Cesar Millan: Dogs Tell the Truth
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That's 15% off at SaatchiArt.com. S-A-A-T-C-H-I-Art.com. Ever wish your favorite TV show had twice as many episodes? Everyone knows that feeling, and so does Discover. Everyone wants more of their favorites. That's why Discover doubles another favorite thing, cash back.

That's right. Discover automatically doubles the cash back earned on your credit card at the end of your first year with Cash Back Match. Now that's a real crowd pleaser. Everyone knows how it ends. Double the cash back. See terms at discover.com slash credit card. Caesar, welcome. Thank you, Rob. Appreciate it, man. So I've been a big fan of yours for a long time. Thank you. Tried to do your famous noise. Just can't do it like you.

Welcome to Literally with me, Rob Lowe. Okay, so I'm a dog lover. I am. Sue me. What do you want from me? I live me some dogo's. And I feel like more than ever, everybody loves dogs. So today's a special treat. Get it? See what I did there? Dogs, special treat. Dogs love treats. Nothing? Okay. Caesar Milan. Caesar Milan. Caesar Milan.

The Dog Whisperer is here, and I have many, many, many questions for him because I have five dogs. And this is going to be good. Get your notepad. You're going to want to take notes on this one. Trust me. If you have any interest at all in dogs or pets or, frankly, human beings, get ready to take voluminous notes with Cesar Millan. ♪

From the time you were a kid, you were connected to dogs. Isn't that right? I was connected to pretty much anything. Earth, you know, I grew up on a farm. So growing up in that environment, you are automatically are being taught, you know, to take care of the lawn, take care of, you know, the animals, take care of the family. You know, spirituality is very big.

Where are we from? I always tell my kids, you know, my kids were born in America. I say, you know, the beautiful part about growing up with very little money is that your spirituality grows really high because you develop faith and your instincts develop really high because you work with the land and the animals and the love for the family. You know, that's what you care about. So you pretty much grew up with those three pillars. So in the animal world, it's all about, you know, the belief,

the family, and the activities. So once you go out with those three pillars, it pretty much is stay connected. So I definitely, I was blessed to be able to keep my instincts, my spirituality, and my love for my family and for Earth. I think that's why your brand of animal training, dog training, however you want to categorize it, is so interesting because it comes imbued with

You know, it's not, you know, you're not just another Hollywood dog trainer rolling up, you know. Yeah. You've got that spirituality. You've got that thing in it. Do you, I always feel if I meet someone and tell them, oh, I don't like dogs. Oh, I don't like cats. I go, uh-oh, warning, warning. Do you think that, am I crazy? You know, so you were saying about, you know, my profession. My profession is to train humans.

Right. To connect to Mother Nature. And what I have found is some humans are afraid of animals. Some humans are don't they just don't like animals. You know, so the three energies that I learned that the world is lives by is love, fear and hate.

So that's why my mission is to train humans. So in my world, you don't have to have a dog because you find humans who don't have a connection with nature. You don't have to have a dog, but what you do have to have is connection.

So you can have good communication and the most ideal relationship, which is about trust, respect, and love. Right? So, yes, it's a good insight when a human tells you, I don't like animals. Well, that tells you the connection with earth. What would you describe as the definition of a connection with nature? Well, you have trust, respect, and love. You feel free.

You know, you live by the motor code, honesty, integrity, loyalty, pursuit of happiness, live in the moment, you know, unconditional love. And you pretty much use your instincts and, of course, creativity. Right. So in that world, money, fame and power is irrelevant.

So that's the beauty. You get to maintain your spirituality, you get to maintain your instincts, you get to maintain your love. Because for those three pillars, you don't need money, fame, or power. So when you come to a place like America, you can easily get sidetracked in the money, fame, and power. Especially in LA. So especially in LA, you can see how that rules and leads most of people's motivation.

So, the dogs live with this human and the dog shows you how this human lives. So, that's why when I come to people's home, I listen to the human because the human like to tell the story, but the dog tells you the truth. I love that. The humans tell you the story and the dogs tell you the truth. Yeah. That's really good. What...

Why are dogs man's best friend? There's been a lot of stuff written I've noticed over the last, feels like over the last month, I've read numerous articles on the science of that and people are really taking an interest in why that is. What's behind our dog?

deep, deep, deep connection to dogs. Adaptation. We're the only two species that you can find all over the world. So no matter where you are in the world, those are the two species that will survive. So adaptation is number one because without life, there's no relationship.

And so then eventually is the relationship. But the first thing is the adaptation. We are so capable to adapt to the snow, to the sun, to the jungle, no matter where we are. Those are the two species that you will find anywhere in the world. So that's why we become such great allies to live in a world like this one, which is full of chaos, full of unhappiness and confusion.

