just as a thought,,, you could always go beating without the dog to see if you like it,,,many shoots have people there with no dogs just literely beating or to tell the truth
walking round in the mud and rain on a day when everyone thinks your quite mad(and you will also think ur insane) waving a flag getting dirty but really enjoying the company and the exercise......will give you a real insight into the working dog enviorment and what is involved and expected,,,,,just dont get put off when you see really well trained dogs thinking you could never do that,, rem they have had loads of traaining to get there and youre only starting.....they were the same once!!!!!
as for being "fluffy"....lol never worry you have to rem all the game is being reared for the shoot and they have been well looked after,,,and if a shoot has a return rate of 50% this is considered really good which means the other pos 50% run wild and these will be the birds ppl see in the fields in the summer etc so enhancing the wild stock.......its not all shooting nothing put back.....