Lawsuit alleges Cesar Milian’s dog killed Queen Latifah’s dog and he lied about it

QueenLatifahCesarMilian
It seems Cesar Milan, Mr. Dog Whisperer, hasn’t trained his own damn dogs. Cesar is being sued by gymnast Lidia Matiss for injuries she sustained from an attack by one of his dogs in 2017. Lidia stated in her complaint that Cesar allowed his pit bull, Junior, to run around “unleashed and unsupervised” despite knowing that the dog would often attack and bite people. In her complaint, Lidia also claimed that Cesar lied to Queen Latifah about the death of her dog. Milian’s staff told Latifah her dog passed because it was hit by a car. Lidia claims that Latifah’s dog was mauled by Junior, the same dog that attacked her. Junior has since passed away. Below are a few more details from People:

Lidia Matiss, a gymnast who filed the complaint and is represented by attorneys Omar G. Qureshi and Brian M. Adesman, alleges that she went to visit her mom, who worked for Millan, at his training facility in 2017. That’s where she came across the Dog Whisperer star’s pet Junior, who was “unsupervised and unleashed,” according to the outlet.

Matiss said that the dog began to attack her and bit her numerous times on the legs. When she arrived at an emergency room after the incident, TMZ said her “injures were severe.” The athlete claims the occurrence also stopped her from later competing in her sport due to pain.

In the lawsuit, Matiss alleges that Millan was aware of his dog’s violent tendencies but still allowed him to go without a leash. Junior has since died, The Daily News reported, at the age of 15.

In her lawsuit, Matiss also claims that Junior had previously bitten other people and attacked other dogs as well, including one dog owned by Queen Latifah. According to the legal documents, at one moment in time, Queen Latifah, 51, brought two of her dogs to Cesar’s Dog Psychology Center in Santa Clarita, California.

There, Matiss alleges that Junior “mauled one of [QL’s] dogs to death” and said that Cesar covered up the incident by telling his staff that they were to tell the actress that her dog was hit and killed by a car.

In the lawsuit, which is ongoing, Matiss said that the bites she obtained have left her injured and she has suffered both physically and emotionally since the occurrence. TMZ reported that she is suing for unspecified damages.

[From People]

If I were Queen Latifah I’d be so pissed that Cesar’s dog murdered mine and that he lied about it. I am floored that someone who claims to be an expert in dog training had an untrained and vicious pet. I also don’t understand why Cesar did not find someone to train Junior if he felt that he couldn’t. He could have at least leashed his damn dog. If what Lidia is claiming is true, I hope she wins her lawsuit, especially since it seems Junior caused permanent damage and she was unable to compete. As for Latifah, I think the Queen should definitely sue as well.

I hope that these accusations, if proven true, make people reconsider using Cesar’s services or having him on shows. It is disgraceful that Cesar, who claims to be animal advocate, allowed his own animal to cause such harm and then lied about it. It’s like learning that Marie Condo is a secret hoarder. Good luck to Lidia on her lawsuit and I hope Latifah is also compensated for her loss as well. And may Cesar’s reputation suffer.

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84 Responses to “Lawsuit alleges Cesar Milian’s dog killed Queen Latifah’s dog and he lied about it”

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  1. Hmmmp says:

    It’s cool that the statute of limitations for a dog bite is apparently longer than for getting raped. What the hell.

  2. equality says:

    If you were paying a pro to look after your dog and it got hit by a car, the pro should still be liable anyway. I would expect a paid pro to keep my dog safe from attack by other dogs, cars or anything that might injure or kill.

    • LWT00 says:

      This! I’d be asking so many questions about how my dog came to be in contact with a car! Why wasn’t the facility secure? Did they have the dog out and about, and if so why wasn’t it leashed? How the car hit could be a valid excuse is beyond me.

  3. Lady Baden-Baden says:

    I don’t understand this story. How would this person know Queen Latifah’s dog was mauled?

    • Chaine says:

      I’m guessing an employee of Cesar’s is a whistle blower.

    • BecauseOfCourse says:

      It says her mother worked for Milan.

    • North of Boston says:

      Yeah, this story is odd.

      I get filing a suit because of injuries the complaintant suffered or injuries *their* pet suffered. But tagging on something completely unrelated that applies to someone else’s pet … something you yourself apparently have no first hand knowledge of, just seems off base.

      I’d be like if I brought a suit for damages at Ben Affleck because he drove his car into my car in a Dunkin’ Donuts drive through and then tacked on “and oh, yeah, he also groped this other woman at an awards show. I wasn’t there, but that’s what people told me.”

      If his dog hurt this woman, sure, she’s entitled to something.

