'Dog Whisperer' Cesar Millan visits South Philly for his new show
When you talk to Cesar Millan about dogs, your conversation is never really about dogs. It's about life. "Dog Whisperer" Millan was in South Philadelphia on Friday for his new show, Dog Nation, premiering on Nat Geo Wild early next year and costarring his 22-year-old son, Andre. This is not Andre's first on-camera gig. He's the host of an animal-themed talk show, Pet Talk.
When you talk to Cesar Millan about dogs, your conversation is never really about dogs. It's about life.
"Dog Whisperer" Millan was in South Philadelphia on Friday for his new show, Dog Nation, premiering on Nat Geo Wild early next year and costarring his 22-year-old son, Andre. This is not Andre's first on-camera gig. He's the host of an animal-themed talk show, Pet Talk.
"I always wanted him to be a part of this because I love it so much," Millan said. "But I didn't know if he wanted to, so sometimes you have to let your kids go and hope that one day they join you in something you've built."
Andre has.
"There is no better partner than my kids," said Millan.
(Calvin Millan, 16, his youngest, has a show on Nickelodeon called Mutt & Stuff.)
Millan was in Philadelphia filming at Throw Away Dogs, a nonprofit that trains abandoned dogs to potentially join the Philadelphia Police Department's K-9 unit.
Millan said that with Dog Nation, he wants to showcase the people who are doing good work with dogs so that as a nation we can "be a large pack and help."
As Millan spoke with Throw Away Dogs founder Carol Skaziak, and played with Storm, Susan Greenberg, 69, rode by on her bike and stopped to approach Millan.
"I have to tell you, you've made me a better human," Greenberg told him.
"Older people get me well because what I teach is trust. What I teach is respect and loyalty," he said. "I'm teaching what's important for a relationship."
Dogs, Millan said, are a mirror of us. If your dog isn't getting the proper balance of affection, discipline, and energy exertion, chances are neither are you.
When he's with his own pups, "that is my soul food." Now, he said, he only has 20 dogs. Before? 65.
And his thoughts on Philly? Nothing but loyalty.
"You hear about the Eagles fans but that love, that brotherly love you guys have for the Eagles is definitely the epitome of loyalty and faith," Millan said. "Even if you guys don't win, you're still faithful and loyal to it."