I spent part of the afternoon Tuesday in line with some really angst-ridden dogs.
Owners and their hapless pups were in Buena Park to audition for Cesar Millan’s television show the “Dog Whisperer.”
About 100 people showed up, some in support roles to help family members corral badly behaving dogs.
Here are some of the issues owners told me about:
Most frightening: Cody, a 3-year-old dog adopted from the Long Beach ASPCA, wants to “kill other dogs,” his owner Danielle Frey of La Habra told me. Despite thousands of dollars spent on training, Frey could not find a good solution for her dog’s aggression.
Surprise attacks: Cooper, a 3-year-old boxer-pit mix is dog aggressive. Adopted from the O.C. animal shelter, he’s quick to attack other dogs and has been in three gnarly fights. “I think he was attacked before we got him,” owner Lauren Briggs of Yorba Linda said. Otherwise, the dog was a happy, gentle family dog. “I’m fearful he’s going to hurt someone,” Briggs said.
Head injury: Angel was quiet and well behaved in line. The mostly white German short-haired pointer has a real problem, however. An injury from her puppy days put a significant dent in her head, something the owners couldn’t see when she was a tiny pup. The brain injury underneath likely led to obsessive spinning in times of stress, said owner Erin Cosgrove of Cypress. “She just spins and spins and spins,” she said.
Large and in charge: Peanut, a year-old American mastiff, was a sweety pie but she’s taking advantage of her bulk and dragging her owner all over the place. “Other people are afraid of her size,” said owner Todd Siler of Buena Park. His wife was having a hard time walking the dog, and Peanut had developed a new habit of charging through the screen doors to see other dogs. “I don’t want her to hurt anyone,” Siler said.
Protective to a fault: Lola was a 2-year-old boxer-pit mix. Her owner Luis Mendez admitted she has a split personality. “She’s very protective and such a lover,” he said. She’s great inside the home, but aggressive to the point of biting when she’s outside, guarding the home.
Guard dog: Joey, a Jack Russell, has a nasty habit of attacking anyone new through the front door. His owner, Steven Van Smaalen of Cypress, said the dog has a knack for attacking the maids, who use brooms and cleaning tools to scare the dog off the door. Joey has bitten a couple people hard enough to draw blood.
Sir Barks a Lot: Jak, a 4-year-old Australian shepherd was not aggressive by nature but his bark sure was. The dog struggled to obey while waiting in line. Other dogs distracted him to near meltdowns, at which point his owner would walk the dog into the parking lot for a timeout. Jak’s constant need to play and bark had owner Wendy Haines of Brea quite fed up.
Read the rest of the story here or click on the photo above to see a slideshow from the event.
Auditions continue July 14 (next Tuesday) in Huntington Beach. Producers will be looking for unique stories (so another barking dog or lunging, aggressive dog is not going to pique their interest). And a note to “Dog Whisperer” fans: Cesar Millan will NOT be at these auditions.
A reminder to pet owners: leave your aggressive dogs at home. The stress of waiting in line can aggravate an already difficult dog.
Also, remember your seven-minute video!!
July 14: 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., at the Huntington Beach Petco at 5961 Warner Ave.
In case you can’t make the Orange County auditions, there’s one more in Los Angeles:
July 21: 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., Los Angeles Petco, 1475 S. Robertson Blvd.
You can read more about auditions and requirements online at: www.cesarmillaninc.com/. Click on the “Dog Whisperer” link.
——————————————-
Recent animal news:
Dog owners with problem pups have another chance to seek help from Cesar Millan.