      But the thing with QL’s dog sounds sketchy. But 2nd, 3rd hand accusations aren’t really proof of anything. Did a vet treat her dog? They surely would be able to tell the difference between injuries from a pit bull attack vs a car accident.

      Also, I’m LOLing at the multiple spellings of CM’s name in the post. I noticed just last week that Comcast spells his name a couple of different ways too. Why? Who knows!

      • goofpuff says:

        She says her mom worked for Milian, so the story must have come either from her mom or from her co-workers. My guess is that after she was attacked by the dog, someone told her the dog’s history.

      • Va Va Kaboom says:

        How is showing a pattern of violent behavior on the dog’s part, and Milan’s knowledge of that prior behavior, unrelated to her being attacked by the same dog?

        This specific dog has mauled other people and animals. When it killed QL’s dog, instead of being honest and dealing with the dog’s violent behavior, Milan lied and changed nothing to protect others from this demonstrably violent animal. It’s related.

      • LaraW” says:

        What I don’t understand is how he passed it off as a hit by car. I worked in an ER veterinary hospital— HBC looks very different from dog bites. For one thing, HBC breaks bones, a lot more trauma throughout the body. Dog bites show a lot of outer damage— rips to skin, torn muscle, a lot of it concentrated on the dog’s face/head/throat. Unless Queen Latifah’s dog was a lot smaller. But I mean, what is a dog at Cesar’s facility doing out on the road?

        But even so, standard practice is to freeze the body of the animal (if they’re really far away), wait until owner’s preference as to whether they’s like to cremate. Some people don’t and want to take the body home to bury. So… he cremated before QL could see the body?

        I’m just… confused.

      • DS9 says:

        I don’t think it strange that someone would avoid seeing their dog’s body if it was reported as a traumatic death by someone you’d trusted with your dog’s care.

        I’m sure Milan greased the wheels there, reporting it after the fact, offering to take care of the arrangements, etc. If Queen Latifah was in the middle of a project, it would be even easier to let Milan take care of the hard stuff until she could get back.

        I personally wouldn’t want to leave my beloved dog in the freezer while I tried to get home when they could be cared for until I got there.

      • LaraW” says:

        @DS9, wanted to clarify that we usually didn’t put the dog/cat in the freezer unless the owner wasn’t able to pick up within a day.

  4. Em says:

    No junior is not a vicious dog. I’ve seen him interact with many people and dogs over the years. He was a very balanced dog. I think she’s lying to be honest.

    • Nievie says:

      Pit Bulls are illegal here in the UK- with good reason. You can be the best trainer in the world, but these dogs are known to lash out and be unpredicatble.

      A true experienced trainer would know that and have kept the dog on a lead in situations it could be interacting with other dogs or strangers.

      • Noki says:

        When you say illegal,what does that mean ? What happens to the ones that exist,they are put down ?

      • GraceB says:

        You’re simply not allowed to breed them in the UK in the first place. The law has been in place for a long time and includes a number of dog breeds which are considered dangerous.

        I’m not sure what happened to any Pit bulls at the time the law was brought in but I do know people were cross breeding them with Staffordshire Bull Terriers and I think those dogs were destroyed, when discovered.

      • BothSidesNow says:

        @ Nievie, if you read the statistics, pit bulls are less of a threat than german shepherds and a multitude of other breeds. There are far more dangerous breeds than pit bulls. Pit bulls just get a bad wrap for their previous use of dog fighting and other illegal uses. My daughter has a pit mix and he is the biggest baby on the planet. He is extremely gentle, even with kittens and small dogs.
        https://www.loveyourdog.com/aggressive-dog-breeds/

      • whatWHAT? says:

        “these dogs are known to lash out and be unpredicatble.”

        this is not true at all. golden retrievers bite more people per year than pits. I’ve been around plenty of pitties to know what you write is completely untrue. please don’t perpetuate lies that lead to breed-specific legislation.

      • North of Boston says:

        @waitWhat, what are the references for the GR > PB bite statistics?

        I did a search and couldn’t find anything like that.

        I saw many that show pit bulls at or near the top of the lists, with mixed breed and German Shepherds also in the top 3.

        But in any reports that focused on dog bites that resulted in serious injuries or death, pit bulls were more consistently #1, with Rottweilers second.

        When looking at breed specific dog bite statistics, it there seems to be –
        a lot of uncertainty, partially due to things like the dog bite reports where the breed isn’t specified, or, for example what breed are mixed breed dogs reported under, and what exactly constitutes a “pit bull” and also # of bites per # of dogs.

        (For example if there are only 100 “Bite Shepherd Hounds” in the country and reports of 125 dog bites by that breed, and 20,000 pit bulls with reports of 2000 dog bites, which exactly is the “most dangerous” breed?)

