a dog is a black sheet of paper
you get out of then what you put into them
YES some have more natural ability's , but training is key to what they will work and do for you
there nose will be what ever they have, , again some have better here than others, but all dogs more or less have hunt in them , its your job to develop it in something better!
if you want your dog to HUNT game safely, DON"T be letting it chase game freely
its NOT how hunting game is done(minus rabbits and some odd things)
but if your looking for upland game dog like hunting
I would encourage it to chase rabbits and squirrels
in the early days its OK to get drive going, but a GOOD Bird dog doesn't run down birds, unless wounded and told to do so!
they FIND them and the flush them in a controlled manor!
a free roaming wild dog will flush things out of range and can be very dangerous to the dog if it chases them into dangers, from roads and traffic, to stumps and barb wire
a dog that listens to commands and hunts for YOU< and NOT IT< is what you want!
and all that comes from training!
I have hunted over a few outstanding so called MUTTS, that put many of pure bred dogs to shame
but to be honest, it was the training and times spent getting them that well that mattered more IMO!
training is also a great bonding between you and the dog, make it fun and enjoy it, will make for a much more well rounded dog in the end and a friend as well!