What are the symptoms? No-goes, flairing off line, bolting? I agree with the others that recommend you train with a local pro or good amateur until you understand the collar. Too many low collar corrections is just nagging and could be confusing to the dog. The dog needs to understand the correction or pressure in order to turn it off.
Now you need to work on a bolting issue- Don't type anything on RTF again until you go visit a pro or get some help from a very experienced person. You will not get the help here you need. Your next post should read, "Any Advice on Pro Trainers in my Area?"
Skinny, this is a wonderful site for bringing a bunch of retriever people together and there is much to discuss, but dog training is so complex and each dog is an individual, so internet advise is problematic. I think any one of us would be a big help to you if we were standing next to you, but without actually seeing your dog and you in action, our advise could be just the opposite of what you need. Some issues need to be dealt with by using more force, while another issue that comes across on the internet as the same, is made much worse using more force. Reading the dog is easy for very experienced trainers, not so easy for beginners.
I think he meant to end the sentence with a period after the word Paul. Wonder is the start of the next sentence.
Your thread title complete with exclamation point reminds me of the time I was training my first puppy with a collar. I put too much pressure on the dog, he didn't know what I wanted so he just shut down. He was maybe 10-12 months old and I thought I had just ruined him. I came home all dejected telling my wife I had just ruined our dog, she ever the sensible one, said it was highly unlikely I could ruin a dog in one session even if I tried. She was right, think long term, do your best and move ahead one day at a time always thinking about the end goal a year or two down the road.