        And of course you get some folks with an agenda sorting breeds, incidents in and out of their numbers with comments like “I included injuries that happened when someone was running away from a dog or scared by one and and fell down or got hit by a car” or “I didn’t include any dog that isn’t AKC registered” so the usual caveats about statistics apply!

    • Betsy says:

      I’d trust a woman whose legs got bitten multiple times. Pit bulls are not safe dogs.

      • Angie says:

        Agree. Pitbulls are nice dogs until they aren’t and their long history of being bred for blood sport has made them that way. My childhood pointer pointed even though no one ever trained her to do that, and my golden retriever has been retrieving (and doing it very well, especially in water) from the day we brought her home. Pitbulls were originally bred to have extreme gameness (ie not let go in a fight even if they are in extreme pain) and dog aggression. They were bred to be unpredictable because if the dog is baiting a bull or fighting another dog, it’s not advantageous for the dog to be giving warning signs. It is a shame but this is what humans did to these dogs and so as a result they are not safe or appropriate pets. My partner is an ER doctor and has seen the result of pitbull attacks and the devastation is in horrifying. When he’s seen a kid get bit by a lab or a cocker spaniel, the kid needs a few stitches. When it’s a pitbull, the kid is either severely maimed or dead on arrival. Same goes for adults. And for all those who say it’s not the dog, it’s the way they were trained and raised – if Cesar Milan (though many disagree with his methods, he does have a vested interest in having a well trained dog and is more competent than average) can’t train his pit to not kill, I don’t have much hope for the rest of us.

        Anyone hear about the car crash where the family corgi was ejected and no one could find it for a week? It was eventually found on a sheep farm, herding sheep because that’s what came naturally to it.

      • STRIPE says:

        Yeah it’s a “no” on pit bulls for me. I don’t let my dog near them.

      • Chloe says:

        I just lost my out of 13 years and I honestly pity the people who never get to know a good one. That dog lived with cats, had many children around him, and spent endless days with my disabled sister with his head on her lap. He never so much as overwhelmed her with licks the gentleness he had was disarming. The fact of the matter is, they’re strong so the damage can be intense but irresponsible owners, including ones in denial about the nature of their dogs regardless of their breed are so frustrating.

      • LillyfromLillooet says:

        I know lots of folks who have tremendously good and loving experiences with the breed. That said, these are animals capable of maiming and killing humans, and @angie is right–they are nice until they are not. It just seems like a ridiculous gamble.

        I’ve only watching Cesar’s show a couple of times but I was astonished at how he was willing to work a woman whose one dog viciously attacked another, and had severe behavioral issues. I’m of the mind that there is a time to put a dog down, and I was surprised that Cesar was wiling to make all sorts of elaborate arrangements for this woman and this extremely violent dog to live in a very circumscribed way (and let’s face it, being a dog jailer 24-7 is going to lead to a mistake).

      • whatWHAT? says:

        no dog is a “safe dog” if it’s not trained well.

        pits are NO MORE LIKELY than any other dog to be aggressive. golden retrievers bite more dogs per year than pits. please don’t perpetuate lies that lead to breed-specific legislation.

      • ennie says:

        what is the rate of golden retrievers per pitbulls? I bet there are much more Goldens than Pitties.

      • Sally says:

        @Angie thank you. I’ve had endless discussions like these about Bull terriers. Yes, they can be lovely, dumb, adorably farty, waddling dumplings who are genuinely affectionate and never hurt anyone. But they also have jaws strong enough to bite through bones, so IF they bite, they can do so much damage. Yes, there are many bite-y and aggressive spaniels, but while the bites hurt too, they weren’t bred to be destructive.

    • Mich says:

      You think she is lying? There are ER records and surely lifelong scars.

      I’m curious, did you “see” Junior interacting with people and dogs in real life or on TV?

      • Em says:

        I find it extremely curious that she’s filling now, years after the dog had passed away and cannot be assessed. Time well tell what happened. It’s just interesting that a dog that has interacted with countless people and animals and has appeared on live television is secretly vicious. Junior has always seemed so incredibly chill. Man…say pitbull and people always automatically believe the worst. I just think if there really were a problem she wouldn’t have waited this long to file and there would have been other complaints over the years. There haven’t been any. I’m not saying it 100% didn’t happen, I just have my personal doubts at the moment. I encourage anyone to go on YouTube and see junior for yourselves.

    • Amy Too says:

      I’m rather confused by this story too since junior was the dog he used on the dog whisperer to help train other dogs and as an example of how obedient and well trained a dog could be. I’m wondering if something happened to junior as he got older. An illness or brain tumor or something that affected his demeanor? Or did he suffer a traumatic event that changed him? What happened to junior?

