they are all very good hunting dogs they each have their pros and cons. I prefer a lab they can handle the cold a lot better than a pointer and shorter hair than the golden stickers,goat heads and such. The lab is a hard breed to beat not only for hunting, but makes a great family dogs. they are very versital in the field from waterfowl to upland. on the upland some flush and some point you can get several characteristics of different breeds into one.