To accomplish any task, it’s helpful to have the right tools. The same goes for hunting dogs. Depending on the type of game you hunt and the tasks you want the dog to perform, there are several factors to consider when choosing the best gun dog. As you can imagine, opinions vary about which hunting dog is best. American Hunter’s Ron Spomer compares some of the most common gun dog breeds and gives his top pick. The winning gun dog may surprise you.
“Hunting dogs are a bit like hunting rifles—they’re all good for something, but none are perfect for everything. Those of us who want it all might be barking up the wrong tree, but we keep searching for the .30-06 of dogs, a breed that comes closest to handling all our hunting chores: find, point, flush, trail, chase and fetch. And clean their own kennels … maybe hunt antlers in spring … guard the castle and look handsome doing it. That’s a good dog. But it ain’t gonna happen. Nevertheless, we can sort out those breeds that come closest to our ideal.”
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Photo by: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
