Deciding to get a hunting dog is easy. Deciding which hunting dog to get is where things can get a little tricky.
When you start researching, it’s easy to get tunnel vision. You read about cold-water stamina, upland drive, and blind retrieves, and it’s tempting to just pick the breed with the most hardcore hunting resume. But a hunting dog isn’t just a piece of gear you can hang up when the season ends. You are choosing a roommate for the next dozen-plus years, which means you have to weigh those field traits against your everyday life. You need a dog that fits your hunting style, your climate, and your household. Here’s a breakdown of five of the most popular options.
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
History: The “Chessie” is an American original. The breed traces its roots back to 1807, when two Newfoundland pups—Sailor and Canton—survived a shipwreck off the coast of Maryland. They were subsequently bred with local hounds, spaniels, and “mutts” to create a retriever capable of swimming through the choppy, freezing waters of the Chesapeake Bay to retrieve dozens of ducks a day. Market gunners also relied on Chessies to be guard dogs, ensuring barrels of harvested ducks safely made their way to high-end restaurants in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City without being stolen.
Temperament: Generally speaking, Chessies are all business. They are incredibly loyal, intelligent, and tough, but they aren’t the happy-go-lucky extroverts of the retriever world. Chessies tend to bond tightly to one person or family and can be quite protective around strangers (hence their guard dog instincts). They require a firm, consistent handler, and they have a reputation for testing boundaries.
Hunting: There is no better cold-water retriever on earth. Their dense, oily, waterproof coat allows them to break ice and work in conditions that would leave other breeds hypothermic. If you hunt big water, late-season divers, or freezing tidal marshes, don’t overlook the Chesapeake Bay Retriever.
Average Weight: Male: 65–80 lbs | Female: 55–70 lbs
Average Height: Male: 23–26 inches | Female: 21–24 inches
Coat: Wavy, oily, highly waterproof double coat. Moderate shedder with a naturally musky odor due to coat oils.
Labrador Retriever
History: The Labrador Retriever’s name is a bit of a geographic misnomer. The breed’s ancestor, the now-extinct St. John’s Water Dog, actually originated in 19th-century Newfoundland. These dogs caught the eye of visiting British aristocrats, who brought them back to England and refined them into the modern breed we know today. Over time, the Lab has earned its reputation as the undisputed gold standard for waterfowl hunting and has become the most popular sporting breed in America.
Temperament: There is a reason everyone owns a Lab. They are eager to please, friendly to a fault, and very forgiving of a novice trainer’s mistakes. A Lab wakes up every morning convinced it’s the best day ever, and they genuinely just want to figure out what you want them to do so they can do it. They are fantastic family dogs that can seamlessly transition from the living room to the duck blind.
Hunting: The Lab is the Swiss Army Knife of the sporting dog world. They have the size and coat for cold waterfowl hunts, the nose for upland fields, and the drive to keep going all day. If you aren’t exactly sure what you’re after, or if this is your first hunting dog, getting a Lab is the safest bet you can make.
Average Weight: Male: 65–80 lbs | Female: 55–70 lbs
Average Height: Male: 22.5–24.5 inches | Female: 21.5–23.5 inches
Coat: Short, dense, water-resistant double coat. Heavy shedder.
Golden Retriever
History: The Golden Retriever was quite literally engineered to be the ultimate gentleman’s hunting companion. In the late 1800s, Lord Tweedmouth sought to build the perfect retriever for his Scottish Highlands estate. He bred a wavy-coated yellow retriever with a now-extinct Tweed Water Spaniel, eventually adding small amounts of Bloodhound for tracking and Irish Setter for stamina into the mix. This careful amalgamation of breeds produced a highly intelligent, aesthetically stunning dog capable of swimming frigid lochs for waterfowl and working heavy cover for upland game.
Temperament: Goldens are deeply affectionate and famously sweet-natured. However, they are generally “softer” dogs than Labs and Chessies. They don’t respond well to heavy-handed training methods or excessive pressure; a harsh correction that a Lab might shrug off could cause a Golden to shut down. They thrive on positive reinforcement.
Hunting: While the show-dog industry has turned many Goldens into fluffy couch potatoes, a true field-bred Golden is a spectacular hunting partner. Built closer to Lord Tweedmouth’s original vision, you can usually spot the difference instantly—field Goldens are leaner, highly athletic, and typically sport a darker, reddish-copper coat compared to their pale-colored, show-ring counterparts. They possess phenomenal noses and are soft-mouthed with birds. They excel as upland flushers and are also capable waterfowl retrievers. Field Goldens bring an intense, focused drive while maintaining the eager-to-please attitude that made the breed so beloved in the first place.
