Quote · Huberman Lab
Raising a Dog & Mastering Calm Assertive Energy | Cesar Millan
Where this was said
Dog Breeds & Exercise, Fostering Dogs; Spay & Neuter, Humping
At 2:23:24 · chapter starts 2:17:25
Huberman raises a real-world scenario: a friend in a strained marriage, overworked, under-resourced, planning to get two Husky puppies simultaneously. Millan's advice is clear — start with fostering. Fostering allows a family to assess itself honestly: Do we all agree on rules? Do we follow through? Can we meet the needs of a high-energy migration breed? Huskies need hours of walking daily; in a family already running on empty, that commitment is a recipe for heartbreak. The discussion pivots to spay and neuter, where Millan notes the policy varies dramatically: in Australia, not neutering is illegal; in Scandinavia, neutering is illegal. In the United States, he says neutering is necessary because dogs spend so much time indoors with insufficient exercise, leading intact dogs to redirect arousal into humping owners and furniture. Huberman recounts how a single, firm response at the first attempt with Costello ended the behavior permanently — because he sent an absolutely clear energetic message on day one.
When a dog goes onto the bed on its own, it is invading. When the dog waits to be invited and is told where to sit, the mind surrenders. Millan rehabilitated a household where the husband slept on the couch for three years because the dog claimed the bed.
