I use to breed and train Goldens, Labs and Chessies. It all break down to what you want and need from a dog. If you have tons of work and can deal with a extreme dog none are better than a Chessie. If you have more than average work, can deal with a strong will dog then a Lab will work. If you need a dog which can be a little versatile, will retrive birds in all but real nasty icy conditions and want a dog that will become tha next member of your family then a Golden will work.
I use to explain it in another way to people. If you have a Golden and someone breaks in to your house and kills you, the Golden will go home with them if they are good at petting them. If you own a Lab he will bark like Hell during the attack and might bite the attacker given enough time. If your dog is a Chessie he might not be able to prevent your death but he will make it his life's work to track down your attacker, kill him and then for good measure kill every other member of his family.
Good blood lines and real hunting stock will work with all three breeds. Problem is finding real hunting breeds. Goldens are so popular that they are often poorly breed and you end up with 105 female dogs. Almost twice the standard for the breed and a monster if hunting out of a small boat. But you will never find a better tempered dog than a Golden. Chessies are making a comeback as a breed but their double layered coat takes some care and can be just a little smelly as a inside dog. Labs, if breed for hunting, are a very versatile dog which has almost no limits to what they can do.
My next dog will be a Golden because it has to fit into our family and must be non aggressive to strangers and kids alike. Had I no limits I would choose a Lab for the versatility. My Chessies days are behind me. You just get tired of having to hit the dog, between the eyes, with a 2 X 4 every time you want to get its attention. That and the fact that you know one day the dog will take the 2 X 4 away from you.
