[Videos below] When I got my pup, “Redford”—half Red Tick Hound, half unknown/probably Lab, I had no idea how to be a good master/parent. So I netflixed the Dog Whisperer, who taught me just about everything I know. I’d first read about him in The New Yorker, my bible. The Dog Whisperer has become my idol—Cesar Millan embodies all the Buddhist, yogic, martial arts and good parenting principles in his actions.

Be the pack leader: dominant, but gentle—never aggressive–it’s never the dog’s fault, they just don’t get it. First thing you’re probably not doing if your dog is disobedient: exercise. Make sure they have lots of time to wrestle and play with doggy friends. In this video you’ll see how he ‘grounds’ an angry pit bull, getting it to surrender and relax. It’s taken me a year to be able to do this without getting angry or worked up myself, but the result is I’m blessed with the greatest little doggie, who’s obedient (running back to my call even when off leash and playing with dogs, or sitting on command from 100 feet away) 90% of the time. The other 10% of the time? He hasn’t had enough exercise, which is my bad.

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