Pointer/Pointing Dog Question

Ok...here's a weird one for you. Is pointing something that dogs can be taught or is it typically a genetic thing? I have a bullmastiff mix that goes into a point when he spots small animals like squirrels and kitties (we're trying to break him of the habit of pointing at the kitties.....eek!). We adopted him from a very rural shelter and I was thinking maybe Buford was used for bird hunting or something? He looks nothing like a pointer....he's 100 lbs, brindle and very bullmastiffy.

Any ideas?

Oh and here's a cut pic of a friends Bullmastiff rubbing his face in the snow! His name is Moose.

Both of my dogs point. Kito is a shiba inu, which were bred for rodent hunting, he only does it once in a while. Abbey, on the other hand, points all the time--she is a beagle mix, and possibly mixed with pointer, and that's why I think she does it.
A friend of ours has a German Shorthair Pointer, and he took him to pointing classes, but maybe that was to sharpen up his skills, I thought it was just genetic, but I don't really know.

Moose is adorable!!!

just try associating him with animals more often all dogs have their instincts though

It's just so funny to see a big mastiff pointing! lol