This month, Cesar Millan, Inc. caught up with Melissa Jo Peltier (the 'P' in MPH Entertainment, producers of Dog Whisperer!) and asked her to model some of the many hats that she wears within the company.

CMI: Thanks for talking with us today! So, to start off, how would you describe your business relationship with MPH Entertainment and Cesar?

MJP: Well, I am a partner at MPH Entertainment - I co-founded it with Jim Milio and Mark Hufnail back in 1996 - and Cesar is our partner on the Dog Whisperer television show as well as many related business ventures. I'm also co-writer with Cesar for his three books, Cesar's Way, Be the Pack Leader, and A Member of the Family, and we're currently working on the fourth book, which will be called Puppyhood.

CMI: And in what capacity do you work on the show itself?

MJP: Jim Milio and I do almost all the writing on the show. Even though I live in New York most of the time, I get episodes for narrating, and I'm able to do those from home. And then whenever I get the chance, I like to go out and direct episodes in the field, because there's just no feeling in the world like actually being there to see Cesar work his magic.

CMI: I'm sure! So how did you get started co-writing the books with Cesar?

MJP: Well, I've been a writer for many, many years. I've won many awards for my writing - an Emmy, a Humanitas, and a Peabody - and I had sold a book previously through an agent at Trident media, so I had a good relationship with him already. We knew from the beginning that Cesar wanted to write a book about his philosophy. But of course, English is not his first language, so he definitely needed a co-author.

We all felt that because I was so steeped in the Cesar culture at that point, that I would be a good choice, and so I wrote up a 40 page proposal. Now, this was right after the first season of the show, and Cesar wasn't very famous at the time, so it wasn't as easy to sell as you would think, but Random House took a chance on us and the rest is history - Cesar's Way has sold over one million copies worldwide in hardcover and paperback.

After that, we went on to the second book, which is a deeper look at Cesar's philosophy. And finally the third book A Member of the Family, which just came out in the third week of October, and that one is basically a guide written as if Cesar were by your side from the moment your family decides to adopt a dog, to the moment your dog passes away. And we've just learned that on its second week out, it's moved from Number 8 to Number 6 on the New York Times Bestsellers list.

CMI: That's wonderful, congratulations!

MJP: Thank you!

CMI: What's an average day of work like for you? Is there an average day?

MJP: It can be completely different every day. When I'm in New York, I'll get up in the morning and write, and because of the time difference between the east and west coasts, I can take the time between about noon and two o'clock to go to the gym, run errands, and do whatever I have to do during the day. Then I come back to my desk so that I'm available for phone calls. That's a typical day in New York. When I'm in LA, I go into the office every day and put out whatever fires need to be put out.

CMI: What sorts of fires are those?

MJP: Well, anything can happen in the field. And anything can happen with an episode. It's much better for me to get notes back when I'm in the office in LA, because I sit down with the editors and ask them for changes right on the spot. Changes will come in from the network, and sometimes they're urgent and need to be taken care of right away. There's always something coming up. No day is ever the same. But it's a much more peaceful way of life here in New York!

CMI: It sounds like it.

MJP: Definitely. Here, I'm usually done with my work before you guys are even in the office.

CMI: How did you first meet Cesar? And what's your relationship with him like? How do you think that's helped you to co-author the books?

MJP: Well, I really think that Cesar's philosophy has changed my life. I honestly do. He came into our office with Daddy before we sat together to create the show, and we all just fell in love immediately. We knew that he was one of a kind. The frustration for us was that the rest of the world didn't know it as fast as we did. Just seeing Cesar do what he does and understanding his philosophy of balance and calm assertive energy has helped me. When Cesar and I were writing the books, I spent a lot of time surrounded by the dogs at the Dog Psychology Center, and it's so peaceful and restful there. All of that has had a huge influence on me and it has changed how I lived my life in a very authentic and instinctual way.

CMI: What's been the most rewarding part of working with Cesar and everyone else on the show?

MJP: Oh, gosh… I think one of the most amazing things is seeing the reactions of people when they see Cesar in New York City. Being with Cesar in New York City is like being at the head of a parade. People stop in the streets, traffic stops, cab drivers pull over… he is so beloved in this city. And I actually see a difference in the way people are walking their dogs. I see far more people walking their dogs correctly than I did four years ago.

New York used to be just one big example of everything that Cesar says we do wrong with our dogs, but I see so many people now who have great, healthy relationships with their dogs; they're walking them by their side, and the dogs look happy, and the people look happy… so I think it's really the effect on people, and the excitement when they learn that I work with the Dog Whisperer. Having worked in television for almost 25 years now, it's satisfying to be working on something that is both popular and also just genuinely a good thing. It's really amazing to be doing good for the world through television, because I think it's very hard to do nowadays.