People hate him because he avoided being bitten...

"Anonymous", commenting on another blog says this:

First, I agree that the situation could have been handled differently. But in my opinion the way César handled the situation was not cruel. César did not "string him up"; he pulled the leash up. The dog did not turn "blue", there was no "knuckle pinch", and his "fragile heart" was not broken.

The dog had a pattern of attacking other dogs, and had bitten his owners before. Positive behavioral modification would have taken more time, and the owners were paying César for a quick fix. They may not have had the skill and patience for a long rehabilitation program. Also, there was the constraint of having to make a dramatic television show.

Once the dog had turned on him, César had no choice. He could not back down. The theme of his show is that the dog cannot be allowed to be the one in control; the human must be "calm and assertive". César switched to a shorter, looser leash after the first incident. He stroked the dog's face after it calmed down.

After the second incident, the dog was not cringing or showing fear. His penis was stimulated, evidence of his excited, dominant state. And there was no apparent injury to the dog. Wolf-like dogs have strong necks. On the other hand, César's face was pale and he was out of breath, evidence of his fear. His shirt sleeve was shredded and his arm scratched from the encounter. He gently held the loose scruff of the dog's neck and squatted over the dog to show dominance. We don't do this to humans, but this is body language that dogs understand. Mothers do not carry their babies by the scruff of the neck, but dogs do. César's relief at the outcome was palpable. This was not a case of cruelty to an animal
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