find and join a local retriever club and they will help you with all you need

So I can join even though I don't have a retriever yet?

Freddy King from Echo calls has an entire 27 video program on his you tube channel. It's free and it's similar to Smartworks or Total Retriver Training. Full step by step program from a young dog learning basic obedience to a fully trained blind running dog.

Yes you can go ahead and join and see what it's all about until you get your pup. As far as they will help you with all you need, very doubtful. It will help, but you will still be doing 90% of the training on your own or with the help of a few friends or club members. The club cant meet with you everyday and that's what it take to train a dog. Consistent step by step progress everyday or almost everyday is the key.

Follow a quality program like the one from Freddie King, Smartworks by Evan Graham or TRT by Mike Lardy. Water dog is outdated and was never all that great to begin with, it will help get you a trained gun dog but you will get much better results with the ones I named above, same with 10 minute retriever it's a good basic starting point but it doesn't finish the job. For the puppy stages Bill Hillmans videos are great if you new to dog training and don't know where to start.

My advice is buy Mike Lardy's printed Volumes 1-3, maybe 1-4 and watch Freddie Kings videos since they are free. Follow them step by step, do not skip steps and take your time and do the job right the first time. If you do that, assuming you have a quality pup that is bred for the work you will end up with a fine retriever that you will be proud of.

I don't know about up there in that area but down where I'm at the club would have training days and I have many times seen a pro help out a beginner with pointers and if you find the right trainer he will show you step by step like I was taught. Get out there and learn the game. watch and soak up all the info you can. then when you get your pup take it along and someone will help you out. my advise is find a HRC club because the AKC crowd is less welcoming. Heck come to crockett in april for my club's spring Hunt Test and I will show you around and give you all the help you need. PM me if you want to try and set it up.