INTERVIEW: Travel into the heart of ‘Dog Nation’ with Cesar Millan

Cesar Millan, multi-hyphenate and genuine dog lover, has many projects in the works in 2017. From his new book, Lessons from the Pack: Stories of the Dogs Who Changed My Life, to a new reality series, Cesar Millan’s Dog Nation, the TV host with an adoration for canines is a busy man.

Dog Nation pairs Millan with his son, Andre, as they travel throughout the country in search of interesting dog stories and to honor dog and human heroes. The series premieres Friday, March 3 at 9 p.m. on Nat Geo WILD.

The book is currently available in stores and serves as a biography of Millan’s many canine companions over the years. By reading about these eight dogs, fans of Millan will not only pick up on important lessons but also discover more details about the man himself.

If that wasn’t enough, Millan also keeps a busy live schedule, performing a one-man show (usually with some help from his four-legged companions). He is currently on a European tour that will take him to Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary and England, among other countries.

Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Millan about his busy, busy life. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.

Where did the idea for the book Lessons from the Pack come from? What inspired you to write the book?

It came from realizing over time that dogs are not just our companions. They are our greatest teachers, and they can also be our greatest healers. I wrote the book in order to get that message out to people, which I think is a very important one that the world needs to here, especially right now. No matter where I go, dogs are pretty much universal, and they can be a great uniting power. They also have a lot of lessons to teach us.

What have these dogs taught you over the years?

Like I said, a lot of things. The original lessons were all about staying in contact with nature and living in the moment, but it turns out that what you can learn from dogs applies to every aspect of our lives. Respect among dogs is a pretty big thing — it’s how they negotiate their own relationships with each other and maintain peace in the pack. When we extend that to our human relationships, it creates trust and honesty and teaches us to not be judgmental toward each other. Another remarkable thing dogs can teach us is forgiveness. If you’ve ever seen two dogs interacting after the fight is over, it’s almost like nothing bad ever happened. That’s another thing that a lot of people should learn. Holding grudges is unhealthy.

What can fans expect on the new show Cesar Millan’s Dog Nation?

The new “LIVE” show is called Once Upon a Dog, and it takes the audience through a fairy tale adventure of a dog’s life … as seen through the eyes and mind of a dog. It’s a show laced with humor and educational anecdotes about how to have a happy relationship with your dog. I hope that people have a lot of fun watching while learning at the same time.

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.

A common issue you hear people talk about is that they don’t want to take care of a new dog because the animal’s lifespan is relatively shorter and the pain of losing a close friend is so difficult. What do you say to those people?

It’s very understandable and, to me, that’s the saddest thing about our relationships with dogs as well — that they aren’t with us that long. But I would tell these people that any time that you can give to a dog is worth it, whether you adopt a puppy and have her for 15 or more years or adopt a senior that you only have for a short time. The love and learning that the dog will give you back in those years makes the pain of separation a little less painful.

Do you still have fond memories of your first dog?

I do. The first dog I had myself was a puppy my grandfather gave me when my family moved from the farm to the city, Regalito, which means “little gift” in Spanish. Unfortunately, I didn’t know yet at the time how important it is for a dog to get exercise, so Regalito really must have had a frustrating life living stuck inside an apartment, something that I realized and always felt bad about.

Later on, I finally talked a neighbor, who was a doctor, into giving me one of his purebred puppies, an Irish setter I named Saluki. She was my constant companion for almost a decade and the first purebred dog I’d ever met. One of the most important things she taught me was to let a dog be a dog — breed doesn’t matter as much, and fancy purebreds and mixed mutts are all just the same inside. So even my first dogs were teaching me!

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

Cesar Millan’s Dog Nation premieres Friday, March 3 at 9 p.m. on Nat Geo WILD. Lessons from the Pack: Stories of the Dogs Who Changed My Life is available now. Click here for more information.