Cesar Milan and his pit bull, Daddy. File photo from National Geographic

It was reported recently that Daddy, Cesar Milan’s beloved companion (pictured above), passed away on February 19th at the age of sixteen. As almost every dog owner knows, raising and training a dog can be pluck every last nerve in your body the way that one would play the harp. It was always refreshing to see Cesar and his ‘right hand man’ Daddy get to work. It was almost formulaic:

• Troubled dog has behavioral issues
• Cesar assesses the dog
• Cesar brings in Daddy to act as a role model
• Very difficult dogs go to L.A. for rehabilitation time with Daddy and the rest of the pack
• Success!

However, the reason that this calmed our nerves was because of Daddy. He was a breed of dog that had become notorious in the United States and yet, from our glimpses of him on National Geographic’s ‘The Dog Whisperer’, we were able to see a very well behaved, even tempered pit bull.

According to the Daddy memorial page:

He lived each day of those sixteen years happy and fulfilled as Cesar’s right-hand-“man,” helping to shape the behavior of entire generations of dogs by showing them the way to balance. He stood as champion for calm-submissive pit bulls everywhere, and was instrumental in helping to repair their image as violent, savage, uncontrollable beasts. He successfully battled cancer and weathered chemotherapy, and even got the opportunity to present at the 56th Annual Creative Arts Emmy Awards!

Daddy gave us hope that the problem dog on the television would miraculously be rehabilitated. Daddy gave us even more hope that our dog could be as well behaved as he was. Sadly, we knew that Cesar’s calm role model wouldn’t be with us forever.

We’re thankful for the time that he spent with us, helping countless dogs and soothing the fears of the viewer’s of his television show.