where as the slower,more methodical dog won't cover as much ground, but they won't blow past birds either. For upland birds, both pointers and pointing labs have their positive and negative aspects.
All breeds have their positive/negatives -- it's why we have different breeds. Find the one that matches your style of hunting, has the temperment you like, maybe even the looks you like, and get a pup.
If YOU hunted waterfowl, upland and furred game all in the same day, and you could only have one dog, what would you chose?
Well, I guess I can't make up my mind because I have a DD and a GSP, and have had labs, springer spaniels, and even an English cocker. Here are my observations about the breeds I have owned.
DD - so far very nice. Nice search, good point, medium drive, intelligent, great temperment (a friendly dog, but you would not want to come into my house without me opening the door for you), matures mentally at a medium rate. Likes to retreive but is certianly not retrieve crazy. Not as tough as a lab as far as pressure, but not as stuborn either. We will see, but so far, they are do-it-all dogs. Quiet dogs, not big barkers, chewers, or diggers.
GSP- high drive, super intelligence, friendly. That super high prey drive makes up for lots of stuff, will run huge, will hit the water, is an all day dog. They are sensitive which makes advanced retriever training kind of difficult, they will also hold a grudge if you screw up in training, mature very quickly, and are mentally adult at just a little over a year. They will retrieve readily, but would rather be out making stuff happen. Fur, feathers, blood, it doesn't matter. If your GSP barks, there is something out there. They are not destructive at all.
Labs - high drive, intelligent, some have been pretty hyper. They mature mentally SLOWLY, which means years of puppyhood, which some people do not realize when they get a lab. Awesome retrievers, good upland dogs. Most lack any aggression and are poor guard dogs. Easy to train, especially for beginners. Screw up, wait a day or two, and all is forgiven. It takes a special kind of idiot to mess up a lab -- they are that forgiving. They get bored and can be destructive as hell, some are especially bad chewers.
Spaniels -- I love spaniels, too bad they don't point. They will hunt anything and everything with that spaniel gusto. They are good natured, easily handled, great with kids, they can be nervous. Cold water, heavy brush, or a day at the beach, a spaniel is just glad to be there with you. Probably the best heavy cover pheasant and rabbit dogs you are going to find.
I like them ALL. Dogs are cool! I hate cats though
