Teaching a Fixated Dog to Focus | Cesar Millan: Better Human Better Dog

For me, it's easier to rehabilitate an aggressive dog than a fixated dog. While working with fixated and overexcited kelpie Shadow, Caesar discovers the dog has forgotten how to behave like a dog.

"That's my girl! Let's go swimming!" To prevent aggression, Caesar must help the dog learn to slow her mind by focusing on the task at hand—overcoming her fear of water.

"Come on, trust your instincts, baby! Come on, you got this! Come on, girl, you got this! Just be a dog. That's it! You can do it! Come on, girl, you can do this! Come on, let's go!"

"Here he comes! Shut up! Come on, girl! Come on, good girl! She's doing great swimming, but she still—never mind—literally doing some laps. You have to remove so all up and tap energy. That's why Judy couldn't get to her excited energy in the entrance energy, because there's layers. Layers."

"Look, now she's following me! There you go! This is humming her down. Now we've got the follower state versus the frantic state. My job is just to keep her focused. This is exactly what Shadow needed. The instinctual act of swimming reminds her how to be a dog, so she's capable of following again. If she can follow a person, she should begin to listen as well. This is huge! Shut up! One more! That's it!"

[Music]

"Look at that! Oh yes, baby! Look! Yes, yes, yes! This breakthrough proves that Shadow is capable of focusing and following, so it is time to reconnect with her pack leader, Judy, because you're in the water."

[Music]