Zdawg, You need to develop a standard and enforce that standard wether you are hunting or training.
Setting up a training scenario where he performs the non desired actions (whining/creeping) and developing the standard for the desired action & correction for the non desired action is the way to fix issues like this.
Once he understands the standard, it can be enforced while hunting.
Do you have a buddy that can help you train? I'd set up a normal hunting scenario with your decoys, layouts, dog blind, guns with popper loads and calls. Have your friend hidden with bumpers, dead birds, live birds, a primer pistol, and a gun with poppers and live loads.
Start off with just a bit of light calling, have you buddy throw a bumper and shoot the primer pistol. Dog moves or whines, he gets corrected and your buddy picks up the bumper. Repeat until no movement or whining. Dog does not get to retrieve until desired action is performed.
If it goes well increase the excitement level to a dead bird thrown after a bit more calling and some "get ready", "coming from the left" etc. Again, any whining or movement equals correction and retrieve denial.
Keep progressing up to where a few people are calling, waving goose flags, yelling "here they come!", and have the thrower toss that live cackling rooster pheasant and everybody unloads their guns on it! These tactics work to induce opportunities for correction on even the best behaved retrievers.
Good luck. Feel free to call me if you want to talk through it.
