| If the only animal training you have done in the | | | | any food on it. |
| past has been with a dog then you need to stop | | | | In the beginning it might take a while for you and |
| right now and rethink everything you know about | | | | your bird to really learn to communicate. But once |
| animal training! Dogs have been domesticated for | | | | your bird learns that acting a certain way both |
| thousands of years. Most birds have never been | | | | makes brings a reward and gives him extra |
| "domesticated" Dogs are always looking to the | | | | attention from you, his flock mate, he will get |
| leader of the pack, following his or her lead and | | | | much faster at learning new tricks. Learning to |
| trying to please them. Parrots on the other hand | | | | preform tricks can also help chronic pluckers. |
| see themselves as your equal. Their greatest | | | | Sometimes birds that pluck are just plain bored! |
| pleasure is not to do exactly what you say when | | | | They often become the best performers, and |
| you say it in hopes of pleasing their "pack leader". | | | | the plucking is alleviated as a by-product of having |
| They are constantly trying to figure out ways to | | | | something new to do. |
| control YOU, through their behaviours and actions. | | | | Teaching "Stick 'em up" is also quite easy. When |
| Unlike dogs they don't work to please you, they | | | | you first take your bird out of its cage they will |
| work to please themselves. SO in order to teach | | | | often stretch their wings straight up over their |
| your bird a few desirable behaviours you need to | | | | heads. When he does this point your finger at him |
| work at being smarted than he is and convincing | | | | (like a gun) and say "Stick 'em up" or "Put 'em up". |
| him that it was his idea in the first place! | | | | After a week or two of doing this every time |
| Bird trainers use food as a reward, which is one | | | | you see the bird stretch he will start to do it on |
| of the things birds care about most. Because of | | | | command. If you find it helps you can offer a |
| this you should probably schedule training sessions | | | | reward, but for a trick this easy to learn it is |
| before feeding your feathered friend. That way | | | | often not necessary. |
| he will be extra motivated to receive the treat or | | | | Some other tricks that are easy modifications of |
| reward that you give him. | | | | normal parrot behaviour include: |
| Assuming you are starting out with a handfed bird | | | | - Offering a foot to shake hands |
| that is already reasonably tame, how can you | | | | - Hopping (dancing or pretending to be wind-up |
| teach your bird a few tricks? Positive | | | | toy) |
| reinforcement is the trick. So long as you are | | | | - Bobbing its head(Answering yes) |
| careful never to teach the bird something that | | | | - Raising its crest |
| could jeopardize his health, tricks can only increase | | | | - Flapping its wings (soaring like eagle, escaping the |
| your enjoyment of your bird and the amount of | | | | police, etc.) |
| time you spend together. | | | | - Swinging head side to side (saying no) |
| The first step in teaching any kind of trick is to | | | | - Stomping feet (dancing) |
| notice a natural behaviour that can be modified | | | | - Hanging from feet or beak from its perch or |
| easily into a trick. You may notice that your bird | | | | your hands. (acrobatics, or swinging upside down) |
| loves to push his food around in his dish before he | | | | - Lying on its back (play dead, or roll over) |
| eats it. If so then your bird has already started | | | | This is not a comprehensive list of tricks that |
| doing a fun little trick, it is just up to you to teach | | | | your pet parrot could learn, the sky (and your |
| him to modify it a bit, and make it more | | | | patience) is the limit. Playing with his natural |
| elaborate. You can buy a little wooden parrot | | | | tendencies and coordinating them with your verbal |
| wagon (often available at larger pet stores that | | | | commands, you can find a virtually limitless |
| carry a good selection of bird toys) or you can | | | | repertoire within your bird's natural behaviour. We |
| use a little die-cast hot wheels type car, and | | | | have all seen macaws dunking basketballs, and |
| teach him to transfer the pushing habit onto the | | | | cockatoos roller-skating. Be sure to be on the look |
| toy by loading it down with a little bit of food. You | | | | out, the next time you go shopping for parrot |
| can offer him a reward or treat, when he gets | | | | toys, for things to use as props in making your |
| the behaviour you want right. And don't forget to | | | | parrot's performance "Star Quality" And don't |
| name the trick . For example say "Push the | | | | forget to make it fun! Keep your lessons short 10 |
| wagon (car)" every time he does it. Soon he will | | | | to 30 minutes. You can have more than one |
| learn to do this on command. Remember that | | | | training session per day, if you would like to |
| treats such as sunflower seeds work great as | | | | reinforce the day's lesson and progress faster. |
| training rewards but can be very fattening so | | | | Most importantly always end each session on a |
| they should not constitute the basis of your birds | | | | positive note. End with a behaviour that your |
| diet! After a time your bird will begin to push | | | | parrot can do well and will earn your praise and a |
| without the benefit of the wagon or car having | | | | reward. |