Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan Rejects Cruelty Claims

Dog whisperer Cesar Millan has defended himself against claims that he is cruel to animals.

The allegations were made recently in a TV interview with presenter Alan Titchmarsh after tweeting animal-lover critics said the Mexican-born trainer used violence and even electric shocks to train the dogs.

But, Millan told Sky News, he made physical contact with the dog to distract the dog from the action it was about to take - for instance, stop the dog from going into fighting mode.

Talking about a clip from a forthcoming TV series, Millan explained: "I'm just touching a part of the body where I can get the reaction of 'Snap out of it!'

'Because most of the time what people do is pull the dog and start screaming: 'Stop it!'

"The intention of the dog is what I'm trying to remove it from ... the dog wants to harm."

Explaining about his use of electronic collars, the Mexican-born trainer said: "For people who have arthritis in their hands, for example, a regular leash or harness won't work for them. This just gives them a sense that they can control their rotweiler."

Millan, who is on a UK tour of two-hour seminars for dog owners, insists "technique without the fundamentals is unhealthy".

"It's very important to understand calm, assertive energy before you even touch a leash," he said.

"It's really about understanding the fundamentals ... who you are in the animal world as energy. And really understanding calmness, which is more important than technique."