So you need somebody that you can truly trust, truly respect, and truly love. And so a dog has that. Dogs live with homeless people. So that just shows you that a dog can care less if you don't have a house. And some people say, I don't have a house. That's why I can't have a dog. And it's like, well, here in America, homeless people have dogs. So you don't need to have a house. You just need to want to adapt to a relationship with a different species. And then they do the rest.

So, yeah, it's funny because now science wants to find out what this is all about, but it's been happening for thousands of years. Well, that was my next question is, what was the original relationship like, do you think, when the first human and the first dog connected?

What was that about? Need, need. You need a woman or you need a friend or you need a business or you need something. It's a need. You need something that will fill your flesh, your mind, your heart, your spirit. And so when you can find that with your own kind and then you have a tendency to seek somewhere else, you know, so then the somewhere else is a dog.

And then it's a horse. And then it's a bird. And the last one is a cat. And the reason why the cat is the last one is because cats are not pack-oriented. So they don't have in their program to be with you for more than 10 minutes. The other three that I mentioned, they want to be with you to the point that you have to teach a dog to separate. And so a dog wants to be with you 24-7. A cat wants to be with you 10 minutes. Yes. Kind of like my kids. Yes.

Yeah, at one point it happens. I have two kids too. You know, at one point they turn into a cat, you know. It's true. But in the beginning, you raise them like the way you raise a pack of puppies, you know, and then eventually they become individual and then they come back to the pack. A pack is defined by how many dogs? How many dogs makes a pack?

Well, two, two, three. Yeah. Two. Yeah. A cat and a dog is a pack. A cat and a bird is a pack. A dog and a horse is a pack. A human and a dog is a pack. You know, it's, it's a group. It's, it's, it's beginning of a family. And then you create that. So then that, that becomes the beginning of a pack.

And so we're talking about a spiritual pack, emotional pack, and a companion pack. And so that's pretty much it. And of course, you know, having two, three, four, five, and then different species, it just makes it even more beautiful because the individual species add their own essence to the mix. You know, we have emus, we have alpacas, llamas, tortoises, birds, etc.

a donkey, a horse, and they all bring something. And then when you mix them all in one place, it's just a beautiful festivity of energy. Yeah. A while back, you were saying that dogs are one of the only species that you see all over the world. And in my travels all over the world, I've been blessed and lucky enough to travel a lot to many different places. You do, you see the dogs everywhere. But I have to say, it seems to me, I just got back from Mexico and

Mexico does the dog better than any country in the world, I think. I think that, I don't know what, the cutest goddamn dogs for sure in the planet are in Mexico. Come at me if you disagree. The Mexican mutt, man, every single one of them I wanted to grab off the street and take home with me. You know, the beauty of a dog in Mexico is

is he actually is a citizen of the country, right? Because he's allowed to roam everywhere. Everywhere. Everywhere. Yeah. Mexico is the dog park. A dog in America, he has to go into a dog park to practice social moment or freedom, right? So he doesn't, you know, here in America, we have this thing called the land of the free. But once you see a dog, he's not free. But dog in Mexico is actually free.

you know and so they get to develop the adaptation the understanding a lot of times people ask me which well what dog is the most intelligent breed in the world i'll say a street dog i i rather have a street dog than a dog that is being trained to do chutzun three and have all the medals in the world why because that dog you have to tell him what to do and a street dog he tells you what to do totally you know so he actually saves your life yeah um it's funny uh

We have, I have, I have five dogs. I, I've always, we're a big dog family. Um, it always have been. And, you know, when one passes away, we, we, we get another and, uh,

One of the dogs I have now, Owen, and if people follow my Instagram, they see pictures of my dogs all the time. But Owen, and I have mutts, I have rescues, I have purebreds, you name it, I have it. Owen's the purebred. He's the fancy boy. He's a German short-haired pointer, and he comes from a long lineage of champions.

And we had to agree to let him be shown if we were going to get him. And he is without a doubt the most beautiful German short haired pointer I've ever seen. And the breeders like, oh, and I know breeders for the people going crazy that I said breeder. I also rescue about 30 animals twice a year. Just calm down. Anyway, was like, this is the most beautiful GSP I've ever seen.

But we're not going to show him. Do you have an opinion on showing? Like when you watch Westminster or any of those things, right? It's like the Super Bowl for you, I'm betting, right? It's an activity. It requires discipline. It requires, you know, to be very fit, very healthy. It shows your genetics, you know, and definitely it shows social interaction.

