Music/Entertainment 411 - January 2007

(WASHINGTON, D.C. -- January 11, 2007)  Baring fangs and dripping saliva, a massive 150-lb. beast protects the home of one of music's most beloved performers.  But he might be a little too scary, even for his owner.  Nasir, a South African boerboel, is one of the dogs guarding the home of legendary recording artist and two-time Grammy winner Miss Patti LaBelle, but she rarely comes too close to him -- out of utter fear.  Even as a puppy, Nasir's sheer size intimidated Patti.  

"I walked by one day and he just really tried to get at me.  I think he would have had me for lunch.  I'm afraid of him," she admits.

Fearing his aggression could lead to an attack, Patti has actually contemplated having him put down.  But before making such a drastic decision, Patti wants to give Nasir a chance to be rehabilitated -- so she brings in the man she calls "a miracle worker": National Geographic Channel's Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan.  But can Cesar create a harmonious connection between the inspiring singer and the intimidating beast?  Is Nasir really a "red zone case" (a potentially uncontrollable aggressive and dangerous dog), or is there a chance this guard dog can let his guard down?  Tune in on Friday, February 2, 2007, at 8 p.m. ET/PT, when NGC premieres Dog Whisperer: Dexter and Nasir.  

Known for a powerhouse singing voice that can shake the rafters and cause audiences everywhere to erupt in raucous cheers, Patti chooses to speak very softly around the menacing canine that was brought to her from South Africa as a gift from her manager.  Susan Rosetti, Patti's dog trainer, has a great bond with Nasir, but she has seen him act aggressively toward Patti.  The two women agree that it would be best for Nasir to eventually live with Susan's own small pack of dogs and cats -- but first they want Cesar's help addressing Nasir's aggression.

Beautiful and wise-looking in repose, Nasir has a natural commanding presence.  During Cesar's first encounter with him, however, Cesar suspects that this canine is actually not as confident as he looks.  Since Nasir is not exposed to new people or situations very often, Cesar concludes that the dog is not aggressive by nature, but insecure: "Insecure types can become very dangerous because they will attack for no reason at all.  If he's insecure and you're fearful, it's a bad match."

Over the course of several minutes during his initial visit, Cesar gets closer and closer to Nasir, until he can make eye contact and even hand-feed the dog.  This shocks Patti -- but no more than when she feeds Nasir herself: "He actually ate from my hand today and that's the first time in three and a half years that I came that close to him."

Cesar believes that a powerful yet insecure dog can be a ticking time bomb, and so he decides to invite Nasir to his Dog Psychology Center in Los Angeles, Calif., to be socialized with his pack of dominant and submissive breeds.  Exercise is always part of Cesar's regimen for his dogs, but since boerboels once protected livestock and worked on farms in South Africa, Cesar gets Nasir to pull a cart around -- a more rigorous activity to burn off his excess energy.

Nasir passes Cesar's boot camp with flying colors.  It is clear that Nasir is not a "red zone case" and can be integrated successfully into Susan's pack.  However, there is one more test, but not for Nasir -- for Patti.  She visits Susan's home with Cesar and experiences a moment she never thought she would.  As Cesar walks Nasir with Patti beside him, he calmly hands her the leash and suddenly there she is, walking the very dog that she thought could have her for lunch.  It seems Cesar hit all the right notes with this case, and the songstress erupts in her own raucous cheer: "Thank you from the bottom of my heart.  Hallelujah!"
 
Also in this episode of Dog Whisperer, Cesar heads to the Windy City to help an artist of another kind rein in her out-of-control dog.  Chicago art teacher Mary Jane has adopted a 6-year-old rottweiler/shepherd mix named Dexter with what seems like a dual personality.  Inside the home, he is gentle, but on the street he lunges at bicyclists, skateboarders and cars.  Cesar asks Mary Jane to approach this common problem with the inspiration and passion of a creative mind.  Instead of seeing this as rehabilitating a dog -- a skill set she is unfamiliar with -- can she instead see Dexter as a work of art?  Can she envision what she wants from her pet and then make it happen?  Using a combination of exercise (biking with Dexter in tow) and discipline (walking Dexter with a double leash for Mary Jane and her partner), Cesar helps the artist paint a new picture of her future with Dexter.

In this third season of Dog Whisperer, the series has traveled to cities across the country -- including New York, N.Y.; Atlanta, Ga.; Chicago, Ill.; Dallas, Texas; Omaha, Neb.; Philadelphia, Pa.; and Cleveland, Ohio -- to aid problem dogs and their desperate owners.  And Cesar comes to the rescue of Oscar nominee Virginia Madsen and actress Jada Pinkett Smith.

With more than 20 years of experience working with canines, Millan has been called "Dr. Phil for dogs," and for good reason.  He has a unique gift of rehabilitating dogs and training their owners.  A favorite of "Oprah Winfrey," Cesar was also parodied on a recent episode of "South Park," and his book "Cesar's Way" (Harmony Books, 2006) has been a fixture on the New York Times best-seller list.  The second season of Dog Whisperer received a nomination for a Primetime Emmy award.  Millan was recently made an honorary member of the International Association of Canine Professionals.

Dog Whisperer is produced by MPH Entertainment and Emery/Sumner Productions for National Geographic Channel.  Executive producers for MPH Entertainment are Jim Milio, Melissa Jo Peltier and Mark Hufnail.  Sheila Possner Emery and Kay Bachman Sumner are producers.  For the National Geographic Channel, senior executive producer for season three is Char Serwa; senior vice president of special programming is Michael Cascio and executive-in-charge of production is John Ford. 

For more information, visit www.ngcdogwhisperer.com.