Average Weight: Male: 65–75 lbs | Female: 55–65 lbs
Average Height: Male: 23–24 inches | Female: 21.5–22.5 inches
Coat: Long, water-repellent double coat. Heavy shedder. Requires frequent brushing to prevent matting and is a magnet for burrs and mud.
Boykin Spaniel
History: The Boykin Spaniel was bred in South Carolina in the early 1900s to solve two specific problems: retrieving ducks from small, tippy section boats on the Wateree River, and hunting fall wild turkeys. The breed originated from a small stray spaniel named “Dumpy,” found wandering outside a Spartanburg church. L. Whitaker Boykin eventually took the dog in and bred him with another similar-looking stray named “Singo,” found at a train station. Over the years, traits from local Spaniels and Pointers were added until breeders created a compact, 30-to-40-pound firecracker known as “the dog that won’t rock the boat.” Its brown coat even acted as natural camouflage when hiding in the leaves during fall turkey hunts. Today, the Boykin Spaniel is proudly the state dog of South Carolina.
Temperament: Having a Boykin in the house is like living with the Energizer Bunny. Known as “velcro dogs,” they are remarkably affectionate and want to be wherever you are. But don’t let that fool you—they are high-energy working dogs that demand a job. If you don’t give a Boykin an outlet for its energy, it will invent one, and you might not like the results. They are highly intelligent but can bore quickly, requiring more varied and engaging training sessions than a Lab or a Golden who will happily run the same drills on repeat.
Hunting: In the field, Boykins are versatile little rockets. In traditional fall turkey hunting, they are used to track and scatter a flock of birds, then lie dead-quiet at the hunter’s feet while the hunter calls them back into range. They are also exceptional upland flushers and warm-weather duck and dove retrievers. However, their small size and spaniel coat mean they simply aren’t built for breaking ice in January. While a few stubborn Boykin owners may beg to differ, generally speaking, you should leave the freezing late-season retrieves to other breeds.
Average Weight: Male: 30–40 lbs | Female: 25–35 lbs
Average Height: Male: 15.5–17 inches | Female: 14–16.5 inches
Coat: Medium-length, wavy to curly coat. Moderate shedder that requires routine trimming and grooming, especially if hunting in thick brush.
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
History: Developed in the Little River district of Nova Scotia in the 19th century, the “Toller” is the smallest of the retriever breeds. Originally known as the Little River Duck Dog, the breed was created by crossing local spaniels, setters, retrievers, and farm collies to create a dog that looked and moved like a red fox. The hunting method they were bred for is completely unique: the hunter stays hidden in a blind while the dog plays, retrieves sticks, and romps along the shoreline. This erratic behavior—called “tolling”—piques the curiosity of rafted ducks and draws them into shotgun range. Once the birds are down, the dog swims out to retrieve them.
Temperament: Though they may look similar, do not make the mistake of thinking Tollers are just miniature Golden Retrievers. They are intense, highly driven athletes. While loving with their own families, they can be aloof or reserved around strangers. Tollers require a massive amount of mental and physical stimulation to stay sane. They are also famous for the “Toller Scream”—a high-pitched, piercing shriek they let out when they are excited or frustrated. They require a dedicated, creative trainer who can channel that massive drive constructively without crushing their spirit.
Hunting: Tollers are relentless, agile workdogs in the marsh. While tolling live ducks is a lost art for many modern hunters, they still remain exceptional retrievers known for their explosive entry into the water. Despite their small size, they possess a water-resistant double coat and the grit to handle surprisingly cold temperatures.
Average Weight: Male: 45–50 lbs | Female: 37–43 lbs
Average Height: Male: 18–21 inches | Female: 17–20 inches
Coat: Medium-length, water-resistant double coat. Moderate-to-heavy shedder.
The Bottom Line
There is no objectively “best” breed on this list—only the breed that is best for you.
If you are a novice trainer who wants a guaranteed hunting partner and a family-friendly pet, buy a Lab. If you hunt in brutal, freezing conditions and want a rugged, one-man dog, get a Chessie. If you want a small, high-energy companion for early-season ducks and upland fields, a Boykin is tough to beat. Every dog has its day.
Be honest with yourself about your experience level, how much time you have for training, and the conditions you hunt. If you aren’t, your dog will spend the next decade making sure you know it.