    • WithTheAmerican says:

      I’m sad that anyone still turns to this outdated, abusive fool for dog training advice. His dominance theory had been disproven.

  5. milliemollie says:

    I’m not surprised he has an untrained dog. His methods are questionable and sometimes straight up animal abuse. Dog collars with spikes on the inside?! Has he lost his f*cking mind? Can’t stand him and his dog “training”

    • Mich says:

      It isn’t about a love for dogs, it is that he gets off on being the ‘Alpha’.

      I came across this story a few years ago and it made me sick. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/animal-emotions/201204/did-cesar-millan-have-hang-the-husky

      • Gail Hirst says:

        William Kohler was the trainer for the animals in the original “The Incredible Journey” movie. He was an expert in his field at the time. “Hanging” was one of his methods for seriously recalcitrant dogs. They lose their fight when they lose their footing. Note the collar MUST be behind the ears, not on the throat. Not something I would ever do, myself. It is a very old school method. I like the first chapter of Kohler’s book (he talks about having respect for dog, logical consequences and he discusses good use of various tools) but it’s a book I no longer lend out when I’m helping someone with their buddy’s behavioural issues, as the rest of the book is so out-of-date.
        The thing is, times change and if a trainer does not learn constantly and update their methods to absorb new knowledge they are stuck not acknowledging all the studies and learning w/scientifically researched results. Punishment/aversion training versus redirect/reward based training. The dog’s emotional life and intelligence was not even considered in early years but we’ve learned a lot since the late ’50’s. But if you accidentally reward the wrong thing…you can mess up a dog just as badly as if you use punishment. (There’s a guy in my neighbourhood w/boston terrier that goes NUTS when he sees another dog. Guardian rewards (he thinks he distracting the dog) but the dog is being rewarded for going nuts, so guardian is actually reinforcing the behaviour he’s trying to change). No method is 100% proof because the ones doing the training are human.

    • BabySwans says:

      It’s called a training collar & when used appropriately (as most trainers do), it is not abuse.

      • milliemollie says:

        Well, in my country they are thankfully illegal and dog trainers roll their eyes at his methods.

      • North of Boston says:

        I’ve seen his shows most often where he’s using a slip collar, basically a leash looped through itself, which rides high up on the dog’s neck… and his whole thing with leashes is the person should usually hold them loosely not tight. He’s taken off people’s pronged collars when replacing them with a slip collar. Hold it steady if the dog is pulling, bolting but then relax it right away after.

        I’m trying to remember if I’ve seen any other collar on his show … maybe a Hal-tee? … the one that also loops around the dog’s muzzle.

        If he’s used a training collar on other people’s dogs on the show, it’s not that common… it’s not his go-to IIRC.

      • milliemollie says:

        He advised the use of them in his books to rehabilitate aggressive and abandoned dogs…

      • North of Boston says:

        Oh, got it. I’ve never read his books, only seen his shows.

  6. EnormousCoat says:

    My dog was attacked by an offleash dog. I’m thankful I knew what to do because it went right for her neck. Since we can’t reliably predict a dog’s behavior, I advocate that they should always be leashed. But I do want to say that dogs don’t “murder” anyone. They don’t form intent like that. Any harm that befalls a person or another animal because of an unleashed dog, rests squarely with the owner. Pitties can show higher levels of aggression towards other dogs and socialization is very important for them. But owners need to be responsible and mindful. But I don’t like to use words like “murder” when speaking about animal behavior. It isn’t accurate and can lead to poor outcomes for dogs that have been maligned.
    But I would be devastated if I were Queen Latifah. I hate to know that any living thing suffered, and as an owner, you want to be there to help and comfort.

    • STRIPE says:

      What is the right thing to do? Please share so we all know

      • Lizzie Bathory says:

        @STRIPE, I can’t speak to what the above poster knows, but a few years ago, I managed to interrupt a really scary dog attack. I was walking with my friend, her (leashed) dog & her toddler in a stroller. Out of nowhere, a very large pittie ran out from a back yard & started attacking her dog. I knew you should never use your hands to break up a dog fight, since you can get badly injured. My friend was panicking, of course, since she was terrified for her child & dog. I yelled, “NO!” as loud as I could at the dog, over & over again. I figured that was the one word every dog has heard & understands. The dog backed off & ran back to its yard. My friend’s dog had been bitten but it was treatable.

      • EnormousCoat says:

        You lift up the attacking dog’s back legs, this reduces their bite power. Then you get a stick (they sell what are called “break sticks” online, but any stick will do) into the dog’s mouth, towards the back. It causes them to readjust their bite, which releases the skin of the dog being attacked.
        It was incredibly scary and my dog’s neck was punctured, but she survived. She was depressed for a few days afterwards and it took me a long time to feel safe walking her. I’m always on the lookout for loose dogs, to this day. And that happened over ten years ago.

