[Music] Lakeland Currents, your public affairs program for north central Minnesota.

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Hello again everyone.

I'm Ray Gildow and welcome to Lakeland Currents.

My guest this evening is a world class dog trainer.

I think I can say that, can I Roger, probably?

Well, thank you.

Oh yeah, absolutely.

All the years that we've done the show we've never had anybody on that trained dogs.

We've had people who talk about wolves, but not dogs.

Roger Peterson is my guest today and full disclosure here Roger and I are high school classmates and we both feel pretty lucky to still be here don't we?

Oh, absolutely Ray.

But Roger is, I think, a world class dog trainer.

I'm not sure about the exact number of dogs he's trained.

We can talk a little bit about that, but I know you've trained probably as many as maybe two or three people in the United States have ever trained.

You've been doing this since high school practically haven't you?

Well, professionally since about early 1990 that I've trained dogs.

Yes, almost forever.

And what did you do besides that?

Well, I worked for Burlington Northern Railroad, and I hunted a lot with dogs, and it came to my attention that my dogs weren't the best dogs.

And I thought, well, maybe I should train them, and learn how to train dogs, and it became a fascinating hobby, a very rewarding hobby for sure, and the fact that I love dogs has made it just a big part of my life.

And how big of a geographic area has this impacted you?

Well, honestly, both my wife and I competed in an American Kennel Club competition obedience and we competed all over the United States and a little bit in Canada.

From Long Beach, California to Orlando, Florida to up in Massachusetts, up into Canada, Thunder Bay, Kenorah, but mostly in the Midwest, the five state area.

But when you've had to do that did you have to pay all expenses yourselves out of your own pockets?

Oh, yes.

No sponsors for any of those kinds of events?

No.

Wow.

So, it's for the love of the dogs?

Absolutely, yes.

Most of the American Kennel Club events are individual events for trainers.

Ok. And the competition and that stuff it isn't sponsorship and stuff like that.

So, how did you learn to start to be a trainer?

How did you get started?

Well, actually my wife.

I always wanted a lab, I had them when I was kid.

And when we were first married we didn't have any dogs.

We lived in an apartment for a while.

And my wife had never had a big dog, and we got a lab, and she couldn't walk it or anything like that, so my wife actually started going to dog training classes in St Paul.

St. Paul Dog Training.

And I went with her, got involved, and most of dog training is plagiarism, you learn from someone else.

And I had some wonderful mentors and it just grew on me, and especially once we got into competition it kind of grows on you.

It's very rewarding, I think.

And you have a number of, how many dogs you think you've trained over your career?

What is that number?

Well, approximately over 10,000.

Wow, that's incredible.

Well, it's a little deceiving because I did big classes and when I was in St. Paul I did often three or four days a week and I had some very big classes so the numbers add up fast.

And even though you know my age.

That's impressive.

Even though you know my age, I'm still doing it at least two nights a week.

Wow, are you still all through the year?

Well, not in the summer.

Okay.

But the rest of the year, yes.

Wow.

And I just did two classes last night and I'll probably do two more tonight and then of course the rest of the week I'm training my own dogs, so it's a full-time hobby for me.

There's categories of training, I mean do you train dogs to hunt?

I'm a fisherman.

Do you train dogs to fish?

No.

No, okay.

I've had dogs that fish.

But do you have people who just have a pet that they can't control?

Right, my classes are pet dog classes.

I have taught some competition but there isn't a high level of competition up here in this central Minnesota lakes area, at least obedience competition, there is more field competition now.

The classes I teach are all pet dog classes.

I do a puppy class, a beginner class, and then what we call an advanced class.

And myself, my wife, and most of the trainers I know, if we were going to have a pet dog we would take our dog to those three level classes before we quit training, going commercially.

Now I do a lot of field training also, but it's for my own dogs, and I judge field events, hunt tests, and stuff.

I'm a licensed judge.

Okay.

So, I do a lot of field work too but it's basically with my own dogs.

So, you train every kind of dog from a chihuahua to a lab?

You know the American Kennel Club keeps adding dogs every year and I know they're up in the 250 range and I've seen most of them over the years.

Wow.

250?

Well in that area.

Different varieties.

Just approximately, yeah, breeds, and they add some every year and I've seen most of them, yes.

And do you find some breeds that are just really tough to train?

Absolutely.

What would be some?

I'm going to offend people if I say that.

That's o.k.

But here let me put it this way, Ray, some dogs were bred to work with man like your retrievers, your herding dogs, your cattle dogs, they were bred to work with people.

