Testimonials

"The thing that sets Mike apart from all the rest is his ability to get inside the dogs' heads and know what makes them eager to perform... his system works. It shows you how to be successful step by step."

"I started training with lots of different retriever training books and advice from other trainers. But I was blown away when I saw Mike Lardy and Rascal in Ardmore Oklahoma, win the 96 National Open. I realized this dog and training program was the REAL DEAL. I immediately purchased Total Retriever Training. and started my WR bitch, Dot E. through the program. Within six months she finished her Master Hunter title and placed third in a Qualifying in the same week! Her son, Archie is being trained exclusively using Mike's tapes and accompanying Retriever Journal articles.

I try to follow the program to the letter. It makes sense. Just after Archie flew through Basics and Transition, we were fortunate to attend the Lardy Basics and Transition Workshop in July 1999. What a great experience. Wow! The thing that sets Mike apart from all the rest is his ability to get inside the dogs' heads and know what makes them eager to perform. Mike helped Workshop participants as they put their dogs through force fetch and collar conditioning. We were able to see how he worked through varied training situations with different personalities of dogs and trainers. I still use my workshop notes, especially with Archie's little sister Gracie now going through the basics. Archie recently finished second at the Topeka Qualifiying stake to become All Age Qualified at 17 months! The Lardy system works. It shows you how to be successful step by step!"

- Tim West, Arcadia Retrievers, Arcadia,
Oklahoma, trains his personal dogs for AKC field trials and hunt tests

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"The thing that impresses us the most is the standards that are set for training that are both fair and effective. Whether it is how to bring the dog from our truck to line and back, or how to give fair but useful corrections, or how to teach a dog to fight the factors to run straight lines, Mike's program has made us successful while having our dogs maintain great attitudes."

"We have trained our five competitive dogs ourselves using Mike's tapes, manuals and workshops. We own a game farm in Wisconsin where we raise occasional litters and train our five Labrador Retrievers. The thing that impresses us the most is the standards that are set for training that are both fair and effective. Whether it is how to bring the dog from our truck to line and back, or how to give fair but useful corrections, or how to teach a dog to fight the factors to run straight lines, Mike's program has all made us successful while having our dogs maintain great attitudes. His model of how a handler behaves with poise, composure, and planning has been very helpful.

We compete in AKC hunt tests, sanctioned field trials and licensed field trials. This spring our yellow female, Lucy, won one sanctioned Open and got a third in another.

Our other dog who is just two, Checkers, has a sanctioned Qualifying win and a win in sanctioned Amateur Trained and Handled. Checkers is now being run in Qualifying licensed stakes. The rest of our dogs have AKC Junior Hunter, Senior Hunter titles and MH titles and some have some MH legs and are in process of getting titles."

- Ken and Lori Dollevoet, Lorken Game Farm, Freemont, Wisconsin
Run hunt tests, sanctioned field trials, and licensed field trials

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"Mike Lardy's training methods and theories have changed my entire training program."

I frequently start adult show champions with no prior field experience. Mike's methods of caring, showing, and teaching help develop these dogs beautifully --young or old, experienced or not, Mike's methods work, keeping the dogs balanced as training advances. Training is easier and much more fun for me and the dogs!"

- Renee Ivy, Gun River Kennels,
Trains retrievers for family/companion gun dogs and hunt tests, including putting hunt test titles on adult conformation dogs

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"I have been very pleased in both sets of Mike's tapes because I not only know what to do today but what I will be doing next month."

" I was a dry land Goose hunter for years, I was good at it and did not hunt over water. When in the eastern flyway Canada Geese had a serious decline and they took the season away from us and I started to hunt ducks. It does not take too many duck hunts to realize that a well trained working retriever would be helpful. I chose a Chesapeake Bay Retriever and started to train for Duck season.

I would go back to my breeders as often as I could, and read as many books as I could but they never laid out a total plan of what to do in a form that was easy for someone to grasp. I have been very pleased in both sets of Mike's tapes because I not only know what to do today but what I will be doing next month. Now I am not only a duck and goose hunter, I am a member of my local retriever club and am running my two Chesapeake's in N.A.H.R.A. and A.K.C. hunt tests and am enjoying working with my dogs year round instead of just the two months of duck season. Thanks Mike!"

-Ken Bora, professional chef & sugarmaker from Burlington, VT,
trains his Chesapeake Bay Retrievers for waterfowl hunting