Larry L wrote:
snip
sorry for all this, must be important to me

...

Please don't apologize. As a total neophyte and anxious
new trainer of my first gun dog I read every word. I was
hoping for a little more info on how to avoid the dreaded
Phase 2. ;-)

And a word or two on a related subject. In one of your
responses you gracefully evaded a snarky comment from
one of roff's **** stirrers about $1500 puppies. Well,
it just so happens my new puppy costs $1500. ;-)

No matter what you pay for a puppy up front, $200 to the
local shelter ($100 fee + $100 donation), $500 to the
Amish puppy mill or $1500 to a reputable breeder it will
amortize to insignificance over the life of the puppy.
When Kipper got sick at the end of his life he cost us
way more than $1500 at the U of I Vet Med Oncology Center
and his referring vet but we'd have gladly paid three times
that amount for another year of Kipper the Hound.

--
Ken Fortenberry