If you are a dog owner of a certain generation, chances are you have heard of Cesar Millan.

Long before TikTokers were dishing out pet advice, the self-styled "Dog Whisperer" was one of the world's most recognisable dog trainers, helping owners tackle their dog behavioural issues on his hit television series.

Now, the 56-year-old is set to return to Singapore as part of the Singapore Pet Festival, taking place at Marina Bay Sands from July 31 to Aug 2.

But not everyone is thrilled by the news.

A growing number of Singapore pet owners and animal welfare advocates have launched a Change.org petition, calling on organiser Clubpets to reconsider inviting the dog trainer.

According to them, his training philosophy is now outdated, and much of the criticism centres on Cesar's long-associated "alpha wolf" philosophy.

The idea harks from early studies of captive wolves, which suggested packs constantly fought for dominance. Since then, however, many animal behaviour experts have argued that wild wolf packs behave more like families than strict dominance hierarchies.

Supporters of the petition argue dog training has also evolved alongside that research, with positive reinforcement and reward-based methods now widely recommended by many veterinary behaviour organisations.

The debate has also prompted some pet owners to share their own experiences with Cesar.

"I was told by Cesar Millan at Star Vista many years ago to simply drag my dog down the steps to overcome his fear of stairs," said one. 

Another asked: “Why would anyone want to subject their beloved dogs to such torture?"

Others criticised what they described as fear-based techniques.

"His methods often induce fear and are flooding-based, and his 'alpha' stance has already been proven outdated,” another netizen chimed in. 

8days.sg has reached out to organiser Clubpets for comment but has not received a response at press time.

For now, the Singapore Pet Festival remains scheduled to proceed as planned, with Cesar still listed as one of its headline guests.

Photos: @cesarsway/Instagram, change.org