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New training videos from Britain - Looks neat.

28K views 92 replies 35 participants last post by  GulfCoast 
#1 ·
This guy is a trainer and lab breeder as well as a field trial judge. He has many dogs who are field trial champions and trial winners. He travels all over Europe judging field trials and holding seminars.

http://vimeo.com/53659433
 
#3 ·
I always think that with all the practice those British dogs get jumping and climbing fences, they must be a little trickier to keep kenneled :)
 
#5 ·
Jennifer Loved the scenery (so beautiful) and loved what the dogs did. They probably are very fit and agile. No collars on. :)Certainly different than our DVD's setup. Of course they are for Gundogs! Would be interested to know if Colonel Blimp knows of this fellow and what his comments would be about his achievements??
Thanks for sharing.
 
#13 ·
Hey, who ya callin' olde?

Eug is just seasoned. :p
 
#16 · (Edited)
I'm afraid I don't know of Keith Mathews or Copperbirch Labradors.

The adult sires (2) on his website are well enough bred and have very good hip scores, but neither has ever won a Trial or been made up to Field Trial Champion. The pedigrees show a strong representation of Irish dogs as you'd expect, plus some well regarded names from the rest of the UK. One sidelight might be the dog mentioned by Kirk; the full title should read "Copperbirch Paddy of Leadburn". This implies that the Leadburn kennel bought the pup and made it up to FTCh. If Billy Steele sees Copperbirch as having that sort of potential there isn't much too wrong.

I'm always griping on about the modern non collar method being poorly represented in the literature; if the DVDs go some way towards rectifying that, well and good. However £100 seems a biggish price to pay for something unreviewed or having a few trailer clips.

Jennifer
I'm confused as to wether you admire "seasoned" men for their savoir faire and experience, or because they are too old and knackered to deploy either and thus won't give a girl any bother!

Eug
 
#20 ·
Ok, here is a snippet from Keith Mathews resume:

Trainer of Field Trial Champions
In 2008 Keith won the most prestigious title on the Irish Field Trial calendar the “Irish Kennel Clubs Retriever of the Year title” and his FTCH bitch was declared “National Supreme Champion”.
Keith attributes his success to his ability to use his dog behavioural background and understanding of the canine mind to train his Labradors to Field Champion standard.
He is totally opposed to the traditional methods of gundog breaking and uses only positive training methods and his unique “Calmness Leads to Reward” dog training and behaviour method which he applies to his gundog training.
As an international Field trial judge, Keith has judged, competed and lectured and held workshops on gundog training and pet dog behaviour all over the world. He works his gundog’s fulltime on a variety of different terrains throughout the hunting season in Ireland.
Breeder of Champions
As a breeder, Keith’s Copperbirch Labrador line is one of the most sought after Irish working lines in the world and has been the Top Producing Labrador Kennel in Ireland for the last decade.
At the time of printing , Keith has bred The Irish Retriever of the Year. The three times winner of the Icelandic Championship. The Australian Retriever of the Year, FTCH’s who have been placed in the Irish Championship as well as FTCH’s who have qualified for the IGL British Retriever Championship. He has bred numerous FTCH’s as well as a further 27 dogs who have gained Field Trial awards in several different countries around the world.

And apparently, he has a hit TV show on BBC as the British version of the Dog Whisperer - but he is called the Dog GURU. For what it's worth.

Jen
 
#25 ·
Retriever Training Guru Style

Hi Jennifer, I was passed this thread by Keith Mathews. I am the Producer/Director of the 4 DVD set on "Retriever Training Guru Style". The production took three years to complete and was filmed in Ireland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark. The 4 DVD set concentrates on positive methods of training, where the dogs want and look forward to working, they are not compelled or forced into retrieving. Keith has a very natural style and his dogs are very willing and enthusiastic at what they do best, retrieving. Keith and I will be posting several 'tasters' or 'promos' of the DVD set and everything which is shown is contained in the production. If you have any additional questions please get in touch. Harry
 
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#27 · (Edited)
Thanks Labber. Sounds like both you and I are going off of incomplete information and need some facts. Maybe Harry Cook would please chime in on this issue?

Although, I did chat with Keith directly over facebook yesterday and I asked him point blank if he had made up and FTCHs and he said yes, then sent me his resume, which I cut and pasted part of into an earlier post. That part of the resume did kind of gloss over detail, but maybe Harry Cook can further enlighten us. Don't think $150 is all that expensive for a complete puppy to adult DVD set. That seems to be the going rate here in the states. Plus, looks like Keith's set is a BIT more attractive scenery than some we have here.

But it's true, would be nice to get some detail on whether he has made up FTCH and how many.
 
#28 ·
Hi Jennifer, I just read your latest post and the one from Labber. It would be interesting to know where Labber get's his information, because he is obviously misinformed, Keith's success on the competition field in Ireland is well documented, as is his reputation as an Internationally renouned canine behaviourist. Keith's remarkable ability to train is demonstrated on the DVDs, step by step as the dogs are trained, the DVD's show problems and how they are fixed.

As the producer/director of the programmes I came to it with an open mind, I watched other DVD's which have been produced, these did indeed use already trained dogs and anyone, even I could make a DVD around that. This DVD set is however very different. At the outset only puppies were trained and their advancement filmed as their training progressed. Keith deliberately chose puppies with 'soft' temperaments, hard going temperaments in order to demonstrate on-screen how to train dogs of all temperaments to the highest standard. No harsh methods were used in the training, no E-collars, no punishment, only Keiths ability to release the dogs natural instinct The reason it took 3 years to make was because the progression from puppy to fully trained gundogs had to happen in 'real-time'. In addition I sought to make it visually engaging, hence the film locations used. I understand that you have ordered the DVD's and I have no doubt that you will find them informative, entertaining and above great value for money. I realise that Keith is not as well known in the USA, but this DVD set will change that. Warmest regards. Harry
 
#31 ·
Keith's success on the competition field in Ireland is well documented, as is his reputation as an Internationally renouned canine behaviourist.
Harry, we appreciate your passion and response, however, I think Labber and maybe others are asking about the "documentation". Where is it?

In the US , field trial results, dog performance, owners and handlers, are readily available.
 
#36 ·
Any technique from any country that improves our retriever training, is worth absorbing. This might mean you have to overlook the differences in the small details, but that effort may be worthwhile if you learn something new about a bigger concept.

Not saying they do it better or necessarily know more than the US experts, I haven't even seen the DVDs, but I'll bet there are things to be learned from anyone who is successful at what they do. Especially if the scenery is REALLY pretty!

Jen
 
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