Charlie is joined by Neil Geddes, a veterinary ophthalmologist (eye specialist). They discuss Neil's background and how he became a vet, his early days, and how the industry has changed over the past decades.

Neil will be a feature of the podcast and will field many questions from Charlie and the listeners on all things veterinary science.

In this episodes, Neil answers a range of questions from his biggest vet blooper, whether he would trust a vet who didn't own a dog, and just how similar his job was to James Heriott's..?

Charlie is joined by John Forbes-Leith to discuss the Fyvie Labradors. John's family have had the Fyvie line since 1885 and is, by our reckoning, the oldest continuous line of Labradors in the world.

Discovered in Canada, Labrador Retrievers were brought back to the U.K. for retrieving ducks from the water. From the early boats, some went to the Duke of Buccleuch, others went to the Earl of Malmsbury, and some went to an Aberdeenshire family.

Both Buccleuch and Malmsbury have lost their lines, but the Forbes-Leith kept theirs, breeding mother to daughter for 150 years.

However, if you asked in the trialling world or even in the Kennel Club about the Fyvie Labradors, no one would have heard of them... so join Charlie as he lifts the lid on one of the most exciting story in recent years.

0:00 - Introduction

0:47 - Family History

04:19 - How Did Labradors Come To Britain?

10:02 - How Have They Managed The Breeding?

16:46 - How Do They Choose Stud Dogs

17:59 - Pointing Labradors

22:50 - Who Owns The Fyvie Book?

26:01 - How Many Dogs Do They Breed?

29:22 - Where Do They Puppies Go?

31:05 - Best Dog Trainer In The Family?

37:30 - Typical Year For The Dogs

42:49 - Why Field Trial Champions

48:45 - Only Black Labs?

50:42 - Outro

Charlie is joined by the Mordor media man, Joe, and together they discuss the early days of Mordor Gundogs.

Charlie shares how his love of dogs started, why he rejected his place in the army, and how he laid the groundwork (literally) for Mordor to become the place that it is today.

He shares how he first discovered Craighead farm and why, upon purchasing it, he wasn't initially going to use it for dogs. Why he built the kennels first, which resulted in him having nowhere to sleep but... in the kennels.

He eventually moved into the house; however, it didn't have windows, plasterboard, or electricity, so he spent a winter in a brick ruin with only a fire and a few dogs for company.

It's a raw, funny and insightful episode, and we're looking forward to part two...

0:00 - Introduction 

1:05 - Charlie Getting Into Fieldsports

5:50 - Buying His First Dog (& It Going Wrong)

10:55 - Who Taught Charlie? 

16:05 - Getting A Cocker & Lab 

21:53 - Why Did He Reject The Army?

28:25 - Starting Dog Training Full-Time 

31:10 - Why The Name Mordor? 

32:25 - Finding Craighead Farm 

38:02 - Living In The Ruins

45:20 - Typical Day In The Life

In the latest episode of the DogFather, Charlie is joined by Jeremy Organ of Edgegrove Gundogs. Their wide ranging conversations covers how the spaniel breeds have changed to be smaller and flashier, how people don't understand blood lines any more, wind scent vs. ground scent and so much more.

Edgegrove Gundogs Website - https://edgegrovegundogs.co.uk/ Edgegrove Gundogs Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/p/Edgegrove-Gundogs-100066878473043/

0:00 - Intro

1:00 - Jeremy’s Background

6:20 - Badgercourt Spaniels

9:25 - Getting Into Trials

17:20 - Start Of Edgegrove

22:20 - How To Breed Correctly

31:55 - How Have Trialling Dogs Changed

41:00 - When/ How Much To Feed Your Dog

46:22 - Air Scent vs. Ground Scent

53:35 - Teaching People Dog Training

56:35 - Outro

Charlie is joined by his former (short-term) employee, Patrick Galbraith, previously the editor of Shooting Times.

In this wide-ranging conversation, they explore a diverse array of subjects, from Patrick’s recently published book Uncommon Ground: Rethinking Our Relationship with the Countryside, to the often-overlooked negative impact that dogs can have on rural ecosystems.