It requires, like I said, a lot of discipline because there's a lot of food on the floor. And, you know, 60% of the brain is controlled by the nose. So if you control the nose of a dog, you pretty much are challenging that dog more than anything else, more than jumping, swimming or anything else. So on top of that, he has to feel that he is the best in the world. So that also requires concentration, you know. So it's a beautiful activity.

to practice for a dog. It requires, like I said, a lot of discipline. You need to be fit. You need to be super handsome. And it just shows, you know, your cultural background. Yeah, yeah. You know, it's like me saying, do I love to be Mexican? Of course I love to be Mexican. And I will be in a show dog. Well, this interview is great, by the way, but I'm also going to pepper you. This is my free chance to get free dog training for you while I got you. So Owen, the other day, who we're talking about,

I live on the beach, right on the beach. And he loves to chase sticks. And he's discovered that the ocean is his friend. And he'll chase sticks and birds and swims like you can't believe. The other day, I took him down, turned my back on him, and he was 150 yards offshore swimming for the horizon. And I was like, wait, what? What?

And I go, well, he's going to turn around and come back in a minute. Nope. Going, going, going, going until he was a speck. And I was like, you know what? I don't know what the heck is it. But I got a big paddle board, like a rescue paddle board. And I paddled out. And what I realized was happening is a bird was teasing him and would like,

The bird would fly. Owen would paddle up to him. Then the bird would fly out farther. Then Owen would paddle up to him. And it was choppy. And at his head level, he could not see the shore for sure.

I was like, I'm going to rescue him. I put him on my board and I, but I did the right thing, right? I mean, he, that could have been trouble, correct? The right thing is to prevent from him to cross the hundred feet mark. That's called boundaries, right? And so the, once they get in the song, once they get into that parade ride,

then that controls them. And so many times it's not ideal, you know, because it gets into the place of not being safe anymore. Right. It's their brain that just goes and they don't have a limit unless they're tired.

So that in the ocean can be dangerous. So the right thing to do in the streets, you know, in the streets can be dangerous. That's more prone to happen in the streets. What you went through, you know, dogs chase squirrels in the streets and then they get in trouble. So it's the same thing. What do you think the most common mistake is?

people make with their dogs are. I saw it was really interesting. I saw one of your quotes is great. Dogs need the three things. Exercise, discipline, discipline, and a form of work, right? Yes. Because when you go to work, you have to be disciplined. So it's very mental. And then affection, that's the reward, right? So they have to work for the food, the water, the shelter, the family. So that way they feel that they have a purpose and they actually pitch in, right? So it's a body, mind, heart.

And so one of the worst of the thing that most people don't do is they set clear rules, boundaries, and limitations, right? So once you have clear rules, boundaries, and limitations, you're not going to make mistakes.

So people can do exercise, but because they don't have a clear rules behind the mutations, situations like yours can happen. Your dog is not clear on the boundaries. It's not that he is not allowed to chase a burr or chase a stick. What he should know is how far is enough. Right. Right. So he needs to stay within the bubble.

Just like, you know, raising kids. Yeah, you can play as much as you want, but you can't go too far away from, you see it? So we're teaching our kids rules, boundaries, limitation. That makes them disciplined. That makes them structured. And that gives us a peace of mind. So what do you say to the person who doesn't have access to you or doesn't have access to a trainer and you want to teach your dog, it's not cool when you're in a park with no fence to just run away?

Well, the simplest way is to go for a long walk because you should never teach the mind with too much physical energy. Right. So your job is to wake up in the morning and go for a long walk. Right. So that is going to control or address the athleticism part of the talk.

And then is the working part. So what do I do with my creative mind? I want to smell here. I want to look this. I want to hear this. So nose, eyes, ears. And so that's when you are bringing the dog to a situation, whatever you want to go. And you bring a long line. You don't even have to have

any other more technological tools. You can just be as primal as you want to be. Just make sure that when you bring the dog to that environment, you have a long enough line for him to detach. And at the moment he moves at the end of that, and then you correct them, you stop them. And then the dog repetitions of that would allow the dog to understand, okay, we walk for a long walk, and then my human brings me to these scenarios, and that's as far as I can go. So then the dog learns boundaries.

And then the rules is don't eat food from the floor. Don't jump on people. Don't chase a dog at a certain way. Don't steal people's food at the park. Those are rules. And limits is how long did you stay outside. Rules bind limitations. And that allows the dog to know that his needs are going to be met. The body and the mind. ♪

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♪♪♪

I liked one of your quotes I read where you said that one of the things that Americans do is we give our dogs too much affection and not enough of the other two things. Well, yeah, I mean, it's a formula for everything. As you know, as a dad, you know, it's a formula to be a dad, a formula to be an actor, a formula to be a businessman, you know. So it's the formula to connect with a dog and you eventually have the freedom of being off-leash.

is exercise, discipline, affection, body, mind, heart. My clients like to do affection, affection, affection, and expect the dog to behave. You know, so it's two shows.

that America can guide themselves with it. You know, Super Nanny and Dog Whisperer. Yep. Right? So those two shows, two foreigners, two immigrants, are showing America that the kids and the dogs control America. It's amazing. It's so funny you say that because whenever I go to, well, frankly, anywhere in the world other than America, I'm like, the kids are so well-mannered.

