Is it okay to let pup point during walks?

I have a 7 month old GWP pup that I run almost every evening. It is not hunting season so I can't shoot the birds she finds. She is finding quail almost every night and sometime she points them and sometimes she doesn't. I do think she is slowly learning how to handle them and is pointing longer and longer. I have a friend that tells me it is bad to let her keep finding these quail without training her to hold her points on tame quail and shooting them for her to retrieve. I want to know if letting her find these quail and flush them after a momentary point will hurt her.

First of all, your dog is a puppy and puppies need all the experience they can get. The reason she is sporadic on the points is because she is learning. The more she does the better she will get. You are correct on your thoughts. Continue.

As for bad to let her keep pointing without killing a bird for her, I wouldn't use the word bad. It wouldn't hurt to kill one for her every once in a while. It will build desire. Don't worry about the retrieve. If she brings it back, fine. If she runs out and smells it make a big deal out of that too. It is all part of the training. You are just trying to help her understand the game. DON"T try to MAKE her play it. She will come around in her own time.

Now, letting her find quail is great. YOU flush them, not her. She holds her point. Use this time to staunch her and get her used to staying on point for longer and longer periods up to 1 1/2 minutes. Stroke her calmly and whisper to her to hold that point. Push on her a little. She should stiffen. Whisper how good she is. If the quail run. Release her with a touch on the head and let her repoint. You will have a fine dog by the fall.

Terry Germany
JC&T Shooting Sports
griz43@pacbell.net
http://wilcoxwebworks.com/tg/

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