There is nothing like the bond between a duck hunter and his dog. There are number of good retriever clubs around. You can usually find someone to train with. Don't take everything as the best method but use your head and read different books.

If your just looking for a good retriever, there are a number of good hunting dogs that just don't make it in the field trial game. Normally you can pick them up for a good price. If your looking goto a local field trial and just start asking some of the pros and I'm sure they will help you.