The discussion also delves into deer stalking, choosing the right breed, and numerous other thought-provoking themes.

0:00 - Intro 1:09 - Patrick The Mordor Employee2:40 - Shooting Times6:30 - His New Book12:40- Dogs In The Countryside18:10- Labrador As Deer Dogs 22:48 - Training Mistakes 27:02 - Solutions To The Problem 34:03 - Gundog People 35:28 - The Future

Charlie is joined by renowned Cocker Spaniel trainer Nick Ridley for the latest episode of The DogFather podcast.Charlie has long been associated with Labradors, while Nick is celebrated for his expertise with Cockers—but when the two are compared head-to-head, who comes out on top? This lively episode brings together two seasoned veterans of the sport as they share their experiences, their passion for working dogs in the field, and a few unforgettable retrieving stories along the way.Watch Nick's Videos Here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ1IeEGEImftzvnvrVMHchw/videos

Charlie sits down with Ben Skinner, the seventh generation of the Skinner family to lead this well-known business. From making animal feed in 1688, to launching dog food in the 1970s, to building the modern brand we know today - Ben shares the incredible journey of a company that’s lasted over 300 years.They dive into generational differences, staying aligned across centuries, going against the grain, and what the future looks like for this family business. Plus - would Ben ever accept an offer to sell?

In this episode Charlie is joined by Katie Smith from Fosterwold Gundogs. Filmed back in May, Charlie and Katie discuss a wide range of topics from Katie's background and how she got into training dogs, whether courses are worth it, how they retire their dogs, and why neither have ever kept a son off a stud dog. Fosterwold Gundogs - https://www.fosterwoldgundogs.com/0:00 - Introduction 1:33 - Starting To Train Dogs 3:30 - Are Courses Worth It? 5:26 - She Doesn’t Train Other People’s Dogs? 10:55 - “Retiring” Dogs?14:33 - Keeping Sons From Stud Dogs16:28 - Typical Year Working

Philip is the estate manager of the Logiealmond Sporting Estate, based in Perthshire. In this episode, they discuss the owner’s remarkable journey in transforming the estate from an ecological desert into the thriving, award-winning haven it is today.If you’d like to join or host your own Mordor shooting party with our dogs—either this season or next—please feel free to email Charlie at info@mordorgundogs.com.0:00 - Introduction0:46 - Charlie & Logiealmond4:15 - Logiealmond’s Redevelopment 9:25 - Philip’s Golden Retrievers 14:55 - Taking On Logiealmond20:05 - All About Dogs24:05 - International Clients28:20 - Rough Shooting With Mordor

Charlie sits down with the owners of Airpets to discuss all aspects of their business: from it's history, how they pivoted from kennels to pet travel, how they actually ship the dogs, runway number 5 and so much more.

Mordor Gundogs use Airpets for all their international travel and couldn't recommend them enough.

See more here: https://airpets.com/

Sheldon “Shelly” Steinmetz sits down with Charlie after a day’s shooting at Logiealmond to reflect on their long-standing friendship and the many stories they’ve shared. Originally from America, Shelly came to Scotland to study veterinary medicine at Glasgow University — a move that sparked his passion for terriers and field sports.Fast forward a few years, and Shelly became the first person across the Atlantic to take delivery of a fully trained Mordor dog — and the rest, as they say, is history.0:00 - Introduction 0:57 - How Shelly Found Scotland 5:45 - Working With Terriers 9:05 - Frisbee Dog 13:35 - Setting Up In Connecticut 20:03 - Getting His First Mordor Dog28:40 - Creating The Mordor Gundogs Model34:00 - How Many Mordor Dogs?

Charlie and Neil are back, and in this episode, they’re discussing dogs’ eyes - what they can and can’t see, whether they perceive colour, how well they see in the dark, what kinds of objects they can recognise, and whether they’re short- or long-sighted.

Neil is a leading ophthalmologist (eye specialist), and Charlie has trained thousands of dogs, so their combined experience makes for a truly fascinating conversation.