They're great. I mean, you go to England, you go to Germany, you go to South America, wherever you want to go, the kids are on point. And in America, we just let them run amok. Yeah. But that's affection, affection, affection. That's right. That's the formula.

And the irony is it's not good for a dog or a kid. Well, no, it's not because it's not the only activity they need. So I'm not saying not to give affection. Of course not. But let them work for it so they know that affection is something to be grateful about it. You know, something to protect, something to also generate. Because a lot of times when they receive, they don't give it. Well, that's what creates entitlement. Unfortunately, that's why dogs feel that they own the house.

They own the family. They own the toys. They own everything. And then people will describe this. Caesar, my dog doesn't want me to be near my wife. My dog doesn't want me to touch the food. My dog doesn't want me to touch the toys that I purchased. You see it? So all this territorial behavior, this behavior of...

controlling or possessing things is entitlement because they believe that everything belongs to them. They don't work for anything. And it's the same with people. Yeah, I mean, we're part of the animal world, right? Who do we follow?

You know, what are the rules, bounds, limitations? You know, so do we practice gratitude? Do we practice, you know, be there for somebody else? Do we help, you know, to make sure the water, the shelter, the basic stuff, super basic things, you know, that we just keep in mind regardless of the background of the kids, you know, social

economically background, it doesn't matter. It's just about making sure that we're part of the pack. I grew up with my grandfather, my father, my mother, my grandma, in an old-fashioned way, thanks God. And my grandfather was the pack leader. Second pack leader was my dad. Third pack leader was my grandmother. And then fourth pack leader was my mom. So all of these grownups were my pack leaders.

They all have the same agreement, you know, the same rules by limitation, the same tradition, the same, everything was the same. So it was very consistent in the way I felt that they were there to give me direction, protection and love. Yeah. Well, that's the key to, you know, training an animal, obviously, because it's what you're telling me and to raising kids, which I have experience with is like consistency is key.

Without consistency, you're done. You're done. There's no way to do it. So if your kids can conquer and divide you as a parent with your partner, you're toast. Well, consistency, I always tell my kids, even lazy people are consistent. So consistency is not the problem. It's what is it that you are practicing?

you know, that is more important, you know, so the awareness of what is it that you do, right? So my house, we go this way as God, families, and then a self. And, and, and, you know, so that way they're always grateful of life. And then always making sure that the birds, the animals and the family always are,

You know, they're well-taken, the grandparents, you know, they always make sure I tell them, hey, find out how your grandparents are doing. And then it's you. And that creates a very pack-oriented way of being because you can just easily go into self-oriented and forget about the pack. Right. You know, and so it just develops a different way of being with life. So that's the consistency I expect with my pack because that's what I do.

Totally. Do you feel, there's a scientific term for this, and I'm too stupid to remember it, but the notion that we project onto animals or other things, things that

We think they think, but in fact, they don't. So in other words, the notion that we think dogs understand way more than they actually do, or do dogs feel and understand the things that we think they do? By the way, that may be the worst posed question I've ever asked on this podcast. It might be. I realize that. But I think you know what I meant. Yeah, you know, there is some dogs, they have...

uh like superpowers right so like daddy my pit bull he had superpowers that's a dog that was that i was in the beginning of my career i needed that kind of guidance and that kind of support and that kind of knowledge that it was just super power right so i can't say that the

I can't even create anything out of it because I'm just amazed of the stuff that he does. But my clients do like to say, my dog feels this way. That's why he doesn't want to go to the park. So they start creating stories. That's why I said the human tells a story and the dog tells you the truth.

You know what I mean? So, so that's that, that happens a lot, you know, that is that, but it's definitely some, some dogs that have superpowers. There's no doubt about it. There is some special dog, just like humans. They come with superpowers, you know, and then all of the people that just make stories out of it. That's so interesting. It makes perfect sense. Cause there are, you know, I've had, like I said, I have a tremendous amount of experience with dogs. Owen is a dog. He's a dog. And then there are some that I don't know. It's not that they, they think they're human.

But there's something going on that's not just dog. And by the way, I like both iterations. I like those dogs that think they're people, act like people, look like people, behave weird. I love that too. But I also like a good old fashioned dog that just dogs.

