EPiSODE iNFO
“Cesar 911” 105: Ripped Apart
Whistleblower Brent is desperate for help with his aggressive pit bull, Titan, who is destroying his relationship with girlfriend, Aileen, who saved Titan from the side of the road. Cesar is concerned that the couple are not compatible owners for the dog. He works with Titan and learns he is capable of socializing with other dogs but is anxious and excited, feeding off of his owners’ energy. With so much tension under one roof, is there enough room left to heal all of the problems?
Next, Cesar meets whistleblower Debbie and a group of dog owners who are deeply concerned about their good friend Marilyn’s aggressive Italian mastiff mix, Cupid. Cupid began attacking other dogs at the park after Marilyn recovered from a fight against cancer. If Cupid gets in one more fight, he will be banned from the dog park, a devastating blow to Marilyn, who finds it to be a place of friendship and healing. Cesar is amazed by all the love and compassion, and is ready to help Marilyn and Cupid get their park on!
A Message from Cesar
This episode had some very emotional moments for me and the people I worked with. First, whistleblower Brent calls me in to help with his girlfriend, Aileen, who had rescued a stray, starving pit bull from the streets — but the dog’s behavior and their inability to correct it is tearing the relationship apart. Along the way, we find out that the real issue may not be the dog, Titan. Is it going to turn into a case of “It’s me or the dog” as far as Brent is concerned?
Next, Debra and a group of friends call me to a local dog park because their good friend, Marilyn, is about to be banned — her dog Cupid has already attacked two other dogs at the park, and it’s a “three strikes and you’re out” situation. To complicate matters, Marilyn’s dog is a huge Italian mastiff mix and she is a cancer survivor with physical issues that make it difficult for her to control the dog — or so she thinks. Will I be able to convince Marilyn otherwise, and bring her back into the dog park pack?
Tune in and tell your friends to watch as I come to the rescue on “Cesar 911.”
Cesar 911 Episode 5 Q&A
Q: In this episode, we find out that a couple’s relationship problems may be affecting their dog’s behavior. Is this common?
A: Yes. In fact, one of the best ways to figure out whether there are interpersonal problems within a household is to look at the dog. When the pack is unbalanced, so are all of the members in it, and dogs are extremely sensitive to our energy.
And it’s not just relationship issues between partners or spouses that can cause problems. If the kids are arguing with the parents, or somebody is anxious or fearful because of something going on in their life, this will affect the entire pack dynamic, humans and dogs alike.
This can lead to a dog that is constantly skittish, because it doesn’t know which human pack member to follow when there is conflict between them. It can also lead to aggression if the dog winds up taking sides, and I’ve seen a lot of cases of the dog becoming very possessive toward one partner and aggressive or hostile to the other, to the point that, for example, the husband couldn’t even try to sit on the couch with the wife without the dog getting in between and trying to bite him.
This is one of the great things about dogs, though. If your dog is suddenly fearful for no reason or seems to suddenly not like someone in the household, then that’s your signal to start looking at the human relationships and working on them.
