The interview; by Matthew

"Nothing is better then seeing a dog and a human be one. When you give a dog trust, they will open a world you can only dream of". Rayner Pacheco

On a Monday morning I meet Canine Behaviorist Rayner Pacheco, walking from the train station on a disgusting morning full of rain... We meet in a coffee shop and he tells me something that made me think. He told me a riddle, he said, "if you can take a train ten times and then have to run a few more, what are you?". I never got the answer but it made me think. This guy is nuts!!!

As we sit Ray looked tired, after a busy weekend he felt like it was time to soon call it quits, Then saying na' I'll be ok. I'm not that old YET!!!

Two days before this interview I went on a training session with him and saw him in action. A dog that had insecurity issues as he put it. He spoke with the client for about two hours to make sure they got him, and that he got all the information so he can put everything together and work properly. "The one thing I realize I see all of the time with most trainers, they don't spend time with the client. It's all about time and money now a days, I can't work like that". As I see him gain trust with this Pitt-bull terrier. I saw a dog from a scared thing running from Ray, to now taking treats, and letting Ray pet his belly. He asked me, "come closer to me and pet him, I want you to feel something special". The owner looking on and saying, "I've never seen him like this, Thank You". Ray saying we aren't done yet we are just getting started. Mind you it took an hour for him to get to this state. When we left the woman say how much, Ray said no money, I looked in shock and wrote down that question as into why didn't you except money. The woman gave Ray a great big hug and said you are a very special person. Thank You for helping my family.

Now back to the one on one, as I turn on the tape, I started the questions.
Matt; Hey Ray!

Ray; hey man!! How r u feeling?

Matt; I'm good, very happy to sit here with someone they call a "legend",

Ray; now let me stop you there. I'm not a hero or a legend. I'm just someone that helps everyone.

Matt; that is something I wanted to ask you. Why did you become a dog trainer? Did u have a love for dogs before? What is it about this career you love.

Ray; well, I use to be apart of ComputerAssistance.com before I entered dog training, I fixed a computer of an instructor that came out of a school of dog training, and he didn't know how to pay me. So I said teach me that, and I'll fix your computer for life. We had a deal and the rest is history.

Matt; there is a lot of talk going around about you, that your not this and that. What is your response on that.

Ray; I don't like to talk about that much. That whole convocation came up because my ex-fiancé, her friend, wanted to bury me. She wanted my business, and wanted me to brake. She did it. She made a whole website about me which made so many people turn on me, mind you I had health issues going on. Laura, yes I understand her part because she was defending her friend, but at the same time you made it an agenda. She contacted me the day before I was leaving to PA, and she said, I want you to take down everything of my friend as far as pictures of her and her animals. I said no! Those animals are mine to. I did more for them and her than anyone. We went back and forth and there she sent a mass email to everyone saying shit about me. I didn't reply much because I didn't want to deal with it.

Matt; that nuts. All that started because of bad blood?

Ray; yeah, sucks to say but yeah.. I never did anything to hurt anyone, yet I helped her out when she has a foster dog, and she thanked me to here and high heaven. I lost so many friends, and it's sad because these are people that when others talked bad about I defended them. When I needed them, I was alone.

Matt; you had and still have a big reputation, did that help?

Ray; yeah it did. Many people that I helped said, we are with Ray no matter what. Many people that I helped turned their back on me. Even many people in rescue groups.

Matt; who are you still helping an who aren't you helping anymore?

Ray; I don't help many rescues anymore. I'm kinda staying away from it. But I still help a good handful here in NY, and a bunch more around the U.S.

Matt; you had a big standing with ZFF (Zani's Furry Friends), are they on the help list.

Ray; no!

Matt; why?

Ray; I don't want to get into it, but long story short. I stood up for them to many times, I helped Gisella so much. And don't get me wrong she did the same for me to. She introduced me to so many people, I started working in the rescue world because of one of her dogs, I worked hard for her. Me and her were close till things went down for me and I needed her, no where to be found. It's fucked up but hell, the saying you never know who your real friends are till you're on the wall and have only a breathe to take. You will know who saves you and who lets you die. Even the people around her. I help one person Inparticular and she kept sending me emails on how much of a BFF I was and all, then it was like a personal agenda she had on me. One person I can say is standing behind me is Cheri Chang. Back in the day we were like batman and robin, and till this day we still are. Many other people are still with me even those that worked with me are defending me.

Matt; as I read much of the site, it's like Laura is following your every move.

Ray; yeah, she is a stalker. I mean really everything there is like my whole life, much of it is fabricated.

Matt; I can see that, even your twitter is here, now what is your personal accounts here.

Ray; Facebook is one, twitter is the other. I mean I'm an open book, I don't hide anything. I post pictures of my sessions on instagram and Facebook. I talk about my days and all. I love being normal. Honestly I'm human, I'm not a celebrity for her to keep my every move. Hundreds of people do the wrong things, why me. It speaks a hundred words about her. She doesn't have anything on me as far as my work. I have many people that can vouch for that.

Matt; what about your family?

Ray; what about them!

Matt; did your family find out about all this?

Ray; yeah, they did. My uncle wanted to kill me. When everyone found out certain family members stayed behind me through it. My cousins are still behind me 100% my dad and mom just came around, so I have a good support system. I just need to keep my nose clean.

Matt; so now what's going on with you?

Ray; well I'm still working, I have the website completed which it will be live soon, I have a few more things is the works, and also I have a fundraiser that I'm going to be holding for a few rescues..

