I also have a PL, who is still a pup, but has begun to point birds. She will flush runners, but is beginning to point pheasants, chukar, etc. in cover that are sitting.
What is more important, to me, than her developing ability to point, is her craziness about game birds, and being able to find them. There is simply no quit in this dog, and she is a little over a year old. With age, she will do nothing but improve, and I am giving her every opportunity possible to hunt birds.
My last Lab was a PL from Black Forest, when Dellery Guillory still owned it. She was a pup from the great Gumbo, and a better hunting dog would be very hard to find.
There is no 'pointing gene' in these dogs- they are simply descendants of dogs who have shown a strong tendency to point, and continue to be bred to further that tendency. Not all 'pointing labs' point, and some regular labs develop that tendency on their own.
There is something very satisfying to see your dog lock up on point, let you walk up, and flush the bird at shoelace range!
