What is your favorite hunting dog and why ?

I’m partial to spaniels. They’re smart, birdy & super tough in a sturdy, medium sized package.

I’ll be shopping for a new pup next winter and am leaning towards either a French Britt or English cocker. My best friend just brought home an awesome sweet and birdy as hell springer so I’ll see what is available next year and grabs my fancy.
 
lab guy. Like the versatility of hunting both waterfowl and upland. Plus just grew up around them. German wirehair was almost my next dog. Had to put my lab down unexpectedly this fall so family wanted another lab pup this april getting excited.

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I've had several really good bird dogs. Brittanies, a German Shorthair, a Lab, and English Pointers. The English Pointers are my hands down favorite. As good as the other dogs were, none could match the nose, intensity, style, and bird finding ability of my Pointers. My current female Pointer, who might go 40 pounds after dinner, is an absolute machine.
 
We have a Boykin Spaniel and it has been an amazing little puppy so far. They are great around the house with the kids and terrific all around hunting companions. I'm allergic to a lot of dogs so the small size helps as well.
 
I am a Springer fan. Have had two over the past 25 years and both were excellent hunters with two very different styles. One would slide into the water like a crocodile to retrieve, the other launch into water like fired from a cannon. Both were fun to watch, they did the hunting and all I had to do was the shooting. Outstanding pheasant dogs. I look forward to getting a new pup in a year or two.

I love dogs in general and have hunted over many different breeds that friends have owned over the years, pointers, flushers, and retrievers. It is amazing the memories that burn into your mind hunting over good dogs, shooting birds with friends. Cannot imagine a life without them.

The silent memories I have being in the field with these wonderful companions and hunters, their cold noses and warm hearts, have left me a pile of wonderful memories. I’m grateful for each and every one of them, regardless of breed.

(But Springers for me..)
 
I enjoy watching any working dog doing what it was bred for.
Over the years I’ve owned and had tremendous success with labrador retrievers for water fowl and shed hunting, treeing walkers, blueticks, black and tans, english coonhounds, mountain curs and black mouth curs for hunting all manner of tree game from squirrels and coon the bear and mountain lion.

Here’s a few of my current dogs
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Hounds are my favorite followed by cow dogs (for cows, pigs and giving tired hounds a hand). I like watching any good dog work doing what it does best.
 
My favorite is one that won’t mess with a skunk.

I love watching any dog do a job it was bred for though. I don’t own any hunting dogs now but do use dogs to work cattle. I hope to have a German shorthair that can retrieve dove and point a few quail one day.


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GWP! My wirehair has a great nose and tons of drive. He's best in the upland fields and will hunt in the nastiest late season Nebraska weather I can stand. He loves the water and is a natural retriever. He starts the season September 1st working on dove and teal, hunting most weekends through the end of pheasant season January 31st. He doesn't mark or blind retrieve as well as a lab, can't handle opening weekend of pheasant season heat as well as a shorthair, and can't handle cold water as well as a chessy, but he'll find pheasants with the best of then and won't stop until I tell him to. And he's great with my 8, 6, and 4 year old kids. His nose, drive, and versatility will have me looking for another wirehair when the time comes.
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There are some great breeds out there, all with different strengths and weaknesses. Find one that fits your hunting style and it's a real gamechanger!
 
we all have our favorite. not one is best suited for everything. I'd need 5-6 different dogs to optimize every hunting situation. thats why all the different breeds exist.

that said, I'm a lab guy too. does 99% of my upland bird hunting and will hunt late january ducks and geese without hesitate in sub zero weather... and enjoy it. I'm not sure I could ask for a better family dog too.
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