Cesar Millan Responds To S'pore Petition To Drop Him From Pet Festival: "People Don't Understand What I'm Doing"

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Back in 2012, meeting Cesar Millan, aka the Dog Whisperer, felt like meeting one of the world’s biggest celebrities.

This writer still remembers hundreds of his adoring fans packing VivoCity's Sky Park hoping to catch a glimpse of the man who, to many dog owners, seemed to have an answer for every difficult canine.

Fourteen years later, Cesar is still remarkably recognisable. Not just because he looks much the same, but because he speaks with the same passion that made him famous in the first place.

During a live session organised by pet food brand Bom Bom at Orchard Gateway, attendees listened intently, hanging onto every word as Cesar spoke about calm energy, and leadership in understanding dogs.

Cesar even used Singapore as an example, saying: "I'm very Singaporean in that way. I follow the rules."

According to Cesar, one of the things he admires most about Singapore is that people experience a sense of safety and peace.

"When you follow the rules, Singapore welcomes you with trust, respect and love," he said.

It became obvious this wasn't just a compliment about Singapore. It was also his philosophy.

But in today's TikTok era, that has also given way to a growing number who strongly criticise his methods.

Ahead of his latest appearance, a group of local pet owners launched a petition calling on organisers to remove him from the upcoming Singapore Pet Festival, arguing that his training methods no longer reflect modern dog training.

The petition alleges that Cesar's long-associated dominance-based approach and references to the alpha theory are outdated and no longer align with modern animal behaviour science.

Some supporters also claimed his methods rely too heavily on techniques they believe can cause unnecessary fear and stress in dogs, arguing that positive reinforcement should instead be encouraged.

So, when 8days.sg caught up with the 56-year-old at Orchard Gateway during a live talk by pet food brand Bom Bom, there was really only one place to start – what did he think about the backlash?

When we brought up the petition, Cesar didn't skip a beat before answering with a smile: "It's not unusual. There are always people who don't understand what my goal in life is.”

Cesar also believes many of his critics misunderstand what he's actually trying to do.

"They put me in a place where it's about technique. I'm not about technique. I'm about educating the world,” he adds.

He brings up again that dogs have never really been the point.

"There are three kinds of humans. Humans who love dogs. Humans who are afraid of dogs. Humans who don't like dogs. So, you don't have to own a dog to come and listen to me,” he shares.

When asked whether his approach to working with dogs has changed over the last two decades, he offers a different perspective.

Rather than saying his philosophy has evolved dramatically, Cesar believes people have finally begun understanding what he has been trying to say all along.

"I've learned English better,” he jokes. "People now know I'm here to remind humans about energy and philosophy in action.”

With so many dogs in Singapore living in HDB flats and condominiums, we ask if limited living space is something owners should worry about.

His answer was immediate.

"I don't think the problem is living in a small environment. Dogs adapt,” he says.

Instead, he believes the real issue is something far more fundamental: Exercise.

"The mistake people make is they don't walk the dogs enough. It's not about how small your home is. It's about whether you're helping your dog drain its energy,” he mused.

Perhaps the biggest surprise during our chat was that Cesar's advice wasn't actually aimed at dog owners.

It was for parents. Families who don’t even own a furkid.

He believes children should learn how to behave around dogs, regardless of whether they have one at home.

"No touch, no talk, no eye contact,” a mantra he repeats many times during our chat.

"Let the dog come to you. Let the dog smell you. The dog will tell you when it's safe,” he adds.

And this is the same for anyone who fears dogs.

Rather than avoiding dogs altogether, he encouraged people to replace fear with calmness, patience and confidence.

"Sometimes the lack of knowledge is what's missing,” he says.

“Create space. Avoid touching, talking to, or making direct eye contact with an unfamiliar dog. The animal senses your energy. Without saying a word, you can tell a dog you don't want it to come near you,” Cesar adds.

Now, whether that changes the minds of those who signed the petition remains to be seen.