To each his own. Having said that, I am concerned that my dogs don't screw up other guys' hunts...they need to stay in range. Also, I am adamant that they are reasonably obedient, AND are good citizens while afield and at camp. My dogs won't win any ribbons, though I have had a few that were sensational and may have! But I tend to fill up my vest on a pretty consistent basis, and that is indicative of something as it relates to my dogs, I believe. I admire the guys who take the time and have the discipline to take their dogs to the level being described here. I give my pups a sensational puppy season...my 9 month old lab has had at least 35 days in MT/ND/SD thus far, and she will get another 8-12 in SD before season ends, plus some time at game farms after that. This spring, at around 11 months she will go to the breeder/trainer and be force fetched and be given the basic gun dog routine...probably spend 10-12 weeks there. That will be that. The E collar will be exceedingly helpful going forward (I don't use one on pups), as will the force fetch training. Again, my dogs aren't ribbon-worthy, as I don't reinforce the training like I should...don't really care, personally. I have quite a few friends that really enjoy the dog games, and it becomes almost as big a deal to them as hunting! I own land in SD, and that is a big consumer of my time in the off season, taking care of food plots, spraying for thistle, etc, etc. Not like it takes a whole bunch of my time, but I am the land access guy, and I will be at a graduation in May, a wedding in June, and another wedding in August out in SD...all farmer's kids...was already at a funeral back in January of 2019 in SD and a visit to a sick farmer in ND in May and the funeral for said farmer in June of this year. I probably make 4-5 trips a year to ND/SD for these things, which may be an excuse, but having a highly polished dog just isn't a huge deal to me...very cool, for sure...kind of like shooting...I may do a round or two of sporting clays in the summer, or a few rounds of skeet, but I don't spend too much time doing that...I am not a great shot, but I kill my fair share of birds without missing too many "gimmees"...and I kill my fair share of tough birds...but I am not a great shot, I just shoot where the bird is going to be, not where it is...seems to work!