Hi Chuck,
Most will suggest dog breeds they own and I'm no different. The best hunting dogs I have had the pleasure of hunting with have been German Shorthairs or English Setters. I would not own a dog with long hair as the time spent combing out dirt and burrs plus the balling up of snow between the toes (in Northeast) is just too much. I want a tough dog that I can hose off and is good around the house. Now that I endorse the German Shorthair I must say some can be kind of crazy so make sure you meet mom and Dad, my two are pretty mellow around the house but very driven in the field.
All that said no matter what breed you choose meet the parents and check out their personality and hunting prowess.Maybe getting a started pup will give you closer to the sure thing nothing worse then getting a new hunting dog that follows you around in the field or can't tell a Quail from a donut. Must of us still fall in love with the mutt and keep it even though it is pretty bad.
Good Luck,
Jeff G.