Join the team with your own Mordor merchandise: https://mordorgundogs.myshopify.com/

Harry Bremner, founder of Tuggs dog food, joins Charlie to share his journey, the unique approach behind Tuggs, Charlie’s investment and the early days of product testing, the future of the industry, and much more.

Click To Get 50% Off Your First Tuggs Order: https://tuggs.uk/mordor50

0:00 - Introduction

0:47 - Insect Based Protein

5:20 - Early Days Testing

12:40 - Starting The Brand

15:20 - Bringing Production To The UK

19:10 - Improving & Expanding The Product

28:10 - Expanding Into Retail

30:10 - Subscription Model

32:55 - The Future

Charlie sits down with Kevin Kelly from “Kevin’s” Store in Thomasville. Having known each other for nearly a decade—thanks to Charlie’s frequent dog deliveries in the area—the two cover a wide range of topics.

Kevin shares how he launched his store, why it has gained global appeal, and what the future holds for the business. They discuss how to move their respective ventures forward and reflect on the importance of having great employees.

Naturally, they also swap stories and anecdotes about dogs in the field, with Kevin offering a few touching remarks about his canine companions.

The episode wraps up with Kevin giving Charlie a tour of his gun room.

0:00 - Intro

0:41 - Start of Kevin’s

6:50 - The Day-to-Day In Kevin’s

11:30 - The Future Of Kevin’s

17:41 - Early Days Of Working

22:05 - Kevin’s Dogs

29:38 - Kevin’s Gun Room

Charlie is joined by John Carpenter at Orvis Sandanona in New York State.

John is the upland manager of the club and speaks in detail with Charlie about U.K. and U.S. Labradors. John breeds Labradors in the States but is well-versed in British practices, while Charlie breeds Labradors in the U.K. but knows the U.S. scene well.

The pair discuss the breeding process, selling puppies, field trials, the types of work each line of Labrador performs, and much more.

Check out Orvis Sandanona - https://www.orvis.com/sandanona-shooting-grounds.html

Follow John on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/glynevian_gundogs

0:00 - Introduction 3:00 - What Is Orvis Sandanona?3:00 - 6:30 - How Did John Get Into Dogs?6:30 - 18:40 - U.K. vs U.S Labrador 18:40 - 20:12 - Breeding Dogs 20:12 - 23:30 Artificial Insemination 23:30 - 28:45 - American Field Trials 28:45 - 32:50 - Selling Puppies 32:50 - 41:20 - Types Of US Work For US Dogs

Charlie is joined by Joe as they chart the next instalment of the Mordor journey. In the podcast’s very first episode, Charlie shared how he went from school, to dogs, to founding Mordor. In this episode, he explains how Mordor went international.

How does he have so many dogs spread across multiple states in America and in countries around the world? How does he build these connections—and, crucially, maintain strong client relationships? He shares all this and more in the episode.

Charlie is joined by Dane Maltsberger of Lebncroft Labradors. Dane’s family farm in Indiana has been breeding gundogs since 1888, with the vocation passed down through the generations.The programme began with Setters, then moved on to Brittany Spaniels, before settling on Labradors in the 1980s. Together, Charlie and Dane discuss the optimal Labrador, how Dane introduced U.K. bloodlines into his established U.S. lines, why he felt the need to bring British genetics into the programme, and much more.

0:00 - Introduction

0:42 - Early Days

4:00 - Creating The Mordor Aesthetic

10:20 - Pioneering The Fox Red Labrador

12:15 - Breaking Into The America Market

22:30 - Does Charlie Have An Agent?

25:35 - Delivering Dogs

28:20 - Employing Staff

37:30 - Gaining Momentum

45:20 - Lots of Demos

Charlie and Joe are back to discuss the next instalment of Charlie’s journey. We pick up where we left off in the mid-2010s, exploring the growth of the business, navigating lockdown, and why Charlie decided to start a YouTube channel.

Charlie shares why he shows his mistakes on YouTube, why he values the honesty of presenting things warts and all, and why he doesn’t mind the criticism that often comes his way.

He goes on to discuss the next big project and reveals a few long-kept secrets.