Yeah. Well, yes, I definitely have had more dogs than dogs with superpowers. No doubt about it. What are some of the dog superpowers you've noticed in your career? So I'll tell you the story with Daddy. So Daddy died when he was 16 and right before, a month before he died, we shot the last episode on Dog Whisperer. Wow.

And he was always with me, always, always. So I had him in the RV. We went to this new place. We'd never been there. Okay. So we went and helped a dog trainer. This dog developed fear to humans. And this dog actually used to work in jail finding cell phones. Wow. Right. So somehow people, you know, infiltrate cell phones in jail and they have a canine group that goes finds the cell phones.

But this dog developed fear to humans, including his trainer. So I go on in there and the dog is petrified, petrified. So if you pull, carry this dog, he gets even worse. Okay. So I didn't want to move him. And then I said, you know, it's only one person that can do something about it. So I go to my RV. Daddy is like inches ready to come out. I opened the door. He gets out. We never been there.

He gets out. He goes exactly to where the dog is, touches his nose. The dog follows him and brings him into the RV. That kind of superpower. Wow. Okay. Wow. We never been there. The freaking dog was there. The dog was here. The only guy is a trader of that dog. Nothing two humans can do. Daddy comes in, touches him with the nose. The dog snaps out of it, follows him to the RV.

So I never told Daddy, Daddy, I need this help. He knew. He knew. But I also knew that it was somebody can help. It was going to be him. And the guy was a month before he died. That's how special that guy. He was at service to the highest level of peanuts. That's the difference between a normal dog and a dog that is at service.

You know, the spiritual dogs. And those dogs, like anything else, like any special human, they're just born. That's just the way they arrive. You can't train it into them. They just are who they are. That's it. Do you have a breed that you find particularly challenging? I don't know. The human. Of course, right? You know, human in denial is the worst. For sure. And human in denial with a lot of money is even more difficult. Yep.

You know, so, so no dogs, you know, you just find what motivates them and inspires them. And that's pretty much it. You just make them follow you. Do dogs choose people? So I have a lot of people coming and going in the house because I also have an office there and I'm taking meetings and I've, you know, people who work on my team and stuff. And I've had a couple of dogs choose people outside of our close family.

that they would go home with them. They want to be with them. It's really bizarre. Does that make any sense? Do you find dogs choose people? That's compatible. You know, your friends, you choose them. So that's compatibility. Family, you can choose. But, you know, sometimes you get the dog you need, not the dog you want. And sometimes you get the dog that's compatible to you. And so the people in your life sometimes is the one you need, and the other one is the one you are compatible to.

So the same thing with a dog, you know, same, same thing. I had one dog, uh, it was a schnauzer and he became obsessed with my wife. I mean, obsessed to the point that it was like a real problem. And why, why do dogs choose who they're going to be obsessed with? Well, it could be, it could be energy, you know, it could be many, many, many times it's energy.

If the human is in a softer energy, the dog comes and take over. So it's a problem where the dog is a stronger energy, right? So he practiced the masculine energy, even if it's a female. And so if the dog takes over that human, and then they become overprotected of that human. So why that dog takes over? The right way is the human gives the leadership to the dog. So the dog never gets in trouble.

You know what I mean? It's important that a human always control instincts. Because remember, there's no knowledge behind instincts, it's all reaction. So a dog that chooses a human on his own can actually go against the whole family. Yeah. Exactly. So that instinctually is wrong. You see what I mean? Now, there is dogs, they go to hospitals and they choose the human they're the weakest and helps them elevate. You see, that's a healing moment. Yes.

versus an instinctual moment. So the healing moment is perfect, but the one that's instinctual, that becomes dangerous. So that's definitely not ideal because they can bite.

They can bite, they can growl, you know, and people can develop fear and distress to the dog that they love. We have another dog named Gilbert Grape. Well, the best was his name was Leo. And then a friend of mine was like, oh, Leo, Gilbert Grape, like Leo DiCaprio. And we went, wait a minute, that's a better name. So it became Gilbert Grape. And Gilbert's a rescue. And Gilbert, sadly, we're pretty sure it was just...

Terribly, terribly, terribly beaten wherever he came from. And he was so we've had to work so hard to get him trust, trust and rehabilitated and not to be so crazily submissive like that.

It just insane. But he's such a lovely little, I don't know what he is, what he, what the hell mix he has, but he's cute as can be. And it's so, it's so interesting what you get when you get a rescue. Um, and I do think it's, it's a cliche, but I do feel like they're grateful. I really do. I mean, I may be projecting that, but like I said, I've had the fancy breeders. I've had way more rescues. The rescues always, uh,

at the end of the day, seem more connected almost immediately. Well, they get to see life in a different light versus the breeders. They're more sheltered. So they're more sheltered. Everything is beautiful. Food is there available. And the mother has a background. And they know who their mother, father is and the grandparents. So they know their lineage. And the street dog, actually, he's born and he begins to survive.

