I didn't realise it would be this hard to get in contact with trainers , I've emailed two local to me a few days ago and followed up with a phone call this morning. Both said they would email me back today....neither have Ann well there's always tomorrow as I guess they're busy at the moment.
Well one got back to me today, yay! I'm slightly nervous now as he said
"Initially before you attend the above I have to assess you both to see if you have the bond and the dog is responding to you in the way I would expect at 6/7 months old."
Just what he says! Is the dog connected to you, does he look to you for direction, have a bond whereby he prefers you over others? Will he come back to you and is comfortable around you - not skeery or frightened etc.
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Cheers Feebarn, I think we may have to work on the liking me over others bit but we should be ok on the rest Eddie frightened of something, now that would be a first!
Well one got back to me today, yay! I'm slightly nervous now as he said
"Initially before you attend the above I have to assess you both to see if you have the bond and the dog is responding to you in the way I would expect at 6/7 months old."
What will he be looking for?
The trainer may not have intended it sound as it did, it may just mean he or she needs to assess before deciding which group to allocate you to.
The whole point of going to a trainer is not to be assessed, it is so you can be taught how to train a dog.
To be assessed is fine if you knew what you should have been doing something in the first place.
I have had 2year old pets come to gundog training, I trained in accordance with the material I had and providing the owner handler was willing to put in the effort it wasn't usually a problem.
Below is a general training schedule that I would work to some may may achieve the level sooner than others, it isn't a race and the schedule doesn't expect that the dog is trained before it arives.The schedule assumes that the owner is practicing between classes and the class was only one night per week.
BEGINNERS
General Training Schedule
AIMS
To walk at heel off the lead
To sit at heel
To sit and stay at a short distance
To come when called
To be steady to falling dummies
To be steady to other dogs
Week- 1 Explain the basic commands including hand signals and whistle
Heelwork in a group
Week- 2 As week 1
Plus steadiness to other dogs
Week- 3 As weeks 1&2 leads on/off
Plus introduce stop whistle when sitting the dog
Steadiness to falling dummies
Week- 4 As weeks 1,2 & 3 but leads off
Increase the distance to approx 15 paces for sit and stay,
Introduce whistle into the recall
Week- 5 Heelwork group session
Check the dogs for steadiness to dummies individually and then as a group
Straight marked retrieve 12-20 yards
Straight marked retrieve as a group in line
Introduce directional exercises, short retrieve from behind and then a short retrieve to the side.
Week- 6 Group session of heelwork, off lead
Direction exercises, as week 5 but try for a left and right.
Week-7 In pairs all of the above to polish any minor faults & explain the requirements of the beginners test
Thanks for the info Andrew, that's pretty much what I'm wanting Eddie to be able to do.
The other trainer just phoned me back and we had a long chat about what I'm looking for etc....guess who's going for his first 1-2-1 lesson in the morning
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, I've emailed two local to me a few days ago and followed up with a phone call this morning. Both said they would email me back today....neither have 
Ann well there's always tomorrow as I guess they're busy at the moment.
