Dogs in the City

Inundated with advance ads here so by the premiere they had my (dubious)attention.

Everything indicated that it was "reality TV", not of favorite of mine when it's talent shows. I was also concerned because the lead who professes to "speak dog" & was once a stand-up comedian. Would we just get a occasional glimpses of dogs being silly, then him doing five minutes of shtick? Thank God, not even close!

In the 1st half hour, he set up 4 different issues that families or individuals were having with their dogs, by visiting each owner & pet in turn. He made the acquaintance of each dog & you could tell by that alone that he knows dogs and their "psychology". He tried to prepare the owners with what he saw as the difficulty in the relationship, which in every case was part human failing & part the dog doing half of what his instincts said & the other half what his owner seemed to want.

After talking with the owners/dogs in their homes or offices or at the park, he left and talked more directly to the audience about the roots of each problem in turn.

In the second half of the show, he returns to each owner/pet and tries to explain & implement the strategy that he's settled on. For the most part the dog "got it" when he was interacting with them. The problem was changing the attitude of the people or else getting them to do -precisely- the physical moves that he suggested. By show's end, all 4 situations had improved, though only one was really 100% settled.

Interspersed for a few seconds here & there are pix of NYC dogs being walked or carried thru the streets & in the parks. Some of the sights are ludicrous but there's no commentary--the sights speak for themselves.

I am intrigued by this show! The dog whisperer really knows what he's doing but he often has an uphill battle with any given owner. I would love a revisit in a few months to the owner of the model agency & to the couple where the dog from a former relationship has come between them. Did they listen? Did they follow through? Yeah, I'm hooked.

As an ex-dog trainer I've always been unhappy with the popularity of The Dog Whisperer. The training methods used in that show are often based on outdated methodology that has been out of favor - frequently for safety reasons and always because the assumptions they were based on are simply wrong - for nearly 20 years. It's Me or the Dog on Animal Planet has been amazing but it's not a widely watched cable channel so getting people on board - without the marketing hype that The Dog Whisperer has - has been difficult.

When I heard about Dogs in the City I was sure it was going to be just like that. Or it was going to be one of those reality shows with an unlikable expert in their field. Imagine my surprise when the show was not only full of accurate information but a pleasant viewing experience. It's not often you can find a trainer who actually knows how to put all the scientific jargon from the dog community in words everyone can understand. Justin Silver is amazing with both dogs and with people, he says right up front that the best way to be a successful trainer is to be able to communicate with both species and, essentially, translate for them. His methods are completely in line with modern dog training, he uses positive reinforcement and positive punishment expertly. At no point did I find myself disagreeing with a single method he employed, even if it wasn't the suggestion I would have given it was one I knew would work.

This is a great example of the sort of work trainers have to do. Ceasar Millan is set up as a hero in his show, stress and tension is played up, and a large, long part of his training period is cut out of the show. But Dogs in the City? If someone looking into this career were to ask me what they could expect I would point to this series and tell them to watch. Of course some of the time training takes has to be edited out but a surprisingly small amount. Social drama never takes center stage, it's all about the dogs. I'm not sure if that will hurt or help the show - that might be what the pubic wants - but I really like it, it's a good change of pace.

Whether you are a casual dog fan or a CPDT this show is worth checking out. I sincerely hope it stays on the air for quite some time, that it gains traction, and that it reaches a great many pet owners. We've needed exactly this for a long time.

one of the best shows on TV. I love the show it is very true to life I love the way he is with the dogs. It does my heart good to see some one who loves animals like Justin does. He makes the show very interesting and I hope he will back next season.Please renew the show it is worth watching and I am sure I am not the only one who thinks this. I look forward every week to watch what he does with the dogs. It amazes me how he can get the dogs to do what he wants them to do.The show is never boring and it would be a shame if it is not renewed. I am sure there many more dogs that need his help so I hope to see Justin back next year They should have more shows like dogs ind the city. There are not enough family shows on any more.

My son and I were addicted from the beginning. As an animal advocate and rescuer....I am thrilled to see some animal training on prime time. It is fast paced and packed full of common animal issues. So all you peeps with animal issues listen up!! Even though some of the guardians are obsessed with their pets..it is a welcome site for someone who sees the grueling horrors of the neglected and abused animals dying in shelters and at the hands of humans everyday. I am happy to see a bulldog dressed in a tutu instead of an emaciated dog at the end of a two foot chain.

Jason is charming and well spoken and the animals are fabulous. We have two rescued pit bulls so it is with great happiness to see Jason's well behaved, extremely well behaved, pit bull mixes, Chekita and Pacino.

Dog issues are almost always brought on by the owners (not intentionally) because they don't know how to train or they don't have the time, in which case the latter should not be dog owners. And unfortunately, many people are not as thoughtful and willing to train their pets as the people on this show....they just dump them at the shelter or out the door or over a bridge.

We need this show!!!!