I lost my last dog to cancer almost 2 years ago. Before I rescued the lab/golden cross that I am very pleased to own, I did alot of reserch and asked alot of questions. I needed a dog that would hunt casually, but be more of a family dog than strictly a hunting dog. He had to be able to tolerate small children, and while I don't have a problem with him burning up tons of energy outside he needed to be well behaved inside the house. I wanted to have a dog that would go backpacking with me on the weekends and remain by my side on those trips yet would be able to get out in front and do a fair job of tracking upland birds, mostly pheasants, flushing them and rtrieving them for me. LABS are definately my first choice, but that is because I have owned several over the last 30 years and I have always been able to count on them for versatility. One dog popped up in my research, that might be just what you are looking for. That dog is called a Pudelpointer. While I never heard of a Pudelpointer before, I learned that this dog has the capability to be a fine working dog and a dedicated family dog. The breed is quite an old breed in Germany and has been bred to be an all around dog with emphasis being placed on their hunting ability. I love Labs and my last 2 dogs have been lab/golden crosses that I rescued and I could not have been any happier with them than I was, however I think, based on the research that I have done, that Pudelpointers deserve a look as an all around dog. I certainly will be considering one the next time I am in the market for a new pal. For more info on this breed go to http://www.pudelpointer.org. This site has a bunch of info on the breed and its history. No matter what dog you choose remember that he needs to be a part of your family every day and he will bring you as much joy as he possibly can if you make him a part of your family. Good luck with whatever breed you choose.