re: Dog Trainer: Who should I use?

I just got a lab/brittany spainel mix that I was looking to get trained, but I'm just going to do it myself. It's not the cost that really bothers me, it's the time that it would be away. I'd rather build a bond with the dog than send it away for 4-6 months.

Now, I've never trained a dog before, so I have no idea how this is going to turn out. Reading as much as I can and getting advice from people I know who train.