Keith owned and trained his first dog in 1954 in general obedience. His father, William Kirkpatrick, owned fishing trawlers and pearl shell luggers, so consequently Keith became a Boat-Builder and served his 5-year apprenticeship, finishing in 1959. His apprenticeship was shortly followed by his National Service. In 1960, the RAAF recruited a Boat Builder, and so Keith sat for the qualifying exam and gained entry to 2AD detachment B Neutral Bay Sydney servicing P T crash boats and studying Naval Architecture. Within 3 months Keith made contact with Jack Goldstein who was involved in the supply of dogs for Richmond Air base and considered the best Australia could offer. He then purchased a German Shepherd Dog named Khan and started training in nest. He trained and trained his dog to UD standard in Sydney.

Since then Keith’s interest grew from a part time trainer to a profession, which lasts to the present day. In 1970, Keith and his wife came to Brisbane and bought acreage at Gumdale and on this land; he formed his own Fencing Company, ‘Brisbane Fencing Industries’ while also starting to train dogs. In 1974, he formed ‘Cherokee Farm Pty Ltd’ and it became an established Dog Training Centre. Keith then started classes on a Sunday morning and eventually had over 100 people and their dogs attending. From this evolved the 8-week course, which many other establishments have copied. He was the first to have the Live in Training and this proved to be a big success and it still is today.

Keith has trained dogs for Jamie Dunn, Jackie McDonald, Michael Beattie, financier Noel Whittaker, and Mike Doohan, to name a few. He has supplied dogs to Movie World and a trained German Shepherd for Paramount Pictures. The ABC did a National TV segment on Michael Beattie’s dog with two film producers following their progress from start to finish. This segment was called BOOT CAMP FOR DOGS. Jackie McDonald also followed the same format on her National Television programme “HEALTHY WEALTHY AND WISE”. He has appeared on several children’s programmes and lectured school children on the ways to handle a dog correctly, which was always well received.

When Sally-Anne Atkinson was Mayor, he was on the committee set up by the Brisbane City Council to create a set of regulations to for the control of dogs in Brisbane. Keith was also the President of the German Shepherd Dog Club of Queensland for many years, forming the German Shepherd Dog Demonstration Team. This team was always thoroughly enjoyed by the crowds, the dogs going through the fire hoops a favourite with all the family members. This display can be seen at the start of his Video on Dog training for the Novice, which also contains the 8 week course.

Keith is very proud of the people he trained that have gone on to own their own business and have become top dog handlers and dog Judges.