Which would be best for retreiving Quail and Doves.A English cocker or Lab?
An English Cocker is ideal for your intended purposes. As a fellow Carolinian, you know how hot the dove fields can get in September. The Cocker will fair a bit better than most Labs in those conditions. They are tenacious bird dogs and they make great companions. There is an English Cocker AKC field trial each year in the Rural Hall area of N.C. It is usually in mid to late January. I suggest you check it out, as you will be thoroughly impressed with the dogs. Battue knows the breed very well, and his dog Merlot, is the real deal. I’ve had the pleasure of watching him burn up the South Dakota prairie.
. Take any of his advice that you can get.
Nothing wrong with Labs either, as there is a lot of overlap in ability between the two breeds. As a breed, the Labrador is an absolute waterfowl specialist, ideally suited for the task. I’m doing my best to raise one into a hunting dog right now. A man should consider himself lucky to have a specimen of either breed.
