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The DogFather

Charlie Thorburn

Charlie Thorburn has been training dogs for 25 years and welcomes you to the DogFather, a show which talks to people from all countries and walks of life about how dogs have impacted their lives and businesses.

New episode every week.

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  • 27 episodes
  • Updated July 26

Episodes27

Newest first
  • July 26 · 51 min

    The Man Who INSPIRED Mordor Gundogs

    Charlie is joined by his old friend, Ollie Routledge, whose early shooting trips with Blaze the Cocker helped spark Charlie's passion for dogs and, ultimately, led to the creation of Mordor Gundogs. Join them as they take a trip down memory lane, reminiscing about their university days, their first dogs, and the shooting trips that started it all. 0:00 - Introduction 0:43 - University Days 17:43 - Ollie’s & Charlie’s Early Dogs 34:43 - Growing Up 42:43 - What Ollie Does Now

  • July 12 · 42 min

    Running The Most FAMOUS Shoot In The World

    Charlie is joined by John Duncan who owns Newlands estate in Dumfries, and along with Roxtons Sporting which runs the shooting at Drumlanrig Castle. 0:00 - Introduction 0:49 - Newlands House History 10:20 - Evolution of Shooting 17:54 - Taking on Drumlanrig 24:30 - Impact on Community 31:00 - Roxtons Sporting Agency 34:39 - John’s Dogs

  • June 25 · 1 hr 2 min

    Charlie Gets POLITICAL! Shooting Critics, Habitat & Breeding Ethics

    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

  • May 29 · 46 min

    Novice To The British Championships In A Few Years - Kim Stewart

    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

  • April 28 · 57 min

    “Springers Are Spaniels, But Cockers Are Little People” — Charlie vs. Edward Martin

    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?

  • April 11 · 1 hr

    The Original DogFather? Edward Martin's 6 Decades Training Dogs

    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

  • February 26 · 30 min

    How Shooting Transformed This Local Community: Primrose Hill

    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

  • February 5 · 40 min

    Why I Started YouTube (And What’s Coming Next)

    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

  • January 24 · 50 min

    This American Family Have Bred Gundogs For 136 Years: Setters, Brittanys & Labradors

    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

  • January 13 · 47 min

    How Mordor Gundogs Went Global: Selling Dogs Across the World

    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.

  • Dec 12, 2025 · 41 min

    U.K. vs. U.S. Labradors: How They’re Worked & Bred Differently

    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

  • Dec 1, 2025 · 46 min

    The Man Behind The Most Loved Hunting Store In America - Kevin Kelly

    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

  • Nov 16, 2025 · 35 min

    "Fresh Dog Food Makes Your Dog Live 3 Years Longer On Average" - Harry Bremner of Tuggs

    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

  • Nov 8, 2025 · 46 min

    EYE SPECIAL: Can Dogs See Colour? Can They See In The Dark? Sight vs. Scent & More!

    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/

  • Nov 1, 2025 · 35 min

    Charlie’s First American Client On His Journey With Dogs - Including 9 Mordor Dogs!

    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?

  • Oct 25, 2025 · 50 min

    They Ship Dogs All Around The World: But How Do They Do It? - Airpets

    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/

  • Oct 18, 2025 · 32 min

    From An Ecological Desert To Award Winning Estate - Philip Blount

    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

  • Oct 10, 2025 · 20 min

    Stud Dogs, Picking Up 120 Days A Year & Are Dog Training Courses Worth It? - Katie Smith

    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