'Sweet Spot' With Mike Sugerman: Audio Books Are Going To The Dogs
"Sweet Spot," by Mike Sugerman
NEW YORK – They call him "The Dog Whisperer."
Cable TV and social media have made Cesar Millan one of America's best known dog trainers.
Now, he wants your dog to get book smart by listening to books on tape.
"We're here to launch the Audible for Dogs," he explains.
Audible for dogs – audio books you leave on when you leave the house and leave your dog alone.
"The dog is going to stay in a state of meditation for a longer period of time. It's called conditioning," Millan says.
The idea is that you choose a book read by somebody who kind of sounds like you.
Buddy might not understand what Rosamund Pike means when she reads "Pride and Prejudice," but it's a lady like Lesley. They listened together before she left.
"It's no different from you reading a book to a child, because a child doesn't know what you're saying. He just knows how you feel," says Millan. "Then, they start hearing the sound, and then they start relating it to the experience."
Still, many of the books are dog-themed.
I was a bit skeptical. Why not just keep the radio on – WCBS Newsradio 880, for instance. We're here for you and your dog 24/7.
Millan didn't think that was such a good idea.
"You guys have to use different variations of tone, you have to deliver news. Some news are sad, some news are happy," he said. "So this way you keep a certain level of tone, which allows the dog to stay in that frame of mind for a long period of time."
I guess a backup on the Bruckner or a bombing in Baghdad could really bum a dog out.
Audio books for dogs. No plans for cats yet.
