Cesar Millan is currently the most popular dog owner trainer and dog psychologist there is—that is what he dreamt of becoming ever since he saw “Lassie” and “Rin Tin Tin” on TV. His “Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan” show on National Geographic was followed by 11 million people and aired in 80 countries. It’s been nominated 3 times in the Emmy Awards and has won the 2010 People's Choice Award for Favorite Animal Show. The Cesar Millan Inc. has paved the way for the creation of the Cesar Millan Foundation and has partnered with Yale University to draw up a curriculum that would teach kids how to care for their dogs. Nicolas Cage, Hillary Duff, and Jada Pinkett Smith are just some of his clients.
In the course of his career, Cesar has written a total of six books and three of them became New York Times bestsellers. Cesar also releases a monthly magazine called Cesar’s Way and has his online website, the cesarsway.com. In 2005, Cesar received Special Commendation from the Humane Society of the United States Genesis Award Committee and was awarded honorary membership of the International Association of Canine Professionals the following year. In the same year that he founded the Cesar Millan Foundation, he received the Michael Landon Award for Inspiration to Youth Through Television and won the award for TV Best Variety or Reality Show at the 23rd Annual Imagine Awards in 2008. He was also recognized as a "Treasure of Los Angeles" in the same year.
In 2012, Cesar ended the Dog Whisperer show after a falling out with MPH Entertainment. He has begun hosting Leader of the Pack in 2013 and is managing his foundation and business himself.
Cesar admitted just recently that he has attempted to take his own life when Ilusion, his wife of 16 years, announced that she wanted to get a divorce a few months after his most loyal dog, Daddy, passed away. What made it unbearable was how his relationship with his kids turned sour. No longer seeing the point in living, he took assorted pills hoping he’d die. Instead, he woke up in a psychiatric center surrounded by fans.
After surviving suicide, he figured that it’s still not time for him to die. After realizing that he still has a lot of things to do, he found the motivation to move on. He began by attending church and putting his business back in order. He’s learned important business lessons the hard way and he figured that after being left broke in spite of Dog Whisperer’s success, there’s no way he’s going to be duped again. He now sees his divorce with Ilusion as a wakeup call.
He talks about his arrangement with his new girlfriend, Jahira Dar, in an interview with eHarmony Advice:
"To me, having a person around my pack … my pack meets many people and they tell me: “We like them, we don’t like them.” It was very important to me that my pack accept my new relationship and also my kids. Kids and dogs are not going to lie to you. When they like something, they like something; when they don’t, they don’t. I come with a big family. The question is: “Are you okay with my big family?” My big family is 15 dogs and two kids. Plus, she didn’t have a problem when we asked her: Is it OK if we do a prenup? We are not getting married but just something like that. She said, “No problem.” From a legal perspective that is important."(Source: eHarmony)
Cesar is an inspiration. He braved leaving his country to find his dreams in a foreign land as an illegal immigrant. After months of being homeless, he worked odd jobs. His skill as trainer soon preceded him and catapulted him to fame only to be dashed by people he trusted the most. He reached his lowest point but still managed to get out of that state.
"Some people turn to cigarettes and alcohol when they have problems... I use hard work."
For that, Cesar very well deserves a second chance. It’s not yet the end for the legendary dog whisperer, after all.
Source: http://www.thextraordinary.org
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