working on this one...calm submissive around my bunny...in time with practise and consistency....much patience...we will succeed!

Food aggressive to other dogs - Oh yes we found this out quickly, but mainly due to her being so very under-weight! Now we have found a food that suits her she is putting weight on - previously no solid poop was not good ...for me or her! Some rehab from me and again lessons in eating together from the pack and food aggression cured!

The main thing for me was the pack accepting this new member - particularly my high ranked dogs like Max, as you can see from the photo that is "job done!" Max spends much time washing her ears and showing her how to run the beaches, Max now 7 looks real slow next to this fast GWP! Safi has learned how to play "gently" with our Chihuahua puppy Ava - they are about the same age, so another good in-pack moment. Safi is respectful to the older females...the matriarchs Patsy and Eddie, Absolutely Fabulous...yes another dog named after characters from this fab TV series...Safi!

Which all means...Safi is no longer a foster, she is a full pack member now and she is much rehabilitated so that she works many cases with me helping other dogs gain balance, she is now our "super stooge dog"! So from a rescue dog to a dog who helps others, again the power of the pack at work. Older dogs and balanced pack members can always show the way to younger or other less balanced dogs!

Safi has taught me so much too, especially about this breed....always ready to learn from my dogs!

So the photo with Monty my Gt Dane, well Monty does not normally take to new dogs preferring to be left alone with the dogs he knows...well he has with Safi as you can see he is her cushion - so she stays with us as her forever home!

Beautiful Balance - these photos show how dogs resting together

can be so bonding!

Meet a Pack - USA!

Hello all, and Thank you to Jen for her lovely comment here in reply to my last post.

Here is a great picture for all of you, showing how balanced and calm power breed dogs can be, when they have structure and a balanced life with a calm assertive Pack Leader. Jen's 2 dogs, on the left looking at the photo, and 3 clients on the right.

Remember Cesar's fulfillment formula - Exercise, Discipline then affection - it works when we work it!

With my pack's exercise, we do more on-leash than off now as inspired by Jen, this gives my dogs a greater mental workout, not just a physical one! I add back-packs to increase the mental challenge.

Truly I have seen improvements already, the pack are more relaxed, even PeterPan! We do 75% on-leash with 25% off-leash in the middle.....as a reward for walking well next to me. This more structured way is the way to bond - as one pack!

So when my Terriers are off-leash now, do they still run off after small rodents? NO! Amazing - they follow me and my ways off-leash too! This calmer way meets their needs, so can indeed block breed instinct. They are all super-tired in the afternoons!

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So if your dog is still not tired after a walk off-leash - try changing the structure and increase on-leash work-out! Free roaming or running is not as "natural" as we humans may think it is for Species Dog!

Pack Walking - It is the Way to Walk!

Meet Nunu!

Nunu sitting contented with Jill, a balanced boy these days!

Nunu, on top of his pal, and owner Tina sitting with Jill.

Hello All! I am back from my trip to LA, USA! So here comes some pictures from my wonderful trip! Staying with Jen, a fellow Ambassador and my own mentor, was a marvelous opportunity I really appreciate and very much enjoyed. "It was hot hot hot in LA!"

To begin here is a photo of "Nunu" , the Chihuahua from the very first ever DW Show - Next he is sitting on the Goldie, alongside are Tina his owner and my fellow Ambassador Jill. I had the super opportunity to chat with Tina, a wonderful lady with her rehabilitated Nunu, they are both an inspiration. Did Nunu let me stroke him, Oh "Yes" :-)

The fundraiser was a great day, Jen and Jill hosted this event with a committee of helpers, they worked so hard to put on this event and all really did a superb job, I truly enjoyed my day here. The aim was to raise money for the Cesar and Ilusion Millan foundation, the amount is yet to be confirmed yet I do know we can class this as a huge success.

At the event we were honoured to meet some of the Foundation Team, truly a great experience to learn all about the aims of this most inspirational and deserving of causes.

A HUGE THANK YOU to all at the event and everyone who helped make the day such a success, it was lovely to meet you all and be so very welcomed. and for those who did not make this day - see you there next year!

Much more to come about my trip and many more photos so stay tuned to my blog!