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Rd 2 | Mike Drop | Navy SEAL | Gifted K-9 Trainer | Warrior Dog Foundation - Mike Ritland

Warrior Dog Foundation - Mike RitlandNovember 25, 2023
Rd 2 | Mike Drop | Navy SEAL | Gifted K-9 Trainer | Warrior Dog Foundation - Mike Ritland
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About This Episode

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more!

Today's Combat Story: Training Dogs for SEAL Teams and Founding the Warrior Dog Foundation

Today we have the second portion of a two-part crossover Combat Story with former Navy SEAL, NY Times Best-Selling Author, Trikos Founder, and founder of the Warrior Dog Foundation: Mike Ritland. Many will, of course, know Mike as the host of the long-running Mike Drop podcast. I traveled out to Texas to interview Mike in-person and then he returned the favor.

For those who missed part one, Mike described growing up in Iowa and, while still undersized, was bullied at school and had to sit in the same class as his attackers. He vowed to never let that happen again and immersed himself in a Karate Kid-like experience in the martial arts studying under an old school sensei who helped send him on his path to the Teams. In the Teams, Mike would largest operation in the history of Naval Special Warfare when SEAL Team 3

Mike would contract an illness that would take him out of the door-kicking side of the teams but also allowed him to follow a passion training dogs for west coast SEAL teams. He followed this path to build a successful business in Trikos training working dogs for clients and creating the Warrior Dog Foundation, among other ventures.

Mike has done so much to find purpose and continue serving after hanging up the uniform in a way that will, undoubtedly, be motivating to people seeking their own purpose and next chapter. With that, please enjoy this episode with Mike Ritland.

Show Notes:

- Ryan’s Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory - Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combats... - Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory - Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial - Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial - Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus - Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle - Join our Newsletter https://www.combatstory.com/newsletter

- Warrior Dog Foundation https://warriordogfoundation.org/about-us/ - Navy SEAL Dogs: My Tale of Training Canines for Combat https://www.amazon.com/Navy-SEAL-Dogs-Training-Canines/dp/1250049695 - Mike Drop Podcast https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNZR15cy3w1fzGXgI5oy5aA

Featured Guest

Warrior Dog Foundation - Mike Ritland

Chapters

  • 00:00Introduction
  • 01:04Guest Profile: Mike Ritland
  • 02:09Interview Begins
  • 02:14Background of Navy Seal Dogs book
  • 3:55Aftermath of Oil Rig Operation
  • 13:36New Mission Cycles
  • 15:52Gulf War Veterans for Iraq War
  • 20:36First Leave and Becoming a K-9 Trainer
  • 25:54Contracting Fungal Lung Infection
  • 30:36Interest in K-9 Handling
  • 32:51Mentors and Experience in K-9 Training
  • 43:19Human and Dog Psychology
  • 50:03Proudest Accomplishment
  • 53:53Biases Against Former Warrior Dogs
  • 57:16Sentimental Items
  • 58:11Would You Do It All Again?
  • 01:01:04Downtime
  • 01:08:05Listener comments and shout outs