Cesar To The Rescue / Canine issues

Cesar Milan in a still from the show

National Geographic Channel, Saturdays and Sundays. 8.30 pm.

By Siddhi Pathak

As the old aphorism goes, ‘a dog is a man’s best friend’, but how do you deal with a troublesome friend? Do you get rid of him? Or do yo find the cause of the trouble and eliminate it? While that may be almost an impossible task when it comes to human beings, Cesar Milan makes it look like a cakewalk with his show, Cesar To The Rescue. But, not every dog is cute, majestic or obedient. Cesar To The Rescue is a show that deals with such problem dogs, featuring renowned dog trainer, Cesar Milan as he solves cases for families whose dogs are causing trouble to them. He tries resolving the problems of the dog by analysing their behaviour closely and then using one of the simple tricks to change the behaviour. The dogs featured are unruly, ill-mannered and can scare even the most affectionate dog lovers.
The best thing about the show is that within the first few minutes of the pilot, Cesar establishes a fact that bad behaviour is not the dog’s fault. It is often the owner’s fault. The moment Cesar gets hold of the leash, he is able to calm down his first dog, Misty, a black labrador mix who has become a nuisance not only in the neighbourhood but also to the owners, with her relentless barking and her habit of biting and snapping at people. As the show progresses, it is revealed that Misty’s behaviour was a result of the insecurity she feels.
Cesar’s next case involves rehabilitating Auggie, who constantly attacks the owner’s brother’s dog, Kimo. Cesar moves on to discover that Auggie is not the only one in need of rehabilitation. He teaches the owners importance of personal space when it comes to dogs.
The show features the problems faced by the owners, the victims and the people living with and who have dogs in their neighbourhood. It connects audiences to the emotional side of the issue, where families want to keep a dog but are helpless. The show helps audience relate to the issues, even if they’re not dog lovers or owners. Cesar shares interesting insights that can be very helpful, if you own a dog or have to tackle one in the vicinity. The confidence with which he handles each case is really impressive. From the first episode itself, it is established that no dog problem is too big or too small for Cesar Milan.