I would say a pointing lab is hard to beat. I have one out of the blackjack kennels line in Kansas and she is 60 lbs and tough as nails. Hunts all day long and has an excellent point. Not to mention she is a great duck dog. When I was in Kansas she out hunted my buddies English pointer hands down. Many more pheasant killed over my lab than the pointer. I think it is all a matter of blood lines. You get what you pay for in any dog breed.