I'll start off saying that I am not going to do what most people do and say that the breed of dog they own is the best and there is no other dog breed that could possibly match up. Just here to give you another option, although it is not as traditional as the Brittany or Springer. I hunt over a Boykin Spaniel, 40 top end for a male and 30 for a female with ranges between 25-40 pounds. I am mostly a duck hunter and the Boykin is a strong swimmer who meets the wife's household size requirement. But I also hunt the field for dove and pheasant and he does great (only 11 months). I believe most hunters who own Boykins actually get them to hunt in the field. Anyway, I love Brittanys too and would love to get one for my second dog - I would get another Boykin, but why not have two different breeds to compliment one another. Good Luck