What Happened To The Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan?

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For a while, Cesar Millan was on top of the world. The celebrity dog trainer initially arrived in the United States illegally, but over time he worked his way up to becoming one of the biggest stars on reality television. His show "Dog Whisperer With Cesar Millan" was a major hit for the National Geographic Channel, airing throughout the 2000s and spreading his method of animal training to audiences worldwide.

In 2010, however, Millan fell on hard times. That year, his beloved pit bull Daddy died. His wife also filed for divorce, and Millan was left reeling. "I felt defeated, a big sense of guilt and failure. ... I was at the lowest level I had ever been emotionally and psychologically," he later revealed (via USA Today). He even attempted suicide in the wake of these struggles, ultimately surviving an overdose. "Dog Whisperer" lasted another season on a spin-off channel called Nat Geo Wild, but the show was ultimately canceled in 2012.

In the years since, Millan has kept going. "The Dog Whisperer" is no longer the cultural mainstay it once was, but he's still a regular presence on animal-related television. He's toured the country, written a book about the lessons he's learned from his time working with canines, faced intense pushback from animal-rights groups, and even started training his sons to take over his doggy-centric television empire someday. Read on to catch up with what's happened to Millan in the years since "Dog Whisperer" went off the air.

Cesar Millan took his show on the road

In the years following the cancellation of "Dog Whisperer With Cesar Millan," the dog trainer took his show on the road. He toured the world with a show called "Cesar Millan Live!" bringing demonstrations of dog training to live audiences. He told The Denver Post that he'd pivoted to live entertainment after the cancellation of his show because he wasn't going to give up. "When you're born poor and you crave for achieving, that becomes your mentality at an early age," he said. "It's why I have such a strong drive to keep moving forward."

In adapting his methods for the stage, Millan found that audiences trusted him even more than they did when he was telling them something on television. After all, when you see a dog's behavior change on TV, you suspect something might've been cut out in the edit. "In order for dogs to transform, to change their bad behavior, the human has to believe that he can actually do it," Millan explained. "And live, I bring concepts and a frame of mind that on TV would be too preachy."

To demonstrate his training methods, Millan employed dogs from local shelters at each stop on the tour. He told The Denver Post that this was a thematic choice, too. "I love to use shelter dogs because some people believe there's something wrong with these dogs," he said. "They never interpret it as a human giving up on the dog."

Cesar 911 premiered in 2014

Two years after the cancellation of "Dog Whisperer With Cesar Millan," the celebrity dog trainer returned to television. In 2014, Nat Geo Wild aired a new show by Millan titled "Cesar 911." The original show was about general dog training, but this new show upped the ante. "'Cesar 911' is about emergencies," he explained to AOL Build. Millan took his production crew around to visit dog owners whose pets were in what he calls "the red zone," a behavioral mindset that borders on dangerous and even deadly. These dog owners were all at their wits' end, and Millan aimed to intervene before the dogs hurt someone ... or themselves.

He told Build that he found owner behavior would reinforce dog behavior, especially as owners became more fearful of their pets. "These people learn to isolate themselves, like, they kidnap themselves," he said, sharing the story of one woman who hadn't dated in years because she was afraid her dog would hurt any potential partners. "They kidnap themselves with the dog, and because they believe that the dog is that dangerous, they don't realize that by nurturing that fear, they make the dog even worse." Here's what Millan says you need to know before getting a dog.

"Cesar 911" ultimately ran for three seasons on Nat Geo Wild. That's certainly not nothing, but it's a far cry from the 260 episodes Millan produced for the original "Dog Whisperer" show. 

Cesar Millan created a Nickelodeon show for kids, starring his son

Cesar Millan isn't only interested in training adults. He's also interested in reaching children; after all, kids are just as important to family pets as their parents are. To that end, in 2015, Millan launched "Mutt & Stuff," a Nickelodeon show. He cast his own son Calvin Millan as the show's main character, and together they ran a fictional doggy obedience school.

The Millans found that the show's memorable characters were a great way to teach children about caring for their dogs. Asked what he wanted children to learn from the show, Calvin told KOFY TV, "How to treat your dog with full respect." His father added, "We have actually a philosophy, that if kids follow, everybody's gonna have a harmonious, balanced life with their dog." Putting it a different way to Fox 11, Cesar said, "His show is about prevention, my show is about intervention, and it's a good team."

The show featured both real dogs and "Sesame Street"-style puppets, and it was produced by legendary television producers Sid and Marty Krofft, the brains behind the iconic puppet show "H.R. Pufnstuf." Marty told Showbiz Junkies that they were excited about the series, explaining, "Mixing their dynamic talent with the unmatched appeal of puppies and the quirkiness of puppets, we knew that 'Mutt & Stuff' would be a one-of-a-kind show that would pique the interest of preschoolers and enable us to connect with a new generation of kids."

