re: Labradoodle for duck hunting?

I searched up and down for a dog a few years ago. I looked hard for the coolest breed out there. I was gonna train and hunt over the dog plenty, so I needed a dog that could make multiple water retrieves reliably. I couldn’t justify putting a lot of time and money into a dog with a high probability of failing. I knew I would love whatever dog I got, so why risk the potential hunting flop? I got a black lab and I think she’s awesome (like everyone who owns a dog). The difference is she panned our to be an amazing hunter who easily loves it more than any human could ever fathom.

You can get a $1000 lab pup that will almost guaranteed be a serviceable hunter. Why chase the fancy breeds and risk that unknown?