Star pupil

[Jayyj]

Ok, there's an element on sarcasm in the title, but Alice and I have been working on the Barbara Hiedenreich dvd we got for Christmas and we finally completed an exercise! True, the dvd commentary says it should have taken 20 min to master, and it's been, well, four months, but that bird can now turn in a circle like a true champ!

Training with Alice is a bit of a nightmare because although she's a lot calmer than she used to be, in a training situation anything that triggers a nervous reaction - a car alarm going off, a raised voice halfway down the street, an owl hooting (it's mating season, it seems the flat is currently beseiged by sexually frustrated tawnys), there are hundreds of them - results in her sitting there with her cheeks fluffed up and no interest in treats or tricks. Add that to me doing this for the first time and it's been, well, challenging to say the least. But we're getting there!

So, any suggestions as to what we can try next? She's good with a target now, and we've cracked turning in a circle, so we need to know what to spend the next four months working on! Er, they'd better not be too complicated...

 

[tab_xo]

Hahahaha well done!!

It doesn't matter if it takes 4 minutes or 4 months, she did it and that is all that matters


Another easy one would be to shake hands or wave? Stick her wings up, or nodding..

They are all fairly simple!


and then i expect by the end of the year she will be somersaulting and sticking her tongue out hahaha

 

[Dustbunny]

Congratulations! What an accomplishment!

I have a cat that is very nervous and high strung. I have to be honest, if she was a bird I don't think I'd have the patience to try and trick train her. I'd probably teach step up and come here and then call it a success. Kudos to both of you for a job well done!

 

[Kalidasa]

Well, looks like she learns on her own time, and teaches you patience as well lol! Have you tried flight recall with her?

 

[Jayyj]

Thanks everyone! It is progress, however slow, and I intend to persevere. We should have a good 30 or 40 years to get her honed to perfection! She's always stepped up fine, somebody must have done that with her before.

Yes, waving looks like it might be doable (expect a 'success' thread by Christmas!). I'd love to do flight recall but she's scared of flying, so at the moment she only gets airbourne if something really startles her. I always praise her when she flies anywhere, so I'm hoping she'll eventually learn she can use flight when she wants to get somewhere, not just as a last resort.

 

[Jayyj]

Just had a go a waving, when I was trying to get a foot lift I could capture she just paced up and down looking for the target then bit me on the finger when I waved it near her foot in the hope she might try and step up! Oh well, we'll keep trying...

What other easy behaviours / tricks are there that specifically use the target stick to capture?

 

[Jayyj]

My god, we got the wave down in less than a week! I can't believe this is the same bird! I'm a very proud dad this evening...

 

[MonicaMc]

Here are some behaviors you could teach. This list is from Melinda Johnson's Clicker Training for Birds book.

Climb a Ladder
Ring a Bell
Retrieve
Basketball
Rings on a Peg
Pull a Toy Car or Wagon
Agility Course
Ride a Scooter or Skateboard

Big Eagle
Holding Out One Wing
Dance
Take a Bow
Nodding Yes
Head Shake for No
Flap Wings on Cue
Foot Wave
Shake Hands
Upside-Down Swing
Roll Over


And of course, you can train things such as easy toweling, toenail filing, wing trimming, return to play area or cage, medicate, etc. Not only that, but you can combine behaviors to make things more complex and interesting.

 

[Jayyj]

Thanks Monica - I actually already have that book from my first attempt at clicker training (the Barbara Hiedenreich dvd was attempt two!). I'll dig it out and reread it now she's getting the idea

 

[MonicaMc]

Sounds like a good idea! Maybe since Alice is starting to figure out how to do new behaviors, it'll be easier this time around using the books and DVD's!