Some dogs like hounds, and your protective dogs, were not bred to work with people so they are much harder to train.

Doesn't make them bad dogs, just harder to train.

What would be some examples of those kinds?

Well any of your hounds are hard to train because they just weren't bred to work with people.

Some of your huskies and stuff like that, they're wonderful dogs but they were not bred to work with people.

Okay.

There's an old saying in dog training, we all complain about the little complexities of our dogs.

You get what you buy.

And people don't realize that you can train any dog but it's really hard to train against instincts.

These instincts were bred into these dogs for hundreds of years to be hunters, to be retrievers, to be cattle dogs, to be herding dogs and it's hard to train against instinct.

So, you get what you get.

And then do you have a certain select breed that you like to train when you get people that are just bird hunters for example?

What's the range of dogs that you would have to be training a bird, like duck hunting?

Well.

Pheasant hunting, what kinds of dogs do you look for there?

Well, again, I don't want to get in trouble or offend anyone here.

Some people love pointers.

If they're bird hunters, pheasant hunters, grouse hunters, they like pointers and setters.

Now I don't duck hunt much anymore, I did when I was younger a lot, but I prefer the retrievers because they're more versatile.

The labrador retriever's number one on my list, but that's personal preference.

Golden retrievers, almost any of the retrievers I like.

They're a very trainable dog.

Again the pointers are all trainable, but the pointers, again, were bred to work on their own where the retriever breeds were bred to work with people and that makes the training a little easier.

You know before we went on the air here we were talking about dogs that get shipped to the north from the south and I know I've talked with a number of veterinarians and this is a huge issue and I don't know that I've seen much about it on television, but there are a lot of diseases that come from the south.

To use an example, if there's a hurricane that hits parts of Texas or Louisiana or floods and there ends up to be a lot of dogs that have no homes and they get shipped to, I don't know, if they get shipped to Wisconsin or Minnesota whatever but those are things you really have to be aware of and be careful about, right.

Yes, absolutely.

My understanding is a high, high percentage of the dogs that get shipped up here, and before I say that, I admire people who rescue dogs I really do admire them, but you have to be careful because there are so many things.

Most of the dogs that come up here are infected with heartworm.

Well it's preventable.

Preventable yes, and up here most of the people use heartworm protection.

They also bring ticks with them, tick born diseases.

We've got more ticks up here now and more tick disease than you and I ever saw growing up.

There's all, I don't even know how many tick born diseases are out there now.

There's four or five that are pretty common and many of these things have moved gradually up here from the south when these dogs come up.

And often these dogs that were deserted it was because people didn't care about them so they didn't have them vaccinated, they didn't treat them for ticks, and stuff, so it's something we should all be aware of and watch for, for sure.

I spent a little time in Florida in the winter time and it just amazes me in condos how many people have dogs in condos and they're all usually smaller dogs, they're not very big ones, but they treat them like a family.

And that's kind of how I think like you and I have talked, we both have dogs, our dogs are part of the family and when something happens to that it's just like we've lost a family member.

But there are places where dogs aren't like a family, they're just an animal.

Absolutely.

There's a real lot of that and, of course, that was popular here too.

I mean farm dogs were just left outside to run.

That's why farm dogs didn't live very long, they got hit by cars usually.

But there's still a lot of that, a lot more now not so much dogs running loose, but kennel dogs.

A lot of your field people do not believe in bringing dogs into the house, they keep them in kennels outside.

Now I don't agree with that, but I think you can have just as good, in fact some of the pro trainers that I know say you often end up with a better dog if it becomes part of your family because it works with you.

And if you're shopping for a dog what should you be looking for?

Great question Ray, because a lot of people don't realize the puppy mills that are out there.

Look for health records of both parents.

A good breeder is going to have the hips x-rayed, especially in the retrieving breeds, their hips x-rayed, their hearts checked, their eyes checked, their elbows checked by a vet, all of that health history is really important in looking for a dog.

I guarantee you if you pay a few hundred dollars for a dog it's going to cost you thousands later on if it has a lot of health issues.

As much as I like vets, they aren't cheap, as you know, you've had dogs.

But if you pay a little more for a dog and get it from a good breeder you're going to get one with far less health issues and in the long run it's going to be less expensive and probably live longer.

So health is probably as important as the bloodline.

Well health is part of the bloodlines honestly.

Yeah.

The bloodlines matter too because what they show you is how capable the dog is and how trainable the dog is.

Dogs don't get very far in competition unless they both have the capability to do the work and the fact that they're trainable so.

It is amazing what trainers are doing now.

