This hot topic may be like two people discussing politics — you just don't discuss it. However, it's important to deem important to talk about, and our pups are precious. There are many wonderful things Cesar Millan does for his pups and others, but then there are methods he uses that make us question him…

These days Millan’s methods are hotly debated. Even some veterinary behaviorists don’t like The Dog Whisperer.

And the furor isn’t just online. A protest took place on January 15, 2012, for example, at a theater in Rochester, New York, where Millan gave a talk.

So what happened? Where did things go wrong for TV’s top dog guru?

How the Juggernaut Began

Later, in the United States, he worked with aggressive dogs as part of a grooming business. He then created a canine academy, which attracted high-profile clients.

The TV series Dog Whisperer With Cesar Millan premiered in 2004 on the National Geographic Channel and was a runaway success. The bestselling book Cesar’s Way quickly followed.

Millan’s training philosophy in a nutshell is this: Your dog needs strong “pack leadership” from you (the true “alpha dog”) in order to be healthy and balanced. It’s called dominance theory.

Critics Begin Speaking Up

In 2006, the American Humane Society lobbed one of the first grenades, asking producers to cancel Millan’s TV show, calling some of his training methods “inhumane” and “cruel and dangerous.”

Millan defends his methods, saying he uses “minimum force” to correct behaviors in aggressive pets, and adding, “My way is not the only way.”

A Warning Label on the TV Show

The National Geographic Channel clearly was aware of the criticism, because the network cautions viewers against following Millan’s methods, inserting a warning on screen during every episode that reads: “Do not attempt these techniques yourself without consulting a professional.”

By 2010, an “Anti Cesar Millan” Facebook group was thousands strong. In April of that year, PBS aired “The Dominance Myth,” an episode of the documentary series Through a Dog’s Eyes, which stated, “Scientifically, dominance makes no sense.”

So, Is Cesar Millan a Bad Guy?

No. In fact, he has done a lot of good for animal welfare, including advocating against breed-specific legislation and puppy mills, and in support of spay/neuter programs.

And Millan is actually right about quite a few things, such as:

• That you are responsible for your own dog’s behavior
• That your pet needs lots of love and exercise
• And that chaining dogs is awful

So what do you think of all of the controversary? Do you think what Cesar Millan is doing is harmful towards animals or does he have a point to his training techniques? Pets Adviser elaborates more on the debate and offers the opinion from Brent Toellner of KC Dog Blog that Cesar Millan is often misunderstood, and should be given more positive light.