As long as there are actual serious bird hunters, there will be wash out dogs, a dog who works to close all the time, or one with poor scenting ability usually will not make the grade with an avid Grouse hunter, no matter the dog breed. Ripper one of my Gordons is a big moving Gordon who refused to point planted birds for his original owner. The man had the dog worked by a trainer who played Grouse trial games and the dog bulked refusing to point planted birds. Further the shock collar was used on him in the owners home, I know this because of the way Ripper hid under the couch as we fitted his training collar, after he realized the collar would never be on him in the yard or kennel, he started to become a different animal. Ripper when I got him, was collar shy and scared of his shadow, he equated planted birds with very bad times. He will point planted stuff now, but he definitely acts completely different when being hunter on wild Grouse, from the day we got him we played with him in the Grouse woods, and bonded before we ever demanded anything from him. It took some time but Ripper became close to me and trusted me, I let him piss all over the planted bird cages and his talent for finding and pointing (setting) Grouse grew at each outing. Ripper eventually learned to circle running Grouse, cutting them off and setting them up for my gunning, I was truely proud that he had come that far as a Grouse dog, he had a very rough start, he was a slow developer as many of the old time Scott Gordon dog were, but he finished as a serious Grouse hunting machine for me, just as his Scott ancestors did for their owners.
He definitely has the old time goofy Gordon personallity and he loves water, Ripper is a beautiful animal and fits into my Grouse dog kennel like he was born in it. Further the men love to Grouse hunt with him, he takes commands perfectly and really moves in the Grouse woods, Ripper is the kind of Grouse dog a man loves to watch work the woods, he really moves.
RGD/Dave
Ripper with one of his many many prize Grouse, a washout Grouse Trial Dog that excells as a real time Grouse dog. One of my close friends in Potter County wants to own Ripper, needless to say I am having a great deal of trouble letting my friend have him, even though Marty owns his own private Grouse mountain that has a very serious Grouse population. Ripper has earned the right to live in such a home on a Potter county Grouse Mountain, its just real hard letting him go. Ripper is one of my personal Gun dogs. A Gordon Grouse Dog like few others, giving him up would be like removing part of my heart.
A Grander more beautiful Gordon Grouse Dog was never born. Norm Sorby did his job when his kennel produced this boy.
For now, I will work with her as long as she keeps making any imrovements... I'm sure she would not be worth someone elses time and effort but she's my only dog and my 14 year old son is learning reems about training and patience! (so am I!!! 
) But if she does wash out totally... she will be relegated to the sofa competing with my wife for the blanket... 'course, I'll be in the yard with another puppy... 
She is very active pointing birds in the yard and her nose is always working overtime, so who knows.