From his earliest teens, and for nearly a decade, Barry was a seasonal highland Ghillie on the prestigious Badanloch Estate in Sutherland. The Head Keeper at that time was Richard MacNicol, a renowned breeder and handler of Pointers, whose recognition is worldwide including becoming a Judge at Crufts.

Grouse were in abundance on the Strath of Helmsdale in the late 80s / early 90s, to such an extent that long held bag records were shattered, and days on the hill often went on in to the early evening, not least because you couldn't get back to the road without stumbling upon healthy covey after healthy covey (Chris Packham wasn't around then - it is ironic that Grouse numbers have tragically declined since he has been?!).

The hot August days meant that dogs couldn't run for very long, and it wasn't uncommon to go to the hill with ten or a dozen. Shooting every day during the early Season necessitated a big squad, and the kennels rarely had less than  20 dogs to cater for. Consequently, Pointers made up a substantial chunk of Barry's formative years, and definitely crystallised his desire for dogs with strong natural instinct, that required slightly less formal training but far more nurturing during early development.