I mean some of these animals are doing things that are almost unimaginable, isn't it?

Ray, when I was a kid, growing up here in Brainerd, I saw a field trial out at Lum Park and the level, the top level of that field trial now, wouldn't even come close to the lowest level of field trials today.

What these dogs are doing today is just amazing.

It is.

It's amazing.

Training has come so far but part of that's breeding and the quality of the trainers, not just the dogs, the quality of the trainers.

What does a trainer have to go through to become a trainer?

A lot of hard work.

You kind of have to prove yourself.

There isn't like a school or anything like that.

Most field trainers work their way up.

They start with a well-known pro, work their way up.

And the good ones, you usually, the number one judgment is how well they've done in competition.

I don't like to push competition for people, but it does sort out the good from the bad.

And the good, the good pros do well in competition.

But this is in all levels, not just field level.

You know there's one comment I usually make to my classes: everyone thinks they have the best dog and they're right if it's the best dog for them it's the best dog.

But if they want to see really how good their dog is or how good of a trainer they are, all they have to do is go to some competition and then you see where your dog stacks up with the good dogs.

So I would prefer now to buy my dog from a reputable breeder who has done all the health checks and also has competed with the dam and the sire and that those dogs have been proven to be able to do the work.

How about food?

There's always a controversy about, you know, you can go to Sam's Club now, you can go to Costco, you can go to the specialty shops.

How do you determine what kind of food to buy your dog?

Great point Ray.

Most people don't read the contents on the dog food label.

Now dog food doesn't have to be approved by the FDA like our food, but they do legally have to list the contents of their food on the bag in order of content just like our food.

They have to be honest about that part and that is checked occasionally and you want to avoid things like byproducts and stuff like that.

You want to see what's on the label.

Having field dogs I like high protein foods and the level of part of it the level of activity of your dog is important on what you buy.

If you have a high protein, high fat food, if you have an active dog, that's what you want.

If you have a an English Bulldog that sits around the house and isn't very active you don't need that high of protein, but it's still important what's on that label because some of the cheaper dog foods, I believe in good quality dog food, some of the cheaper dog foods have a lot of fillers.

So the best thing I can say is read the label and read what the contents are.

Avoid byproducts and fillers, things like that.

What is the meat?

If they just say meat meal that makes me question it.

Now if it says turkey meal I know where that meal came from and meal isn't bad byproducts can be.

Meal is a high source of protein because the liquid is out of it, the moisture is out of it, so when they have to do it by volume or weight actually meat meal has more protein than raw meat because raw meat has water in it.

How about exercising the dog?

I know there's been a lot of studies that show that people who have dogs and walk with them are people that usually live longer, healthier lives.

Do you do anything about suggesting what people should do with their dog exercise wise in your classes?

I always mention it.

Yes I think exercise is, I agree with you 100%.

I believe exercise is as good for the dogs as it is for people, and the standard right now that I'm reading is that people that own dogs live two years longer on average than the average person.

And I relate to that and most people relate that to the fact that those people get more exercise.

Now I believe the dog should have an outside exercise every day.

I like walking my dogs.

I also train them in the winter time.

In the cold weather I'll throw a ball down the stairs just to get them some exercise if it's below zero.

I walk every day with my dogs but get them some exercise.

Another old saying in the dog world is that a tired dog's a good dog.

A tired dog is a good dog.

In what way?

They're calmer.

Oh I see what you mean.

Yeah a tired dog's a good dog.

When they've had their exercise they're not so hyper and exactly yeah and a lot of people don't realize that.

But they need mental stimulation, too, and a walk is mental stimulation to a dog.

Sure.

They need that as much as they need the physical exercise and that's what a lot of people leave out, that mental stimulation, and the walk is mental stimulation.

How about when you train dogs in that sports area, what do you do there?

What do you, how do you select the kind of activity you're going to do?

Well it depends on which activity you're in.

If you're in upland hunting, pheasant hunting and stuff like that, they have a whole different, they let the dog work birds.

Often they'll ride a horse to follow the dog.

My specialty is more hunt tests and field trials where we throw dummies or bird, dead birds, for dogs and we'll set up a training session with two or three or four throwers out there throwing birds and the dog has to sit calmly at the line like they would duck hunting, not break, and they also have to remember where each bird was thrown.

The first bird that they retrieve, which is usually the last one thrown, is easy.

The dog sees it and runs out and gets it.

Okay now let's see where are those other birds.

You teach memory, you teach marking and memory.

And that's part of the field testing?

Yes.

You teach marking and memory for that.