Matt; awesome!!, I want to touch a bit about the way things started for you. I also understand that you are a father! Can we talk about that a bit.

Ray; I don't want to, I don't want to talk about my daughter or her mom. Her mom is doing her career and not many people know about our daughter. I want to keep it that way for respect and protection reasons. As for how I started, thank you Ramune. She was my first dog I ever had as a client. Her owners are wonderful people. From there I met a dog named Jada, she was tough but if it wasn't for me having a great support system with her foster then she would have been killed.

Matt; was jada from the NYCACC?

Ray; yes, when Kat got her, Jada was badly evaluated. CACC never give proper evals at all, I understand why they have so many dogs going in and out they do their best.

Matt; have you done evaluations for the CACC before?

Ray; only for rescue groups when they ask me to because they want to make sure the dog can be in different situations, or see what kind of situations the dog can be in.

Matt; there was something about you taking about 50 dogs one time and did a big operation on that! Can you explain?

Ray; well that was suppose to be a hush hush thing. We worked with many people in there and got many dogs adopted out. That's all I can say about that.

Matt; can you talk about your bring up? Do you still go back home and hang with the same crew?

Ray; well, I wasn't great, but then wasn't the worst child. My family did the best for me and my brother. I was homeless for three months when I was 20 because my mom kicked me out (that's along story) I went to the Covernite house and I did everything from the ground up. I worked hard went to school and did what I could to make money. When I was younger I did a lot of bad things (which I won't discuss) and I didn't want my little girl being in harms way. I struggled and made it out to where I am today.

Matt; why won't you talk about much of the past?

Ray; because I took an oath, I won't ever brake that. I did what I did that's it. It dies with me.

Matt; deep!!!!

Matt; What about your health issues?

Ray; well I'm ok, I guess.

Matt; you had or are still fighting something big! Are you ok if we talk about that?

Ray; sure, I have lung cancer that's it! I mean nothing really big to touch on, it's sad to speak about it. I was nervous to even tell my family, I'm ok now. I had surgery to get it out. But I'm not in the clear yet, I have along way to go.

Matt; when did you decide to come back?

Ray; once I got cleared, I started to meet up with my old team and we went from there. I took it easy.

Matt; there is a dog named Remy that you have helped? Are you still helping her.

Ray; yeah - its funny because the way we met was unfortunate. Remy had a bad incident. I hate that it happened.

Matt; do you mind talking about it a bit.

Ray; no, I'm sorry. I have much love and respect for that family. They treat me like I'm apart of their family, I can't talk about that. I'm sorry dude. Nothing against you or this interview but, I can't do that to them.

Matt; now back to your site, how many years did it take to make?

Ray; it took a long time to get into it, I don't like websites. I think it's not the right way to promote yourself. I told myself if I ever made it - it will be something great to go on. I want to make it user friendly and also make sure it has much information on there. I'm also push the language barrier, I'm putting different languages on there for everyone to understand everything.

Matt; awesome! Now, from the talk around. You are getting a center together! Is this true?

Ray; yeah,! It's hard to explain because it's in 2nd stage now. I'm hoping it's up and running by the end of this year!!

Matt; now Ray, we all know that being a dog trainer has its ups and downs, can you talk a bit about yours.

Ray; well. I wouldn't say it like that, but it takes a toll on you. I don't have any friends, I don't have a relationship. My life is pretty much on hold right now, I would love to go out and just live like a 27 years old but, I'm not. I made a choice. I choose to be a dog trainer, I don't have to be. I love my career and the different places I see and the people I meet. Hell I wouldn't have met a woman that I really fell in love with. I fucked all that up because of my job. I want a family someday, I would love to wake up and play with my kids and not have to look at the clock. I missed so much of my life. I hate coming home to an empty house. It's not healthy. I contemplated killing myself once because I just couldn't take it. I took massive amounts of pills for a week, and I woke up all the time. This happened when all this bad stuff started to happen, I felt alone and I didn't want this anymore. I mean jay-z was right success sucks because many people will try to take you down. I didn't know what to do. I had no one to talk to. I was so hurt. When me and my ex split, I started cutting myself. I got help for it. I'm ok now I went through it and I'm passed it.

Matt; why kill yourself?

Ray; I was so hurt, why live if I couldn't get up and do my job. Or why live if I didn't have anyone next to me telling me everything is going to be ok.

Matt; why are you still here?

Ray; I had a moment were I just realize, I'm so stupid. Why kill myself, it's so crazy. I know that I can bounce back from this! I have in the past. I kept reading books of motivation, and I got the strength to start my life over and do it right. I go to places by myself and I don't feel weird about it. I do many things alone. I mean I don't care anymore. I like doing things like that. I think many movie theater employees know me by name. I see many midnight showings it's fun.

Matt; your a strong person!

Ray; no I'm just human. We all go threw it. Getting past it doesn't make you a stronger person. It just grounds you. Back then I thought I was invincible, now I realize I'm only human

Matt; ray I want to thank you for this. I know we could talk for hours but this was short, is there anything you want to say to end this interview?

Ray; I think, all I can say is, I'm only human, I'm not a superhero or anything great. I'm just a human being. I love my work, I hope one day I can be really happy, I hope one day I can just be... If there is one thing I can share of my experience, is to just understand that success doesn't mean you got it all. You have to always remember that you can't handle everything in the world, you are only one person. Try to always make sure you never forget where you came from.

"Appreciate life in every moment, because you only have one. It should not be lived like its your last, it should be lived like it's your first". Rayner Pacheco