Techniques geared to ‘boat-break’ pets and create ‘well-behaved boat dogs.’

Photo by: Ambrosia Sarabia Speaking Their Language — Vladae Roytapel, the “Russian Dog Wizard” trains three students — Luke, Bogey and Mika — in proper boat behavior aboard a 40-foot Mariner ketch at American Legion Yacht Club in Newport Beach.

NEWPORT BEACH — Have hopes of taking your four-legged friend on your next cruise to Catalina — but your dog has other plans that include soiling the deck or barking incessantly?

Vladae Roytapel, who bills himself as the “Russian Dog Wizard,” has a training method he claims will turn even the most anti-seafaring pooch into a well-behaved boat dog.

Roytapel, a Russian native, learned the secrets of effective animal training as a child from his grandfather, a former Soviet chief biologist who conducted Pavlovian research on farm animals. By the age of 12, Roytapel began earning dog obedience championships with the dogs he had trained — and he went on to train dogs for the Russian government.

When he and his family immigrated to the U.S. in 1995 and settled in Detroit, he and a fellow dog trainer launched Alternative Canine Training – a program that caught the attention of dog owners throughout the country.

Using a language he calls “doglish,” Roytapel can teach boaters how to “boat-break” their pet. Dogs quickly learn that jumping off the boat and barking at fellow cruisers is a no-no, and that the boat is not a restroom. After a session with the trainer, unruly pups quickly learn the rules of the boat and begin to practice their boat manners.

While the language of “doglish” may sound silly the first time pet owners hear it, the results are remarkable, clients report. Roytapel’s clients include celebrities and professional athletes, who have provided testimonials on his Web site.

Roytapel’s unique technique has also landed him on the covers of magazines and on television’s “Late Night With David Letterman.”

To prove his ability to tame unruly canines, Roytapel asked a client, Gil Lukosky, to bring a dog owner the Russian Dog Wizard had never met before along with him during Roytapel’s interview with The Log.

Arriving at American Legion Yacht Club docks, it was instantly apparent which dog had graduated from Roytapel’s obedience school – and which one had not.

Bogey, a 5-year-old chocolate lab, was directing his owner, Skipper Tim Bercovitz, where to go. Within three minutes after Roytapel took the leash, Bogey was at attention. following the instructor’s lead.

“The problem I had was I was speaking English not doglish,” Bercovitz explained, as we boarded his 40-foot Mariner ketch.

On the boat, Luke, a 3-year-old cockapoo, calmly sat at Lukosky’s feet, watching as his canine buddy underwent the same training he took less than two months ago.

Lukosky said he sought Roytapel’s help after he exhausted all other sources. Lukosky, owner of Nikki’s Flags in Newport Beach, read dog training books, bought CDs and watched “The Dog Whisperer” on television, but he was still not able to tame Luke.

“When people would come into the store, Luke would bark and beg — and he liked to jump up on people,” Lukosky explained. “They couldn’t see his stub of a tail wagging, so many got scared.”

Those bad habits translated to the boat. Luke, a tan bundle of fur, would spring to action when a new person boarded the boat — barking and jumping up on the newcomer.

But now, after six lessons with Roytapel, Luke is tranquil: at home, in the store and on other people’s boats, Lukosky said.

“On a boat, you can’t be constantly paying attention to your dog: You have to pay attention to the boat — especially on a sailboat,” Lukosky explained.

Roytapel demonstrated how, with a few simple instructions, problem pooches can learn to behave on a vessel, and on land. Using doglish — a strange-sounding language of commands delivered in high- and low-pitched tones — Roytapel directed Bogey to stay, sit and pay attention when instructed.

Another important technique is to reinforce that the owner, not the dog, is the leader. “If you are not the leader, both of you will be frustrated,” Roytapel explained. “And things will never change for the better.”

Changes in Bogey seemed almost immediate after training. The dog that was known to pace the deck and has not played well with others (after biting three other dogs) followed Roytapel’s lead. He was also able to sit near Luke and Roytapel’s dog, Mika, without attacking them.

After a few more lessons, Bogey may be welcomed on others’ boats, Roytapel said.

Sessions are customized to individual dog behavior, and each session is two hours long. The sessions are held at the client’s home.

For more information, visit www.socaldogtraining.com or call (949) 244-0615.