EP 64: The Philosophy of Great Dog Training with Andy Attar

What makes a truly great dog trainer?In this episode, Chris sits down with legendary retriever trainer Andy Attar for a wide-ranging conversation that starts with Andy's journey alongside Pat Burns and Mike Lardy and evolves into a masterclass on dog training philosophy.Andy shares stories from the early days of retriever training, explains why Mike Lardy produced so many successful trainers, and discusses the importance of developing thinking dogs rather than simply teaching techniques. The conversation dives deep into one of the most challenging topics in retriever training: handling gray areas on marks, knowing when to intervene, and how to build a self-responsible dog.Along the way, Andy explores the role of pressure, trust, timing, marking development, field trials, and what it really means to become a student of the game. Whether you're running hunt tests, field trials, or simply trying to become a better trainer, this episode is packed with decades of wisdom from one of the sport's most respected minds.