My 1st hunting dog was a golden retriever. I got him when he was two, but the former owner never trained him for hunting. He was a great pet, but just didn't have a nose for finding birds in cover. However, the biggest problem was keeping him dry (house dog) and away from stickers etc. Spent too much time pulling stickers after every hunt. Because of that, I have had labs ever since. Again, just personal opinion based on my years of experience...