The DogFather

Charlie is interviewed by Veronica of the Gundog Congress, and then delve into a host of different topics. 0:00 - Introduction0:49 - 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 Mordor39:45 - What Charlie Looks For In Breeding

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 - Introduction2:22 - Background11:45 - Getting Into Gundogs17:49 - Starting Trialling29:17 - The Sealpin Prefix34:02 - Buying Lanton Hill36:02 - Crufts40:45 - Labradors vs. Spaniels54:01 - Competing For Scotland

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 BaxterWatch a video on Primrose Hill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-nnMYr25l8 0:00 - Introduction0:40 - Buying Primrosehill Farm4:36 - Starting The Shoot 8:40 - Integrating The Businesses15:25 - Benefitting The Local Economy22:00 - The Day Job 25:10 - The Dogs

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 Labrador12:15 - Breaking Into The America Market22:30 - Does Charlie Have An Agent? 25:35 - Delivering Dogs 28:20 - Employing Staff37:30 - Gaining Momentum45:20 - Lots of Demos

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

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 Testing12:40 - Starting The Brand15:20 - Bringing Production To The UK19:10 - Improving & Expanding The Product28:10 - Expanding Into Retail 30:10 - Subscription Model32:55 - The Future

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?

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 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?

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 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 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 Fieldsports5:50 - 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 Ruins45:20 - Typical Day In The Life