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| My Beautiful, Quirky Belgian Tervuren named Sahzi |
Cesar is even nicer and more knowledgeable in person. It was so hard to listen to all his wisdom while your house is filled with eight crew members, cameras, lights, microphones, etc. I kept finding my mind drifting to thoughts like, “Cesar Milan is here in my house.” Then I would have to refocus my thoughts and listen to what he was saying. This was much worse outside when the cameramen are walking backwards in front of you and people are staring and noticing that Cesar Millan is walking your dog.
When the crew arrived at 8:30, they filmed Sahzi doing her silly behaviors, such as being afraid of hallways, her water dish, and the piano. She obliged like a true starlet, although she was not afraid of the stairs today.
They interviewed me in the kitchen and asked me lots of questions about my dog-owner background and Sahzi. Mike had to stay secluded upstairs while they did this so he wouldn’t hear my answers.
They interviewed Mike in his man-cave (formerly known as the living room), asking similar but different questions. I also had to go upstairs so I wouldn’t hear.
Then after rearranging some furniture, Cesar arrived and asked, “How may I help you today?” We talked for about 30 minutes while they filmed.
Then after rearranging some furniture, Cesar arrived and asked, “How may I help you today?” We talked for about 30 minutes while they filmed.
They all went to lunch and gave us and Sahzi an hour or so break. It’s about 12:30 and we started at 8:30.
At about 1:30, we welcome Cesar to our home, again, and he starts working with Sahzi. First he asks if she is play or food motivated. Since she could care less about eating, I say play. Using a tennis ball, Cesar shows me how to divert and reward her while I play the piano. He mocks, in a friendly and funny way, what I’m doing wrong until I do it correctly.
Then we start walking Sahzi through the scary hallways of the house. Cesar brings his pit bull Junior inside to help. Junior and Sahzi are tied together with a leash. Sahzi stops and Junior can’t tug her through the hallway. Cesar works with Junior until he can lead Sahzi through. Then she graduates to human leadership and finally to my leadership.
We then move to scary hallway #2, the “cat room” (formerly known as my mom’s room, the music room, or the back bedroom), and the kitchen. This probably takes us more than an hour, but Sahzi is doing marvelously.
Because Sahzi is so timid and insecure, he never once shushes her with that normal sound he makes. When she shows little success, we are taught to reward her lavishly with affection. I mention how different this is that what I see him do normally on TV. He mentions that this is why people shouldn’t try complicated training at home because they don’t always know what works for some dogs.
During a short break for the crew, Cesar sits with us and jokes with us. He’s really funny. An example, I mention some of the training materials a dog trainer used this summer like Feta Cheese and Whipped Cream. Cesar laughs and then starts envisioning broadening his dog supply product empire with Cesar Millan Feta Cheese and Cesar Millan Whipped Cream.
When the crew is rested, we take a few more in-close shots: me playing piano chords, Sahzi and Spatz hanging out together, wiggling my fingers in the one water dish she will drink from.
Then we go for a walk in the park, just me, Mike, Sahzi, Cesar, the director, two camera men, one sound man with a boom mic, and one or two others. Everyone stares and gapes as they recognize Cesar.
We walk by the dog park to try to get some dogs to “fence fight” but only a few of the small dogs oblige which we all agree is typical.
When we return to the house, Cesar mentions that he wants us to work daily with Sahzi on decreasing her fears around the house with the hallways and the piano. Once she is less fearful in her own home, she will be ready to come to his Dog Psychology Center in Saugus, California (near Magic Mountain in Santa Clarita). Once she is more confident, he will teach her dog social skills for one or two weeks at the center.
Then Mike and I return to the Cone of Silence while they debrief Cesar on camera. Then Cesar signs copies of his book which I purchased for me and Grant, Chad, and Lisa. His crew takes some pictures. Sahzi is too exhausted to participate in that activity.
After Cesar leaves, they debrief Mike and I together with a new angle in the house and more rearranged furniture. They collect their equipment and leave. We flop on the couch, exhausted, with Sahzi.
Details to follow.
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