      • Msmlnp says:

        Thank you for sharing. I didn’t know that- very useful.

        I have a rescue dog who has fear aggression. I walk him with a muzzle. I carry dog mace with me because I am fearful of being approached by a stray dog as well.

        I’m glad your dog was OK.

  7. Amy Bee says:

    Wasn’t he found to be fraud years ago?

  8. LaraW” says:

    Timing of this is weird. She filed her complaint in January 2021, there was motion practice, she amended her complaint in March, Cesar Milan filed his Answer to her First Amended Complaint in May. So why the story now? And like many others have pointed out, why has Queen Latifah been dragged into this?

    Statute of limitations in California for dog bites is 2 years (like many other states). I couldn’t read the complaint, but she would have to be suing under a different statute.

    • Agreatreckoning says:

      The timing is weird and People mag saying it happened at the training facility in San Clarita is different than what the complaint & TMZ reported. They reported the incident happened at a Van Nuys office building Millan owned. There seems to be a lot of muddying of water going on. According to one site, citywatchla, the incident happened on or about August 14, 2017. ER records should indicate the exact date. Per opengovus site(honestly don’t know the accuracy of that site), the Cesar Millan, Inc. office in Van Nuys ended December 2015. The current address is in Burbank.

      Lisa Matiss, Lidia’s mom, was the VP of Licensing & Business Affairs of CM, Inc. She was fired in March of 2018. In March 2020, she filed a wrongful termination suit against CM/CM,Inc. From what I could see it involved back pay, vacation pay and commissions for merchandise. The case was dismissed based on a settlement (if I’m saying that right) April 2021.

      From the picture of Queen Latifah & Millan in Jan. 2018 shown, it appears to be inside her home (can’t say for sure-never been there-d*mn lol). There are images/videos online and it looks like the same interior style for her NJ & Cal homes. So, the People mag story says “at one moment in time” QL brought her dogs to the facility-neither the complaint or stories(that I could see-gave a date for that moment in time). It’s possible she just dropped them off. The training programs say it’s hands on for owner & dog/s. The SC facility has a fence around it. Hard to see QL buying the story of the dog being hit by a car. And, honestly, the comments implying QL was lied to and possibly paid off to keep quiet are unsettling. I’m a fan of QL. Throwing QL’s name into the mix makes it more news worthy. Has she ever talked about losing a dog in 2018 on social media? It is interesting that it took TMZ this long to write about it. They’re usually quicker with the stories. The case is scheduled for a jury trial next summer. It’s not hard to imagine the plaintiffs wanting a settlement before then while putting things out it the court of public opinion. If Lidia was injured by Junior (who died in July 2021), she should have been covered by business insurance back then. Lisa, her mom, who is also an attorney, would have been able to negotiate something. Strange case. The last time I watched his show was probably over ten years ago. I can’t really comment on Millan’s training techniques. Can only comment on how well our cat is training us. It’s working out pretty good for her.

  9. Red Dog says:

    He makes some of the shitty, abusive horse trainers look tame and he is no different to all the cowboys with a desperate need to dominate and assert his toxic masculinity. It’s gross, and I won’t tolerate it in trainers of either species.

  10. Willow says:

    He is a celebrity first and a dog trainer second. And the dog training community has been complaining about his methods for years. If you’re curious, there’s lots online about it. He’s changed just enough of his techniques to make them look better, and harder for other experts in the field to explain why what he’s doing is wrong to the regular dog owner. If you’re looking for dog behavior or training books from respected, experienced people in this field who are not reality TV stars, you could start on dogwise.com. ‘The Other End of the Leash’ is one of my favorites.

    • milliemollie says:

      He wasn’t allowed to do his show alone in a German state, because he DID NOT pass the test for dog trainers.

