From the trainer behind Pappy the Poodle
Train your dog like a world-record holder.
Alex Rothacker has spent 50+ years training police K9s, TV dogs, and Guinness World Record holders. Now his positive-reinforcement method is online — starting with a free course that gets your dog shaking on cue this weekend.
- ✓ 50+ years of training
- ✓ 30+ Guinness World Records
- ✓ Seen on NBC, Kelly Clarkson, NewsNation
3-year-old poodle from Chicago. Walks on two legs. Holds Guinness World Records for walking backward and climbing stairs upright.
Free mini course
Teach your dog to shake in three short lessons.
The same lure-mark-reward method Alex used to teach Pappy his very first trick. Three videos, about 20 minutes total, and a printable session plan. Enter your email and the course is yours.
- 🎬 Lesson 1 — The lure & the mark
- 🎬 Lesson 2 — Adding the cue
- 🎬 Lesson 3 — Proofing it anywhere
- 📄 Bonus — Alex's treat & timing cheat sheet
The method
Tiny steps. Instant rewards. Zero force.
Lure
Use a treat to guide the movement you want. Your dog is never pushed or pulled into position.
Mark
The instant the paw lifts, say your marker word. Timing is the whole game — Alex shows you exactly when.
Reward
Pay well, pay fast, then slowly fade the food. The trick stays; the bribe disappears.
Go further
Full courses
Puppy Foundations
Everything a new puppy needs in the first 6 months
See what's inside →Trick Training Masterclass
25 crowd-pleasing tricks, from spin to play dead
See what's inside →Walk Like Pappy: Hind-Leg Walking
The Guinness World Record method, safely, step by step
See what's inside →Who is Alex Rothacker?
Owner of TOPS Kennel in Grayslake, Illinois. He started training at 16, has put hundreds of police dogs on the street, set more than 30 Guinness World Records with his own dogs, and rescued shelter dogs headed for euthanasia by turning them into performers. Pappy is his latest star — and the most famous poodle on the internet.
Read Alex & Pappy's story →