EXCLUSIVE! At Home with Cesar Millan

DADDY & ME

Who’s the leader of the pack? Daddy, Millan’s right-hand pit bull! “It’s a drug for me to be around a dog, but it’s a healthy drug,” the trainer, seen here at his two-story home outside L.A., tells PEOPLE. “I believe that I can help 99 percent of dogs, except for the ones who have neurological problems.”

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BIG MEN ON CAMPUS

Daddy is so nurturing that he’s actually raising a puppy, Junior, on his own. “Daddy’s changing people’s minds about the reputation of a breed,” says Millan. “His existence has helped and touched a lot of people.”

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WE ARE FAMILY

Millan – pictured with wife Ilusion and sons Calvin, 10, and Andre, 15 – became an unlikely hero to his sons when he was spoofed on an episode of South Park. “I was so nervous,” he says. “But then I laughed so hard!”

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WATER WORKS

Got room for one more? Miniature Schnauzer Angel gets ready to make a splash. “Everybody knows that if I’m not going to be around dogs for a week, something sad is going to happen to me,” he explains. On a recent vacation to Fiji, “I was looking for dogs,” he says. “When my wife was getting a massage, I went and looked at how the dogs in Fiji behave.”

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WHERE THE HEART IS

Despite his love of animals, Millan maintains that his most important relationship is the one with his wife of 15 years. He’s also remained loyal to his humble roots. “I’ve learned to enjoy my car, my house, having a credit card. But I value simple things,” he shares. “My goal is the same: To teach people what I know.”

Read more about Cesar Millan’s amazing rise to fame in the new issue of PEOPLE, on stands now. And click here to learn 5 interesting facts about the dog bevaviorist and trainer!