Cesar Millan's methods faced criticism from animal rights groups

Over the years, as Cesar Millan and his dog-training methods have remained in the spotlight, he's faced criticism from a number of animal rights groups who find his techniques too intense. After all, Millan recommends a "dominance" approach to dog training, and he suggests that owners use things like prong collars, shock collars, and physical touch to correct behavior. As a dog trainer named Laura McGaughey told The Denver Post, for example, "I wish he would understand where behavioral science really is these days. Even the founder of dominance theory has recanted his stance on it."

The criticism heated up in 2016, when an episode of "Cesar 911" depicted a dog attacking and injuring a pig. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior released a position paper speaking out against Millan's methods, criticizing him for the harsh way he tries to put a dog in its place. "Although such methods can be effective in the short term, science tells us they are likely to exacerbate an animal's fear and actually increase aggression in the long run," they wrote.

The American Humane Society was even more outspoken in their condemnation of the show, noting that they are not usually brought in to consult on reality television productions. "Situations like this should never, ever happen again," they said in a press release. "All animals deserve to be humanely treated, and abuse must end now."

Cesar Millan got engaged again in 2016

Cesar Millan was devastated by his divorce from his first wife, but he found love again. In 2016, he announced that he'd proposed to girlfriend Jahira Dar, an actor he started dating shortly after his 2010 divorce. He broke the news on Instagram, sharing a beautiful picture of himself kissing the hand of his beloved. "I always knew that I wanted someone to share my life with who was sweet, adventurous, honest, and loving, but I got more than that! She is beautiful inside and out, extremely supportive of my entire family and me," he wrote. "AND SHE LOVES DOGS!"

Millan was even more effusive in an interview with People. "My pack is complete!" he said. "She was instrumental in helping me rebuild my life and my family after my divorce and break from the 'Dog Whisperer' television show." He also revealed that he had proposed to her in Greece, having initially told her they'd be vacationing in Italy. Instead, they found themselves in Athens overlooking the Acropolis when Millan finally got down on one knee. "I am still proud of myself that I never gave it away!" he said.

Millan and Dar have kept their relationship relatively private in the years since, but Millan revealed on a 2021 episode of "Really Famous With Kara Mayer Robinson" that they had indeed gotten married. "It is the love that I have for this particular woman that made me be calm surrendered," he said.

He joined his friend Jada Pinkett Smith at the Red Table

If it wasn't for the stunning Jada Pinkett Smith, the world might never have learned Cesar Millan's name. When he first moved to Los Angeles, Millan befriended the "Matrix" star, and it was she who helped him get his celebrity dog training business off the ground. They reconnected for a 2018 episode of "Red Table Talk," the actor's Facebook talk show where she sits down with her family and a special guest to dive deep into their lives in the spotlight. "This is my O.G. homie!" Pinkett Smith glowed in the introduction to the video. "They don't even know! We came up in the ranks together!"

In the emotional episode, Millan recounted the story of how he crossed the border into America. He said he found a frightening scene when he reached the border, recalling [6:05], "That's when you learn about the streets. They can sell you. They can kill you for organs, they can ... I mean, yeah, dead is more likely than jumping it ... I'm respectful about it, I know I broke a boundary and a rule, but it was for a dream."

When he reached Los Angeles and lived in South Central, Millan said Pinkett Smith took him under her wing. [0:50] She even hired an English tutor for him and sent them to Millan's house. Millan credits her with his success since. "Because of Jada," he said, "I speak English."

Cesar Millan wrote a book about lessons he's learned from dogs

Cesar Millan wrote several books at the height of the success of "Dog Whisperer With Cesar Millan," but it wasn't until 2017 that he added a new memoir to the bunch. That year, he published "Cesar Millan's Lessons From the Pack: Stories of the Dogs Who Changed My Life." Alongside co-writer Melissa Jo Peltier, Millan recounted a number of pivotal experiences training dogs, using those anecdotes as jumping-off points about his larger journey to success.

After all, Millan doesn't just want dogs to learn to obey; he wants humans to learn from their pets, too. "[D]ogs are not just our companions. They are our greatest teachers, and they can also be our greatest healers," he told Hollywood Soapbox. Specifically, Millan said that he believes people can learn respect from their dogs, once again espousing his dominance theory that dogs learn to behave by obeying the strongest ones. "When we extend that to our human relationships, it creates trust and honesty and teaches us to not be judgmental toward each other," he said.

He added that dogs are also great at forgiveness, noting, "If you've ever seen two dogs interacting after the fight is over, it's almost like nothing bad ever happened. ... Holding grudges is unhealthy." In other words, if you find yourself wondering, "Does my dog love me?" you can rest assured.

