cocker spaniel?

[Blackrose]

If you want a dog to be used for hunting, make sure you buy from a breeder that hunts with their dogs. Most Cocker Spaniels today, at least from show breeders, probably have little to no hunting drive in them.

It also depends what type of hunting you do. Differen't dogs do differen't things. Labs are retrievers. Cockers are, most definitally, spaniels. Beagles are hounds. Each "type" does different things.

You also need to take into consideration ease of training, good with other animals, size, and other tendancies....do research on all of the breeds you are interested in. Contact their breed clubs and ask for breeder referalls.

Good luck with your search!

[Twisterdog]

Blackrose made a good point - what type of game do you wish to hunt? Do you want a water retriever, for ducks? Or a flusher/pointer for pheasants? That would make a huge difference in the breed of dog that might be best for you.

I think most of the ear/mole/peeing problems identified with cockers are much more applicable to American cockers. The English cocker has far fewer grooming, coat, ear, mole and "happy pee" issues than the American. Obviously, that's a generality, but one based on previously owning both breeds, and grooming for twelve years.

We had an ECS when I was a kid. She was seriously one of the best behaved, sweetest dogs I've ever known. She was a wonderful dog, and she was as trustworthy as any dog I've known off-leash. Off-leash recall is a learned behavior, it takes training. I've known a LOT of labs who could not be trusted off-leash for thirty seconds.