Does shooting over dog improve its point?

[Kiki]

My 8 mos EP has little to no point thus far. I run her on wild birds about once a week and her bird finding abilities are pretty good. She knows how to seek birdy cover and knows to quater when in homozygous cover. She is coming along great with the obedience too and even whoas off lead. We've been following the "Perfection Kennels" videos, but because she is on the softer side I whoad myself once we got to "whoaing on birds". Maybe I'm just being to cautious. What are your thoughts and at what age or point should I start worrying my dog won't point? Will shooting a bird over her help to improve her point? Thank you for your time.

[RoostersMom]

I'd use automatic launchers and pigeons to help her hold point. As soon as you know she has a good nose full of scent, pop the bird out. Continue in this vein until she learns that every time she takes a step when she smells a bird - the bird will fly away. Pretty soon she'll make the connection. You might need to do it with dozens of pigeons, but my almost 2 year old shelter EP was starting to hold on the second day of this. We had put about 6 birds in front of her by this point. We only did this in small sessions - about 3-4 birds per session, launchers placed in different parts of the field. Dog brought in across the scent cone, close enough that you KNOW she has to smell the bird, but not so close that the launcher would bother her.

[Kiki]

I'd use automatic launchers and pigeons to help her hold point. As soon as you know she has a good nose full of scent, pop the bird out. Continue in this vein until she learns that every time she takes a step when she smells a bird - the bird will fly away. Pretty soon she'll make the connection. You might need to do it with dozens of pigeons, but my almost 2 year old shelter EP was starting to hold on the second day of this. We had put about 6 birds in front of her by this point. We only did this in small sessions - about 3-4 birds per session, launchers placed in different parts of the field. Dog brought in across the scent cone, close enough that you KNOW she has to smell the bird, but not so close that the launcher would bother her.

Wow! Are you using a check cord? Do the dogs see this excercise different then actually flushing wild birds? Kiki has had many oppurtunities to learn that if she moves the birds will fly away, on wild birds. For example, this morning she found about 6 coveys of brown francolin. The scenting conditions this time of year are pretty bad. About 90F and the wind is blowing around 20-25 mph. But even when the wind isn't blowing that hard it still doesn't improve her point. I am able to tell when she is birdie. I really want us both to succeed at this.

[Kiki]

Thanks for the help Rooster. I took your advice and it really worked.

OK, so I made some homemade remote launchers, and took Kiki out with some pigeons. Wow! what a difference. I ran her with her check cord and whoad her when she stopped on scent. I'm not sure if it was the new bird scent in the field that made her hold point, but she defintely has a point in her. I had a hard time making everything work like the videos but it went pretty good. I came home to tweak the launchers and it should only get better from here. Here are some pics of the launchers.