@MajaO, super for trail descriptions with pups, I gotta save them.
Only your opinion on Cesar Millan saddened me a bit, because I think you totally misunderstood him. Maybe you don't like his show (understandable, it's made very bombastically in American style), but I think you're doing him an injustice (as far as I can judge).
I've been following his shows for over a year, I was also at his live show, I had dogs myself (now cats, that's the real challenge! they don't want to go to the hills at all :-) ) and I understand his theory mainly in the "energy" sense - as written above: the animal senses whether you have "weak" or "strong" energy. By training I'm a teacher and I can say that kids sense that energy very well too! As you wrote yourself, dogs are leadable, and if their leader has "weak energy" (=no authority), the dog is lost ("unhappy", confused, will try to fill the lack of authority himself).
Nowhere, really nowhere did I see Cesar advocating violence or aggression! Quite the opposite, he always says you must approach the dog "calm and assertive", an assertive and calm approach is of course far from aggression. Cesar, like you, says the dog needs authority, violence/aggression is "weak" energy because it stems from insecurity. So, Maja, give him another chance, it seems to me (from your description) that you two have more points in common than you think. :-)
I do agree that many of his tips are common sense and in most shows I'm mainly surprised by American stupidity and complete ignorance of dogs' needs ("I take him on a one-hour walk once a week, I don't know why he chews the couch"). Otherwise, Cesar advocates fulfilling the dog's "dog needs", not human ones, i.e. according to him the dog needs 50% exercise, 25% discipline and 25% love. And to treat him as a dog, not as a child.
In short, if you yourself are not confident in yourself, the dog won't believe you either that you're the pack leader. Which is the same as with raising children, leading people ... :-) But I can imagine that many would like to quickly imitate Cesar's firmness and healthy self-confidence (and other successful people), but then quickly fall into aggression and machismo when they think one "čšššt" helps quickly. But that's not Cesar's fault, human stupidity indeed knows no bounds. Like someone who wants to lose weight quickly, so others want to instantly become pack leader.
A funny example was when in one family there was no authority, then a dog came into the house and the family cat put it in order (entirely possible from my experiences, I tell you!). So for pack leader you don't need a muscled macho, that right energy is quite sufficient. :-)))
And one terminological - Cesar himself says that he doesn't train dogs, but "rehabilitates" them, he trains their owners. Which is often the biggest problem. :-)
@VanSims: but didn't they talk about alpha females?? I'm a bit offended :-))))
Now everyone happily to the hills with pups (but leave the cats at home, they're great for cuddling when you come home in the evening). :-)
Nina