  11. Gail Hirst says:

    A rescue once thought I’d be an unacceptable guardian because I had the Monks of New Skeat (!!!) (the first trainers to suggest bringing the dog inside vs keeping them tied up in the backyard!!) on my bookshelf, but were unfazed by the Cesar Millan books.
    I read many, many books on training, behaviour management, etc. Millan is the one who emphasized a LOOSE LEASH, so I give him credit for that.
    I love Carol Lea Benjamin for her “Mother Knows Best” trainer, I ADORE Turid Rugaas (published by Dogwise) for her Calming Signals, Barking is a language, & leash training books.
    My point being that dog/human communication is inter-species communication and will never be 100%. I made a lot of mistakes w/my first dogs, even though I worked with a police dog squadron leader initially where both dog and guardian were trained, first separately, then how to ‘talk’ w/each other together. Read everyone so you have many tools in your toolkit. No one trainer knows everything. No one trainer is good at everything. Old joke: ask 3 dog trainers the same question and you’ll get 3 different answers. As dogs age, things change. You cannot treat a puppy the same way as an adult. One cannot treat an adult the same as a senior because they are in different stages in life and respond differently, even in situations they are usually comfortable in (I’m in this place now, my girl has grown particularly grouchy in her old age and I have to be alert to her body language messages for when she’s had enough & intervene before she loses her patience). Everyone in this situation contributed to the situation. I do question why if it happened in 2017 she’d be suing for damages in 2021. In the end, this is a very sad story. A person got hurt by a dog. The person should never have entered where a dog was patrolling off leash. The dog was ‘working’ and however the human felt, they made the mistake of entering a space where the dog did not have a human guardian. Ultimately I see 50/50 responsibility. Dog guardian and human both at fault. All the dog would see is ‘invader’. That said, I no longer believe pit-bulls are benign with the right guardian. They were bred for a specific purpose, and that purpose was not to be a pampered pet. They were bred for protection of livestock originally, then humans abused their guardianship responsibilities and bred them for fighting. Either way, they are gladiators and simply cannot be trusted not to revert to their instincts, as bred into their DNA. To expect anything different is just cruel (and ultimately, irresponsible). IMO

    • North of Boston says:

      Great comment!

      It’s so true that there are a lot of different methods, advice out there. And that different dogs respond better to different methods.

      What worked well for me when puppy raising a retriever bred for “intelligent disobedience” for a guide dog program (which recommended puppy raisers read the Monks of New Skete books, but had other training methods too) was NOT the best approach to use with a sweet, sort of insecure retriever pup from a different breeder. And that was clear almost immediately just paying attention to the dog.

      My favorite dog handling advice came from trainers who suggest *asking* a dog if it wants you to pet it. It’s amazing how clearly they make their preferences known, and how well they respond to you in general when they trust you listen and respect their choice on that simple thing. And it really tunes you in to paying attention to all their non-verbal communication.

      It’s kind of funny rescues will bounce people for having CM on their bookshelf but thumbs up for MoNS. To my eye there’s a bit of overlap between their approaches. (Though I’ve not read MoNS in years, and am referencing the approach CM advocates on TV. From comments here it sounds like his books have some different approaches … such as use of pronged collars in some cases)

  12. Lasagna Jones says:

    Eye roll at comments that pit bulls are vicious dogs that can’t be trained. First, yes they can. Second, it’s a ridiculous stereotype that other dogs aren’t held to. I’ve had two unrelated Labrador retrievers that were extremely dog aggressive. Labs. Lovable labs that ppl act like are the most agreeable dogs. They aren’t. They are individuals just like every other dog. Right now, of my Doggo pack, my pibble is the sweetest while my lab is muzzled for safety in order to go to the vet. Time to stop stereotyping dogs with outdated myths.

    • MissG says:

      IIRC, CM says his most aggressive case and worst bite was from a Labrador.

    • Peebles says:

      Thank you! I hardly ever comment on this site but visit near daily, a lot of people seem to advocate for a plethora of other causes but play into stereotypes about pitbulls? Yes I am aware of some of the statistics out there and I’ve seen insane sites like the subreddit “banpitbulls”, those people are absolutely unhinged. I’m just a little surprised to see many in agreement in their anti-bully stance here of all places. Fiancé was bit by a Great Dane never one of the many pits we’ve encountered owned by friends or family.

      • H says:

        My mother raised and bred Danes, and as a former professional dog walker, they are one of my favorite breeds. However, a crap ton of backyard breeders have damaged them. They have a ton of medical issues and aggression. Which even a decade ago, you wouldn’t have seen.

        While working that job over a 5 year period, I’ve been bitten twice. Once by a Goldendoodle, which did not require a trip to the hospital. The second was by a Boxer-Pitbull mix. The dog fractured my arm and I had to get a tetanus shot plus antibiotics. However, that doesn’t mean I hate Boxers or Pitbulls. I’m more afraid of my parents’ dachshund than any large breed dog. But I understand the fear of large breed dogs as their bite radius is much more damaging than a Chihuahua or Dachshund.

    • Grant says:

      They’re not outdated myths when they’re supported by facts. You simply can’t ignore the years and years of instinctual bloodsport and aggression that have been intrinsic in pit bull breeding over the past half-century. Also, my friend almost lost a nose due to an “incredibly friendly,” “sweet,” and “well-trained” pit, so I will remain cautious.

      • Jenn says:

        I’m terrified by all dogs (I’ve been attacked by strange, unleashed dogs more than once, which must be a “Texas thing”), but especially by pitbulls. I have no doubt that they are *almost* all sweet docile babies, but I’m also aware of how strong their jaws and “latch” are. I’m also anxious around people with guns — not because I think those people are unkind, dangerous, malicious, or irresponsible, but because I’m afraid of what guns can do. There isn’t thought behind my fear; it is a basic limbic reaction.

