RE: Best Pointer?
Honestly, what hunter is not going to say that their dog is the best type of pointer/flusher/overall hunting dog. I would argue that 99% of people you ask are going to say their own because (1) that is really all they know or (2) they love their dogs and can’t imagine there could possible be any other breed better. My advice is to do exactly what porknbeans suggested – define your search. You will be much better off considering everything you are looking for besides what people think is the best pointer. Just to give you an example, I originally wanted a Lab because a majority of my hunting is waterfowl in colder climate and I love they way they look and act, etc. But I also have two small kids that so my wife says no to the Lab cause they are too big for small kids – whatever. So, I start looking for a dog with a totally open mind with no other breed even slightly having an advantage and ended up getting a Boykin spaniel. Why – I live on a lake and duck hunt (they are great swimmers) and they are smaller than most other retriver/flushers (wife is happy) and I didn’t know one other person in my are that had one so I figured it would be neat to have something different. And I got lucky getting him from great breeders with an excellent bloodline. Now I will do what every person has the right to do – brag a little about their dog. Mine was swimming for hours non-stop at 6 months and was retrieving at distances I wouldn’t dream of allowing another pup to do at his age. He also doing a great job flushing doves and pheasant at only 9 months and is a great retriever on downed birds both in and out of the water. Now is the Boykin the best breed out there and there is no other possible breed I would ever think about getting – absolutely not. He also takes hours to clean when we hunt in an area with burrs and is a little more hyper than I would have liked (but every individual dog is different). What I can say right now he is an awesome dog with great versatility and he surpasses my needs both at home and in the field – and most of that has to do with getting them from the right breeder (bloodline) and working with him since he was a pup and not because “his breed is better than all others.” So, think about everything you are looking for, give yourself a few options, pick what is right for YOU and most importantly train, train, train. In my honest opinion, no one breed is better than another in every single aspect, but there will be a breed that is better for you when you consider exactly everything you want.