Greta is a pointer and my trainer did say I should avoid hunting her with flushers for the first year or two until her point is rock solid, as such it would be best to either hunt with other pointing dogs or split field time if I go with someone that has flushers.
I have not be training with NAVHDA, that was the original plan and I went to one of their first events of the year at Four Brooks but between getting promoted, my wife becoming anemic, and my appendix deciding it wanted out of this relationship there wasn't a lot of time left for training so that's why I decided on sending her to a professional trainer, also as she's my first dog I just wasn't confident I could do it. It is expensive but I had been saving and selling some things in order to afford the NAVHDA memberships, Kelly Farms pass, and then birds, so I had the money set aside. In case this question is asked later, she is going to West Country Kennels for her 4 weeks of training.
The trainer who did gun and bird did introduce the e-collar, I only use it for the come command, always two tones first, then a vibrate if she still isn't coming, and then finally to nicks until she sits next to me. The trainer only used the nick, I taught the tone and vibrate.
As to availability, weekdays are an option depending on work and if given enough of a heads up, 1-2 weeks, otherwise weekends are also an option.