So the whole survival action moment, it allows them to actually see right and wrong. Right. So street smart versus book smart. Right. And so street dogs are street smart, you know, so they know this is a good home. This is our good humans because they're already met and they're really bad. Right. Yeah. So the gratitude for sure. Is the, so in my house with the five dogs,

It isn't necessarily true that the oldest is the leader of the pack. It may have something to do with age, but not always. Is that right? Not always. No. No, age is just age. You are born to be in front, the middle, or the back. That's it. Your job is to find yourself where you fit better in the pack. So age has nothing to do with leadership.

It's a lot of elders in a group, but not everybody is the faculty.

At Ashley, you'll find colorful furniture that brings your home to life. Ashley makes it easier than ever to express your personal style with an array of looks in fun trending hues to choose from, from earth tones to vibrant colors to calming blues and greens. Ashley has pieces for every room in the house in the season's most sought after shades. A more colorful life starts at Ashley. Shop in store online today. Ashley, for the love of home.

All set for your flight? Yep. I've got everything I need. Eye mask, neck pillow, T-Mobile, headphones. Wait, T-Mobile? You bet. Free in-flight Wi-Fi. 15% off all Hilton brands. I'll never go anywhere without T-Mobile. Same goes for my water bottle, chewing gum, nail clippers. Okay, I'm going to leave you to it. Find out how you can experience travel better at T-Mobile.com slash travel. ♪

Qualifying plan required. Wi-Fi were available on select U.S. airlines. Deposit and Hilton Honors membership required for 15% discount terms and conditions apply. If you are someone who's working hard, so many people listening to this podcast, I'm sure they're working, they have dogs at home, they come home, they're tired, they only have such amount of time to do something with a dog. It's better to go for a walk with them than to take them to the park and throw a ball.

And not only is better to go for a walk with them, but if you only have 30 minutes, put a backpack on your dog. You don't have to purchase a, you know, make your own backpack, put something on the dog. So the dog has a job, a purpose, and that way the energy drains quicker. Ask any fireman what it takes to carry a backpack on their back. Ask them.

So it's not just the walk. It's carrying the backpack that gives them more focus. And by the time they drop the backpack, they're super tight. So this is a quality time where you utilize walking with your dog, but let him carry something. So those 30 minutes become one hour. So when you meet a dog in public or little kids around dogs, and that always can go badly. Yes. Yes.

Is looking dogs in the eye, not in the eye, what's the kind of behavior you could teach a kid or somebody else who's scared of dogs or animals? Like, what are the signs humans physically have?

can do and not do to help that interaction go better? Now, this is cultural, okay? This is super cultural because in Mexico, we learn no touch, no talk, no eye contact. So no matter where you live, they're going to tell you no touch, no talk, no eye contact, you know? And so if the dog does something to you, they blame you, human, not the dog. Here, kids are being told, you know, ask if you can pet them, right? So be polite.

But that's not the right way, right? Because the kid is going to go, oh my God. So they're going to move to the dog and with a strong eye contact because they're excited about it, but the dog has never met them. So it's going to get overwhelmed by that approach. And then when people reaches with the hand like this,

This is to the eyes of a dog. You don't have to bring the scent to a dog. The nose of a dog can pick up on things a mile away. So this is unnecessary. Oh, really? Right? But kids, yes, kids learn to talk to the ears and the eyes. And it should be nose, eyes, ears. Listen to this. Dogs are born with the nose open. Eyes and ears are closed. 15 days later, they open the eyes. 21 days later, they open the ears. Nose, eyes, ears.

We are ears, eyes, nose. So when people try to connect with a dog like he's a human being, you're changing the way he relates to the world. That's why dogs smell each other. So when I'm walking on a beach and I see a dog that's cute or that I would like to pet, get to know, ask a question of the owner, whatever it is, socialize with, the best way for me to approach that dog... It's not to approach. It's to not approach. I'm not to approach.

Let the nose come to you. Let the nose come to you. And you just stay calm and claim your space. So he sees that you are an authority figure, right? And that you claim your space. So that way, if you want to protect someone from that dog, you can't because in his memory, you are somebody that he trusts and respect and that you were respectful about it because you let him do nose, eyes, feeling.

They don't want to hear you. So what I'm hearing, which is interesting, is that there shouldn't ever really be a situation where you walk up to a strange dog and go, oh, look at him. Right? No. That's so disrespectful to a dog. He doesn't want to hear you or feel you. He doesn't want to be touched by you. Just because I'm a dog lover, who cares? It's best to be a knowledgeable dog lover because that means you're a respectful human.