0:00 - Intro

0:40 - Picking Up Where We Left Off

3:10 - Building the Log Cabin

6:55 - Navigating COVID

15:53 - Mordor Pedigrees

22:10 - Why Charlie Started YouTube

30:00 - Showing Mistakes

32:45 - Increasing Demand

34:40 - The New Project

Charlie is joined by James Robson who runs Primrosehill shoot in the Scottish Borders. What started as a passion, Primrosehill grew into an ecosystem of businesses which all service one another and the community at large.

James shares the journey of buying the farm, starting a shoot, refurbishing the local pub, opening a pizzeria, and how fieldsports as a whole has a positive impact on the local community. They close by talking about dogs and James runs through his eclectic group of labradors, lurchers, and terriers.

Images & Thumbnail Image Courtesy of Jason Baxter

Watch a video on Primrose Hill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-nnMYr25l8

0:00 - Introduction

0:40 - Buying Primrosehill Farm

4:36 - Starting The Shoot

8:40 - Integrating The Businesses

15:25 - Benefitting The Local Economy

22:00 - The Day Job 25:10 - The Dogs

Charlie is interviewed by Ron of the Hunting Dog Podcast.

Listen to the original podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7zjCGIgi1EEEpQPgAapXQ5?si=QkLQTD7MSG-io3qkbxEOow Check out their website: http://www.thehuntingdogpodcast.com

Charlie sits down with his original mentor, Edward Martin of Sealpin Gundogs. Edward created a training "masterclass" series on VHS - later released on DVD - which a young, impressionable Charlie watched on repeat.

They later met and became friends, and now, two decades into that friendship, they sit down for a conversation.

This first episode explores Edward’s early life and how he got into dogs.

A following episode will cover his relationship with Charlie.

0:00 - Introduction

2:22 - Background

11:45 - Getting Into Gundogs

17:49 - Starting Trialling

29:17 - The Sealpin Prefix

34:02 - Buying Lanton Hill

36:02 - Crufts

40:45 - Labradors vs. Spaniels

54:01 - Competing For Scotland

Charlie is joined by Edward Martin of Sealpin Gundogs for part two of their conversation. They discuss how the two met, how Edward filmed his early training videos, and go on to debate Springers vs. Cockers, as well as how a Labrador should look.

0:00 - Introduction

2:00 - How Charlie & Edward Met

10:20 - Working Dogs vs. Trailling Dogs

19:40 - Patience In A Dog

22:25 - Edward’s Training Videos

32:25 - Flex The Cocker

36:39 - Aftermath of the Videos

42:49 - Springer vs. Cocker

47:30 - Good Looking Labradors

53:35 - How Do You Become A Gundog Trainer?

Charlie is interviewed by Veronica of the Gundog Congress, and then delve into a host of different topics.  

0:00 - Introduction

0:49 - What Has Charlie Been Up To?

7:30 - The Dog Ranch 

14:05 - Fixing A Dog’s Lack of Enthusiasm 

27:30 - German Cocker Spaniels 

32:49 - Buying A Puppy From Mordor

39:45 - What Charlie Looks For In Breeding

Charlie sits down with Kim Stewart who in a few short years went from novice to the British Championships.

Local to Charlie, they met recently on a shoot and sit down to talk about Kim’s background, common mistakes with dogs, the perils of training other people, and how to encourage the next generation to get into Gundogs.

0:00 - Introduction

3:25 - Getting Into Dogs

11:11 - Getting Into Trialling

22:25 - The Stop Button

26:40 - Training Other People

37:45 - Encouraging The Next Generation

Charlie is featured on the American Hunting Dog Podcast - "Go Flush Yourself".

They talk about a host of topic across the shooting spectrum from habitat management, temperament vs ability, and how to choose the right breeder.

Listen to the original episode on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2ZiWbiaKkArutsFlB1poEK 0:00 - Introduction 0:34 - Do U.K. Dogs Adapt To US? 6:29 - Habitat Management? 15:46 - Temperament vs. Looks vs. Ability24:46 - Nature vs. Nurture?39:30 - Choosing The Right Breeder50:10 - U.K. vs US Training