Hunt Test Hobo Podcast
Welcome to the Hunt Test Hobo Podcast, your place for truck side chats and deep insights into the retriever game await.
Hosted by Chris Rud, a fellow retriever enthusiast and student of the game, this podcast is your go-to resource whether you're just dipping your toes into the retriever world or you're a seasoned handler looking to sharpen your skills.
Join us each week as we delve into the intricacies of retriever training, offering a blend of tips, tricks, and wisdom from both amateur enthusiasts and seasoned professionals. From tales of triumph to strategies for overcoming challenges, we explore it all, with a shared passion for forging unbreakable bonds with our loyal companions.
So grab your coffee, hop into the truck, and let's embark on this retriever adventure together. This is the Hunt Test Hobo Podcast, and I'm Chris Rud. Let's dive in.
Hunt Test Hobo Podcast
EP 50: Designing a Dog That Can Win Anywhere
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Season 3 kicks off with a deep dive into what it really takes to build a “Grand Slam” retriever.
In this episode of the Hunt Test Hobo Podcast, Chris sits down with multiple Grand Champion Ron Anderson and training partner Scott Arceneaux to unpack the journey behind one of the most accomplished amateur-trained dogs in the game.
We talk about Rip — a true unicorn — and what it means to build a dog capable of winning across formats:
- Field Trials
- Hunt Tests
- The Grand
- The Crown
This isn’t a “we got lucky” story. It’s a 30-year evolution of selective breeding, intentional development, and a training group built on trust, ego-free collaboration, and high standards.
We break down:
- Why Ron flipped the script and built a field trial foundation first
- The “brick by brick” philosophy of developing a complete dog
- Breeding decisions behind Rip
- The importance of memory, pressure tolerance, and comfort in chaos
- How serious amateurs can compete at the highest levels
- Why intimidation — not mechanics — loses most big events
If you’ve ever dreamed of building a dog that can run the SRS one weekend and a field trial the next… this one is for you.
This is about more than titles.
It’s about building the dog — and the handler — the right way.