You see what I mean? So it has a more meaning to a dog. Listen, people with horses are way better, right? And people with horses and children will teach a kid not to approach the horse, right? So they're actually more respectful to the horse, right? So a kid that is going to meet a horse, he needs to stay calm and quiet.

Right? Let the horse come in and claim space because you don't want the dog, a horse to invade your space. You want to invite him into your space. Why? Because people prioritize the size of the animal, but they're practicing no touch, no talk, no eye contact. They're practicing silence, trust, respect, you know, and then the kid can actually walk a horse. So there is little kids that can actually move a thousand pounds.

And there is no little kids that can actually move a hundred pound pit bull or rottweiler or German shepherd.

but they can ride a horse. Why? Because the connection that that kid learned to have is more trust, respect, and love. What does it say to an animal when you look it in the eyes? Well, it depends how you feel, because if you're feeling calm, it says calm. If you're feeling nervous, it says nervousness, right? You can tell when people are looking at you and the way they feel about you just by the way they're looking at you, right? So eye contact is communication,

And so in the animal world, they're picking up on everything, your shoulders, your eye contact, the way you talk, how fast you talk or how you hesitate in talking. All of that is a vibration. It just enhances how you feel. Your eyes enhance, your voice enhance, your movement enhance. But that energy is already there before you move.

That makes perfect sense. Your dogs sleep with you in the bed, right? Because people are like, no, never. And I love having the dogs in the bed. Well, it's part of the activities, right? So it's five body motions, stretch, walk, run, rest, sleep. So if you do those five activities with a dog, you develop a deeper connection.

It's just the thing is more people feel like guilty or they feel like trying to compensate. So they just let them sleep. But what happens with that is the dog end up taking over of the spot that they want to sleep. And then the human sleeps crooked.

So just know the difference between inviting versus invading. And yes, sleeping with a dog is part of the activities, but it shouldn't be the only activity just so you can fulfill your guilt. Because a lot of people do things out of guilt. Right. They feel like they haven't spent enough time with them. And then less sleep. But the dog hasn't done exercise and mental stimulation. Have you noticed certain dogs watch TV? Like my dog, I had a dog that

Would literally watch TV. And if there was an animal on the show, oh, my God, that you go get like a bird or a dog barking. He would just I think they thought it was real. And then other but yet then other dogs are not aware at all.

of the television. That's right. Definitely they watch animal shows. They don't watch the news. Yeah. They like your show. They like educational entertainment and enlightenment shows. So yes, you're right. Not all dogs are visual because the nose takes them out different places. So they're not even using the eyes or they're listening to things. So they're distracted by the other senses.

The one that are more site oriented are definitely going to watch TV. And that's not a breed thing. It's just the individual dog. I seen Huskies. I seen Chihuahuas watching my show. I seen Labradoodles watching my show. I see Bulldogs watching my show. I mean, it has nothing to do with that particular dog. It's a side dog. That's amazing.

Is there anything that you would like to tell the people who listen to the podcast who are pet freaks like me that they should, should do that they aren't doing or like sort of your greatest hits for people? Because it's so rare to get somebody like you on the show who has such amazing insight. And I, and I, I just want to make sure I've sucked your mind dry. Well, you know, um, yeah, thank you. Um,

That we don't have a problem with dogs. The world doesn't have a problem with dogs. Humans don't have a problem with dogs, even though it can come across like certain breeds are aggressive or they're dangerous. That's not the breed. There is no knowledge behind instinct. There's no reaction. So, for example, just to be like, there's nothing inherently wrong with a pit bull. By the way, I love pit bulls.

But the notion that they, oh, watch out, it's a pit bull, it could snap at any time. No, you know, animals are very predictable, right? So you just have to see the patterns and then you can predict anything. They follow a program. They're not unpredictable like human, right? Because we're the one that has the rationality and we should do things way better. But we're the only species that follow unstable leaders and the only ones that pollute the world.

You see, so that's why I say we don't have problems with gorillas. We don't have problems with, you know, sharks and all these incredible animals. And of course, dog is my best friend, but at the same time, human is afraid of him. Human doesn't like him. And so the perfect breed right now that you can see love, fear, and hate is the pit bull. But in the 70s was the Doberman. Right. Right. And then the 80s was the Rottweiler. So the only thing has changed

is what breed human blames. So this would be ideal for people to pay attention to how we should see a dog. He's animal, first and foremost, that's what energy relates. Species, nose, eyes, ears, they're all nose, eyes, ears. Breed, this is the cultural background. And then the last thing, their name. Animal, species, breed, name. You and I, we are animal, species, human, race, name.