Dog Nation took Cesar Millan and his son on a tour of the country

Having already set Calvin Millan up for success on "Mutt & Stuff," Cesar Millan turned his attention to his other son, Andre. In 2017, he launched a new show called "Cesar Millan's Dog Nation." This one sent him and his son on a trip around the country, visiting various locations where people had stories to share about the importance of dogs. "The 'Dog Nation' TV show is about how communities and people can come together to save a dog's life and how dogs contribute to making human life better," he told Hollywood Soapbox.

Speaking with Fox Business, Andre told the network that he added a lot of value to this part of his father's career, noting that he helped his dad connect with audiences online. "I use social media and what I have around me to help spread the awareness and the education," he said. "What my dad taught me about business was in order to create a brand that will become a legacy, first you need to find out what your passion is, find out what you're really good at, and utilize that in such a positive note that people can be affected by it long term."

"Dog Nation" turned out to be one of Cesar's shortest-running shows, ultimately airing only eight episodes. Still, it was nominated for best variety or reality show by the Imagen Foundation Awards, so that's something!

A 2021 lawsuit alleged that Cesar Millan's dog attacked a gymnast and killed Queen Latifah's dog

In 2017, Cesar Millan hit the headlines again, this time for all the wrong reasons. TMZ reported that he'd been sued by a gymnast named Lidia Matiss, the daughter of one of Millan's employees. She claimed that she visited her mom at work, where she encountered Millan's pit bull Junior roaming the halls off leash. She alleged that Junior attacked her, biting her left calf so severely that it destroyed her athletic career. After all, she'd been recruited by the University of Pennsylvania for the sport, but after her injury, she was no longer able to perform at the high level she had before.

The lawsuit contained a fascinating tidbit that lit up the celebrity gossip sites. Matiss alleged that Millan should've known Junior was dangerous because he'd already killed one of Queen Latifah's dogs. It's unclear how the "Chicago" star got involved in Millan's training program, but we know Queen Latifah and Jada Pinkett Smith are friends, and Pinkett Smith is one of Millan's biggest allies in Hollywood. Matiss said that Junior killed Queen Latifah's dog, but Millan covered it up by telling the rapper that her dog had been killed by a car. In response, RadarOnline said Millan's representatives called the allegation "a blatant lie."

The case was set to go to trial in August 2022, but the month before, it was canceled. Instead, Millan settled with Matiss, and the terms remained sealed.

His National Geographic show Better Human Better Dog aired through 2024

In 2021, Cesar Millan launched perhaps his most successful show since "Dog Whisperer." That year saw the premiere of "Cesar Millan: Better Human Better Dog," a show that combined several of the thematic dog-training projects he had been working at over the previous decade. This show focused on the way that humans and dogs can positively impact one another, highlighting the mutually beneficial relationship between man and his best friend. After all, Cesar Millan says he doesn't train dogs; he trains people.

As of press time, "Better Human Better Dog" has run for 60 episodes, far more than the eight "Dog Nation" aired. Millan told ABC7 that he was particularly proud of this show because of how it focuses on other people aside from himself. "The title, I love it more than ever," he said. "When it was 'The Dog Whisperer,' people think it was just one guy that has this magic, but I think we all have the magic."

Millan also said he wanted the show to focus on the universality of the love between humans and canines; after all, as an immigrant to America, he understands the power of his story when it airs abroad. "My motivation is that the whole world needs the same help," he said, "[A]nd it unifies us because a dog is a dog no matter where you go in the world."

Cesar Millan offers dog-training advice on social media

"Cesar Millan: Better Human Better Dog" last aired in 2024, and to the surprise of fans, it soon vanished from the Disney+ streaming service where it had aired. Fans were outraged, but Disney told TechRadar that it was simply a business decision to disappear the show. "Fans still have unprecedented access to a wide variety of Disney's film and television entertainment," they said, which is perhaps little comfort to Millan himself.

As the dog trainer has many times in the years since "Dog Whisperer With Cesar Millan" went off the air, he has pivoted once again. Millan shares his latest tips and tools for dog owners on social media, posting frequent training-related infographics on Instagram that adapt his method into bite-sized, snackable tips. For example, in July 2025, he shared an adorable Instagram photo of a happy-looking dog with a reminder that you should pay attention to when you're reinforcing your dog's behavior. "If you give affection when your dog is overly excited, hyper, or aggressive, you're nurturing that behavior," he wrote. "The goal is to become a source of calm, confident energy for your dog."

If there's one thing Millan knows, it's how to remain calm and project confidence. His methods may have come under criticism, and he may be constantly moving from show to show, but ever since "Dog Whisperer" went off the air, the man has kept on going.

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