A night with the Dog Whisperer

Nearly 4 million Australians own a dog and we spend just under $3 billion on pet care each year. In recognition of this, Purina and Chugg Entertainment will premiere the World Dog Games in Australia at Acer Arena in late October.

And last month a special celebrity dog launch was held with Jimmy Barnes, Denise Drysdale, Diesel, Ruby Rose, and Biggest Loser physical trainer Michelle there with their pets. But the real star of the show was surprise guest Cesar Millan – better known worldwide as the Dog Whisperer.

Owners of Leichhardt’s Café Bones, Chaka and Michael, enjoyed their role as co-hosts. One of only two local businesses asked to be part of the celebrity launch, their friend Anna Brennan connected with the Dog Whisperer’s ‘people’ on Twitter.

Intrigued by the Café Bones concept – with its specialty pupaccinos, offleash canal-side setting, and natural convergence of exercise, discipline and affection – Millan’s people specifically requested Chaka and Michael’s involvement in the launch.

Both were thrilled to spend time with the Dog Whisperer: far from being a high maintenance jetsetter, they found him to be refreshingly down-to-earth.

Talking about their five years running a canine café in Sydney, Chaka said he has seen the growing influence of Millan and other credible animal psychologists on the way people interact with their pets. There is now recognition that undesirable animal behaviour can be changed rather than excused, and that almost all dog behavior results from human patterns.

This has placed greater onus on owners. And with Leichhardt Council pushing new boundaries and initiatives from Lord Mayor Clover Moore, Michael and Chaka hope to see an increasingly dog-friendly Sydney.

With greater freedom for Sydney’s dogs, they expect to see greater responsibility embraced by Sydney’s dog owners.

See www.cafebones.com.au and www.worlddoggames.com.au

– By Roger Hanney