So when we have a problem, it's not we have a problem with the breed. It's who raised you. Who raised you? And then that human is going to ask you to practice positive things or negative things. Right. So Pablo Escobar, for example, his mom allowed him to become that.

My mom told me that that's not what she wanted. So I had to choose a different profession so the whole world gets to know me. So the CISO Milan is known by the whole world. Yes, I come from the same background. I'm from Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico. Right? So it's the same background. It's all these guys are there available to all the kids in there. But

who raises you is more important. That's amazing. And so your latest project, tell me a little bit about that because it sounds really interesting. Well, my latest project is always being a father. Boy, isn't that the truth. I want my kids to definitely make this world better. Right now our mission is Better Humans, Better Planet. Our new show is Better Human, Better Dog. Because now it's my path,

My family helping your pack. I love that. So, yeah. So before Dog Whisperer was one guy helping a family. Now that I, you know, I raised my children, I created a community, I have a beautiful ranch now and I train all these people throughout the years. Now is my land, my philosophy and my pack helping you change your world. So we're very excited about that.

Better human, better dog. And as soon as you change your energy, your dog changes. Because a dog is a reflection of you. I always tell people, listen, when you go to a lake, you see a reflection of the outside of you. But when you see a dog, it's a reflection of the inside of you. So let's change how you feel inside and your dog behavior will change. Simple as that.

Well, this has been great. Thank you so much. You've given me so many good pointers, so much to think about. I mean, it's just the notion that a dog can be a mirror to who we are.

is a really profound thing, particularly if you love dogs like I do. So thank you so much. I'm glad I don't actually need you to come to my house yet. I think I got my dogs on a pretty good leash. But if I do, I hope you'll come visit me when I need you. Absolutely. Thank you, my friend. Appreciate it. Wow. I learned a lot. Did you learn a lot?

I thought I knew a lot. Turns out I don't really. So here's my main takeaway from that. Walk your flipping dog. Walk your dog, people. Walk them. Don't ask them to do anything until you've walked your dog and put a backpack on them. I learned that. I hope you had as much fun as I did. What a great guy. So inspiring. And before I sign off today, it's called the low down line. Hello, you've reached literally in our low down line.

where you can get the lowdown on all things about me, Rob Lowe. 323-570-4551. So have at it. Here's the beep. Hey, Rob. My name is Evan. I'm from Iowa. If you had to go back and make a career switch, but it would have to be a career where you knew you wouldn't be famous, what would you be? A plumber or something like that? Love the podcast. See ya. Wow, really good.

Question and one that I'm glad I haven't had to contemplate. Well, you know, listen, when I was a young actor and had a TV show that I was one of the stars of at 15 for two years and I thought my career was over, I really was done being an actor and I was going to be a marine biologist.

And that's what I was studying and that's what I was interested in. And then I got The Outsiders and that was that. So I guess it would have been, you know, a marine biologist. I also was thinking about doing something in the law because I love that kind of stuff. I have facility for it. And then I decided, you know what, I'm just going to play lawyers as an actor.

I don't have to deal with the bar exam that way. So how about this? How about a lawyer by day, marine biologist by night who solves crimes? That's my answer. How about that? See you next week. Don't forget to tell two friends about our little thing we got going on. You and me meeting up like this as we do. And don't forget to give me a comment on the like Apple board or whatever. I read them all.

And thank you to those who are nice. All right. Till next week. Rabloh. Literally. See you soon.

You've been listening to Literally with Rob Lowe, produced and engineered by me, Rob Schulte. Our coordinating producer is Lisa Berm. The podcast is executive produced by Rob Lowe for Low Profile. Jeff Ross, Adam Sachs, and Joanna Solitaroff at Team Coco. And Colin Anderson at Stitcher. Our researcher is Alyssa Grahl. Our talent bookers are Paula Davis, Gina Batista, and Britt Kahn.

And music is by Devin Bryant. Thanks for listening. We'll see you next week on Literally with Rob Lowe. This has been a Team Coco production in association with Stitcher.

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All set for your flight? Yep. I've got everything I need. Eye mask, neck pillow, T-Mobile, headphones. Wait, T-Mobile? You bet. Free in-flight Wi-Fi. 15% off all Hilton brands. I'll never go anywhere without T-Mobile. Same goes for my water bottle, chewing gum, nail clippers. Okay, I'm going to leave you to it. Find out how you can experience travel better at T-Mobile.com slash travel.

Qualifying plan required. Wi-Fi were available on select U.S. airlines. Deposit and Hilton Honors membership required for 15% discount terms and conditions apply.