Quick question....

Ghita is normally an excellent retriever retreiving dummies from water and cover to hand without any problem. She has started retrieving birds...guinea fowl, and francolin to hand. But suddenly as of last weekend she is refusing to retrieve. And when she does, she drops it before giving to hand.

Not sure what to? Any advice!

I agree with Pixie. A trained Hold that is enforced with birds can clean-up the retrieve. I am doing the same with Sadie (around the same age) with live birds now. Last Saturday was the first she was really demonstrating ability to fetch live birds, but she was dropping them in front of me, or at my feet. I would pick up the bird and stuff it back in her mouth and command "HOLD!". By the end of the hunt she was carrying around the birds until I took them from her.

If you haven't started training a hold, or trained retrieve, be aware it can be a long (months) process. If it is rebellion, however, better to nip it in the bud. Your pup will be better for it!