About Roc Solid Obedience

Many of my students ask me how I became the owner of a dog obedience company. It was truly because I felt a need to get my dog, who a vet had told me should be put down, under control.. I have been in your shoes and know your frustrations.

I was a young man who had just bought his first home. I was going to find that dog I had dreamed about growing up while living in an apartment that did not allow dogs. Being a typical guy, I wanted a big, tough dog. I settled on a Rottweiler. So, being a novice owner, I opened the paper on a Saturday morning and started calling numbers. I talked to a really nice man on the phone that lived close, and he said he had a few puppies left. So I got into the car and headed over to get my new puppy.

The first months went well with no real problems. Once Roc hit about 4 months, I began seeing issues. He would growl, bark, and lunge at people and other dogs without fear while out on a walk or in the front window. I was not too concerned about it until I had to go to the vet for a suspected eye infection. Sitting in the waiting room Roc was barking and acting up. I was a little embarrassed, but doesn’t everyone’s dog do that at the vet? Once in the exam room the vet needed to look into Roc’s eye. Roc took this as a challenge and tried to bite the vet. He ended up muzzled and held down by 3 people all to look in his eyes. It was at this point that I realized I had a problem and needed a solution – fast. The vet told me that I should think about getting rid of him, let him live on a farm, or put him down because he would always be aggressive and couldn’t be trusted. I took that as my challenge and my passion for dog training started.

I signed up for classes with DOG #1, and it changed our lives forever. Roc’s behaviors seemed to change over night once in class. We worked through issues, but after that 6 week class I was hooked. I stayed the course with the training classes. My passion continued to grow as Roc continued his journey through the novice level of obedience.

I started my internship with DOG #1 to be a trainer and was tested in every way possible to insure that I was ready to be an instructor. At that time Roc was training on the second level of obedience. Though he had 2 surgeries for torn ACLs, Roc continued training after he recuperated. Along with classes we started visiting a local middle school to visit with students.  He surprised people who had a negative view of the Rottweiler, including my wife’s family. At the age of 10 Roc didn’t move too fast but still enjoyed going to classes with me. He would lie in the middle of class and watch everyone do the work that he loved. Roc passed away on October 31, 2009. He forever changed my life.

I want to help people train their dogs and to better understand what they need. I was once in their shoes; I know the frustration of a dog that lunges and barks at everything that walks near their yard. Roc is the reason that I continue to teach people and why my prices are so low.  I care about making a difference in the lives of owners and dogs; I am not here to make millions. I wish that I could show the vet who made that awful recommendation what my ‘problem’ accomplished and inspired.

Nick Schumacher & Roc doing public demonstrations.