        And yes, when I was a kid I came home from school one day to see that two pits, who belonged to a neighbor down the block, had gotten into our backyard, had torn open my rabbit’s metal hutch, and were now tearing her limb from limb. It is not easy to put out of mind when I see an unleashed dog running at me.

      • Amnda says:

        They always ignore genetics, statistics and basic biology when referring to pitbulls. They get ENRAGED if you say pits are the most aggressive dogs and not to label them AS THEY label other dogs by claiming chihuahuas, labs, goldens…. bite more. They know nothing of the breed, and when the dog does what it was bred to do (have a high prey drive, take down large game) They say: “it’s all how they’re raised” when they 80% of pits who maul come from loving families.

  13. Heather says:

    Working in the animal rescue field I don’t know anyone who respects this man or his methods. When adopting our dogs at our shelter we ask people to not follow his methods because they are dangerous. I said earlier that I work with challenging dogs at a city shelter and using positive reinforcement and working with the dogs not to dominant them but for them to make good decisions has kept me far safer. We hate how this “trainer” acts like being bitten is a bade of honor.

    • WithTheAmerican says:

      THANK YOU! For your work and for advocating for animals. I can’t stand this man’s abusive methods. I had people recommend his methods to me for my tiny dog, with a neck prone to injuries.

  14. ennie says:

    I think she can be lying about the Q L dog. How can it be that no one verified the injuries?

  15. Lunasf17 says:

    I’m kind of confused how his dog was around these either people and dogs. If he was training them I guess QL wasn’t around when her dog was attacked which is weird. Don’t people usually train with a dog trainer so they know how to reinforce the training? It’s still messed up but that’s weird to me. Pitts are a lot….. my husband has a pit/German Shepard mix and his temperament is more challenging than other dogs I’ve had. Honestly I’m not a pit fan (I don’t think they should be demonized but people need to very careful of other dogs and kids around them. They are very different then labs and other larger dogs IME). We have a two year old and keep the dog separate from her because he growls at her. It’s actually really frustrating and I will never allow that breed in my home again (my husband had him before we met). I’m just not a fan of pit bulls and it’s causing tons of extra family stress with a young kid and other dogs. Often they need to be alone or with passive dogs and a lot of attention. I know pit advocates think it’s all training when they cause issues but to me it’s nature as well and I’ll rescue and a gentler breed from now on.

  16. Jananell says:

    * allegedly *

    I’ll wait for the judgement. Thank ya very much 😉

  17. ME says:

    Some dog owners are real pieces of sh*t. I can’ f*cking stand dog owners that don’t leash their damn dogs. I’ve had three neighbors do this. You have a big scary fu*cking dog, no fence…and all you can say is “he’s friendly don’t worry”. F*ck off. Be responsible or don’t have a dog !

  18. Milkweed says:

    This is shameful. Cesar should have been able to accept that Junior was no Daddy and keep others protected from him.

  19. AnnaC says:

    As a few others here have posted, Cesar Millan is not remotely respected in the rescue and training world. He techniques do more to instill fear and can increase the likelihood a dog will snap/be aggressive. There is a trainer in my town known for following Millan’s method and I see him walking in my neighborhood with a dog and owner it’s such a maddening thing to witness; on the plus side I know several people who either declined his services after meeting and greets or fired him after one session so hopefully the popularity of the Millan method is waning.

  20. Melanie P says:

    No on pitt bulls,,
    in the course of one week..my little 11lb terrier was almost chomped twice,
    by 2 different neighbor’s pitt bulls..
    Both times my neighbors said,,
    “Oh don’t worry, that their dogs were safe”,,
    one second later they were lashing out at us!..
    Both times I was on guard and grabbed my pup away when I saw these dogs change in a blink..
    Now I cross the street when we see them coming..
    The neighbors are insulted when we cross the street..
    but i will* not* risk my pup’s 🐶 safety…

  21. Annetommy says:

    The fact remains that pit bulls are over represented in serious and fatal attacks. Chihuahuas bite a lot but I think it’s obvious that while that might be distressing for the person bitten, it is different. Someone cited golden retrievers as biters; but they don’t hold on in the way pit bulls do. Many of the people I see with pit bulls obviously want to intimidate others, while at the other end of the scale are those who are determined to prove that theirs is the bestest pitty witty in the whole wide world. The fewer the better.

    https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2019-06/new-study-identifies-most-damaging-dog-bites-by-breed/

    • Pusspants says:

      Thank you for posting a link to data that’s been collected anout dog bites. This is much more useful information than personal anecdotes.
      I don’t have a dog in this, literally, as I’m not a dog owner. I don’t hate or love pitbulls. I would be cautious around one that I didn’t know simply due to the possibility of severe damage were I ever to be attacked.

