Anyone ever apply the Monks techniques to a GSP?  I've read their books and listened to audio.  we intend to adopt a GSP soon and wondering about experiences.

Open to other resources / methods per your recommendations as I intend to make the most of my time and the pups!

I like the Monks of New Skete and their methods and use some of them.  As others said though it really depends on the dog and what you want to do.  I use a mixture of training methods, but mostly positive reinforcement and allot of play time as rewards.  I have found that shorthairs are very smart, but also get bored very quickly if you do too much repetitive training.  The more fun you can make it the better you will be.  I also think getting your dog out and around other people and dogs is important. They need to learn to behave properly in as many situations as possible. 

I am also a proponent of ecollars in the right place.  I use them sparingly, but I do use them for things like a reliable recall.  If you use the ecollar though, you must know what you are doing or you can really mess up a good dog.

So, my suggestion is find a good place that offers dog training and enroll you and your dog.  You will learn more than your dog in the class (most handlers do).  You will also have a resource for questions, your dog will get lots of social interactions with other dogs and people, and it is allot of fun.