When you judge hunt tests, for example, the main category you're judging is the dog's ability to mark where the bird fell.

Now if you're doing upland you're in the jungle.

Yeah.

In the jungle you're getting quarter and things like that.

How about when you have dogs indoors all day and it's 30, 40 below outside.

What's your philosophy about how you can take them out and how long.

Well it depends on what breed it is, and again if they're a hairless breed they can't take much cold, that's why I'm not a big believer in dressing up dogs.

But some of these little dogs in Minnesota may need a sweater or boots.

My labradors I've never put any dressing on them or anything.

Now when it's below zero I'm cautious with them.

They'll let you know.

They'll start picking up their paws and they'll start shivering just like us.

So I read the dog.

Reading the dog is a key to owning a good dog and even in the house and in field training being able to read your dog.

And most of these dog, like golden retrievers, labradors, the field breeds have good warm coats.

I have a delicate question for you.

What do you do when you find that the dog's not the problem, the owner is.

Ray another great question and honestly people call me the dog trainer, I'm a people trainer.

I bet you are.

That's what I train the people how to train their dogs and I'm honest about that.

I tell the people at my orientation for my dog classes that you're the dog trainer.

I'm here to teach you how to train your dog properly.

And that's really important isn't it?

It is.

Yeah everybody has their own method and that can get you in a lot of trouble because there's so much controversy about how to train the dog.

Well you know what?

I also tell my students, that most things in dog training are like skinning a cat, there's 100 ways to do them and some work better than others though, and after many, many years of doing this and working with dogs, you find out what really works well and some methods work far better than others.

Competition brings that point out.

I know people that believe they're a very good dog trainer and they might be for a pet, their own pet dog, but if they tried to compete they never are able to make it.

They're not, they can't train that.

Well what's probably the most important thing you can do when you're starting out with a puppy?

Another great question.

I tell people that there aren't any bad dogs, that's a standard saying, there are bad trainers, and when you bring a new puppy into your house you have to think it's like bringing an alien from another planet into your house.

We think they're being bad dogs, no they just don't know our rules, and we have to think about how do we get through to that dog what our rules are, and we have to have some patience.

And I will tell you that people are, and I tell this to my students, people, almost everyone I know we're real good at saying no, bad dog, but we're terrible at telling them yes, you're a good dog when they're behaving.

We walk around, we're making lunch, and the dog is laying there watching us and behaving, you ever think about going over to your dog and saying what a good dog.

We're terrible at that.

We have to think about how we're getting through to that dog and quit blaming the dog, blame the problem right here, that if that dog's not understanding my rules he's an alien.

It's my house.

I have to get through to him what those rules are.

So you have to show them what you want.

Exactly and then reinforce that behavior.

Reinforce that behavior.

Yeah and praise is a wonderful reinforcer with puppies.

I use a ton of treats but as they get older praise works wonders with dogs.

How do you determine how much to feed a dog?

Don't read the dog food label I guarantee you that you'll have a balloon.

Yeah.

That's a tough one because every dog gets a different level of exercise.

You kind of just have to watch the shape of your dog, make sure they still have, just like us, make sure they still have a waist.

You can tell if they start to balloon out and it's highly dependent on how much exercise they get, but you have to just keep an eye on it.

I weigh mine at least once a month.

Oh do you?

And I will tweak their dog food maybe just a quarter of a cup less for a while to get their weight back down.

Now I hunt my dogs so in hunting season I have to increase what I'm feeding them.

You just keep an eye on your dog.

Do you give your dogs mostly dry dog food?

I do.

Yes, it's healthier in the long run I believe because you can get into a lot of problems with salmonella and stuff like that feeding raw food, especially.

Dry food is pretty safe to feed a dog.

Now the nutrition might not be quite as high as some of the canned foods for example are very good.

But if you have big dogs it gets pretty expensive to feed them canned food.

Sure.

And raw food.

If somebody wants to get a hold of you how do they do that?

Do you have a website?

No I don't.

I go through, I work with, Northland Pet Lodge in Cross Lake.

Oh okay.

I answer questions all the time.

So they can get in touch with you through the Northland Pet Lodge.

Yes.

Very good.

Cross Lake.

Well we're out of time.

Very interesting.

You shared a lot of things with me that I didn't know and I've had dogs all my life.

Great job.

How long do you plan to keep doing this?

As long as I can.

As long as you're healthy.

Yeah good for you.

Thanks.

Thanks for coming on board, we really appreciate the information.

It's always nice to see you Ray.

Thank you.

You've been watching Lakeland Currents, I'm Ray Gildow, so long until next time.