  22. Annetommy says:

    The US: Pit bulls have killed 248 people over 13 years, and the Rottweiler comes in second place with 45 recorded fatalities for the same period. The German Shepherd is also responsible for inflicting 20 fatal injuries.

  23. Jessica says:

    Wow, lots of ignorance towards pibbles in the comments, I’m really really surprised. Any neglected/poorly trained dog is dangerous. My lab bit our mailman. My pibble has been attacked by both a golden and a chihuahua. You only think pibbles are extra dangerous because they’re the current boogey-man, just like German shepherds and mastiffs before them. Pay attention to the news when they report dog attacks. If it’s a pibble, it will be reported as a pibble attack. If it’s any other breed, it’s reported as simply dog attack. But people say they have reasons to be against an entire breed, sure

    • Amnda says:

      Please site a source or an article where a chihuahua or golden has killed someone. Ypu say the media is biased towards pits because they report when one kills or mauls someone? They kill someone on average of every ten days and maim someone every day. They kill triple the amount of animals every year as people are murdered in the US there are roughly 6 million pitbulls, and 300 million Americans they have a bad rap because they are dangerous dogs and people are sick of them killing their pets and disfiguring children and elderly. Also the news doesn’t ignore other breeds when they kill it just happens far less than pits. They kill more than ALL other breeds combined.

    • Spikey says:

      In the 1970’s the Doberman Pinscher got the bad rap that the Pitbulls get today. I had Dobermans back then and the ridiculous things people said, like their brains rot by the time their 5 years old and they will attack their owners. That was actually in print somewhere back then. I learned to ignore stupid people, its come in very handy over the years. Dogs need to be trained and loved like a member of your family, not kept out on a chain to be taunted by passersby and untrained children.

      BTW I believe this young woman, her mom worked for CM. Any trainer that would have conditions such that his own dog could kill a client’s pet AND then lie about it is useless in my book. I hope QL was compensated financially and has healed emotionally over this. CM dog training should be shut down, he is using outdated dangerous methods.

  24. MangoAngelesque says:

    Cesar uses trash methods based on disproven “alpha pack leader” wolf theories. He’s not a dog trainer, he’s a rough handler *at best.* Negative tools, punishments, abusive tactics, it’s all awful. He can spout his “Tssscch!” and “it’s not aggressive, it’s DOM-inance!” bullspit as much as he likes, but it’s not appropriate or useful in actual family dogs. Maybe if you’re LOOKING to train fighting dogs, but not to train your actual dog.

    And this horrible technique just allows more unfair generalizations of entire breeds of dogs. He’s awful.

  25. Kane says:

    No way would I take advice from C. Milan especially if I had a problem dog. The man’s methods are brutal, there is no other way to put it. Please do your homework on his training practices before subjecting your dog to his abusive tactics.

  26. Rose says:

    I used to work at a children’s hospital and just in the couple of years I was there we had nine children who were victim to dog attacks—all pits. The plastics surgeon was horrified to see one kid’s thigh stripped down to the bone. Some of these kids were attacked by family pits, one kid was playing alone in his yard when attacked by a stray.

    Pittie people like to tell me that dachshunds bite and are “more vicious” than their pit, but my dachshunds simply aren’t physically able to cause that kind of damage and crush a child’s bones.

    Homeowners insurance companies won’t cover these fighting breeds for a reason.

    • Jensies says:

      Thank you for saying this. Dachshunds get a bad rap but they have tiny mouths and aren’t bred for fighting with the kind of jaw strength a pit bull has. They can certainly do damage but it’ll be puncture wounds, not an arm torn apart.

  27. Donna B. says:

    This lady is right. She’s not lying. They had an episode on Cesar’s new tv show, where another client had her two Jack Russell dogs go to Cesar’s dog institute; when the two dogs (females) got into it & started fighting; Cesar had to abruptly snatched them up because the dogs actions (or energy) triggered the other dogs to go off as well. Once the other handlers got the dogs to calm done, the only two dogs that were zapping out trying to get at the two Jack Russell dogs, is Cesar’s new pit bull (after junior), & it was either a Mastiff or Presa Canario (or a dog like it). Even the Rottweiler calmed down (which i was pretty shocked). My son actually pointed that out to me & I had to rewind & go back to look at that part. So, there are some dogs that you cannot breed out certain behaviors, no matter what type of energy you have around them. Those two dogs trying to attack the smaller dogs didn’t even listen to Cesar or the other handlers to calm down.