Meet Alex Rothacker, dog trainer extraordinaire.

Not everyone wants to be face-to-face with a German Shepherd in full attack mode.

Dog trainer Alex Rothacker, of Tops Kennel in Grayslake, Illinois loves a challenge, as you can see by the number of world records he has set.

 He loves to see how much he can lift, how much he can eat, how hard he can make you laugh, and if he can, turn off an attacking dog with a one-word command.

But what he enjoys most is training dogs to do incredible things. When he is not training police dogs, you might find him with a blue jay on his finger while walking his dog on its two hind legs.

The bald and bulky ham of a man has had a dog act for years. He dresses as Popeye, who he can imitate perfectly, and names his dogs things like Sweet Pea, Sailor, and Pappy.

Over the years he has taken shelter dogs that were going to be destroyed because they were biters, and given them a second chance. He gives them a new purpose and a job. Rothacker puts them in showbiz! They return the love by doing a variety of tricks; Sweet Pea was even able to climb a set of stairs with a glass of water on her nose without spilling a drop.

 He and his dogs have shared the spotlight on national TV, across the pages of the Guinness World Book of Records, and countless newspapers and magazine articles.

Rothacker learned his craft from another renowned Chicagoland dog trainer, the late Willie Necker. Necker trained war dogs, trick dogs, and people’s pets. Necker’s dogs performed on The Ed Sullivan Show and Bozo Circus.

When it comes to people’s pets, he can be strict, and disciplined, and he expects precision behavior. It is all because he loves dogs, he wants them to behave well so that they can be treated as part of the family and be welcome where ever their family goes.

People come from around the country to board and train their dogs with Rothacker and his wife Paula who run their business together, with their daughter Krista. Both women are also excellent dog trainers.

 Roaming the grounds of Tops Kennel, you will see dogs practicing their manners, walking closely next to their owners, on a “heel” command, perhaps working an obstacle course, or walking on a treadmill. A dog will likely be sitting quietly off to the side somewhere on a “down stay” command, learning to ignore the many distractions. Yet, in yet another area, Rothacker could be performing as the bad guy, fending off bites from an officer’s dog in training.

 Training K-9 dogs for a variety of police departments is one of their favorite things to do.

 So next time you are walking down the streets of Grayslake, if you are lucky, you may get to see Rothacker and his poodle Pappy walking down the street, greeting passersby, looking for a long staircase to practice walking up. Pappy can walk up an entire staircase on his hind legs (video above). After he makes it to the top Rothacker softens his voice, pets his dog and quietly whispers “You did it, my friend. Good Boy Pappy, nice job.”

By Karen Pulfer Focht ©2023