Happy Holidays

Thanks to Barbara Heidenreich for pointing this out. I thought it was adorable.

We Can Learn A Lot From Our Animals

This is the most beautiful video. I had to share it. What a wonderful lesson about appreciating and valuing each others' unique talents. Think about all that we can accomplish and all that we can be if we stop judging people and animals by what they are not or what we want them to be, and instead help them to discover all they are capable of being and contributing. The world is a better place because of each others' diversity and gifts.

Butler County Humane Society Needs Pet Food Donations

The Butler County Animal Friends Humane Society will be hosting a pet food pantry this Saturday - December 19 - from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. (or while supplies last) at its office at 1820 Princeton Rd. AND, they need donations of dry dog and cat food.

Meg Stephenson, Animal Friends executive director, said they're doing this because they know how important pets are to families and they hope they can help families get through the holidays while continuing to provide a forever home for their animals.

The agency will provide one five-pound portion of cat food or 10-pound portions of dog food per household. They ask that people bring identification showing residence in Butler County.

Donations to the shelter are tax deductible, and can be dropped off at the office. For more information, contact Animal Friends at (513) 867-5727.

Thinking About Giving A Pet As A Holiday Gift? Please Think Again

A pet – whether it has feathers, fur, fins, or scales – is a long term commitment (or at least should be). Sure, they can be great company but there are so many factors to consider that the ultimate decision of bringing a companion home should only be made by the person who will have ultimate responsibility for it. Definitely that decision shouldn’t be a surprise or a moment of spontaneity.

Adults should think through their lifestyle, and whether they have the time and patience for a new animal – and what animal would be best suited as a match. Parents need to realize that while their kids may be pushing for a pet, the reality is the parents will most likely be caretakers. Not to mention that kids grow up and get busy with other activities.

If that’s not enough to think about, also consider that the holiday season is generally a very hectic month. It may not be the most ideal for devoting extra time to acclimate a new animal.

So you’re still thinking a pet would be a great gift. Well, can I get you to compromise. Petfinder has a really great Pet Promise Certificate that you can give instead. Giving the certificate allows you to give a pet, but with time to think through the decision carefully first. (You pay the adoption fees and the recipient selects the pet) What an awesome idea!

Here are some other ideas: consider books or videos on a particular pet, or try the idea of a new pet out first as a foster owner. In the Cincinnati area, Circle Tail is a great place to contact for dogs. For a list of shelters in your area offering foster opportunities, please click here.

When Two Lives Merge...

In loving memory of my very dear Chester. For the past 18 years, he has filled my home with antics and affection. Always eager to be with me, he'd jump on my arm the minute he saw an opportunity and he'd stay on my shoulder for hours if I let him. He had an uncanny ability to sense when I was down and would huddle close to my neck. We had a very special bond. Chester died in my arms this weekend. I love him and I miss him so much.

Below is a story I had written in 1998 about how Chester came into my life.

Just six months old, his was like the face of a starry eyed child. Innocent, yet devilish, his boyish grin was only a clear mask hiding the mischief that lied within. There he sat, snuggled side-by-side next to his sister more than 100 miles from the only place they had ever known as “home”. Their biological parents were left behind, perhaps never to be seen again.

Dozens of strangers – mammoth Hercules – more than twenty times these young siblings’ size, passed by, sticking out fingers and hands, asking questions. Time and again the little green bird was asked to “step up” onto unfamiliar arms, makeshift perches to him, while being scrutinized like a fine painting in an art gallery.

This was to be the day when Chester would see his sister for the last time, the day when “home” would forever carry different meaning. Yet, as he sat, resting comfortably on one foot, he could only hope his fate would find him in a warm, caring environment. A place where silliness was encouraged and love meant acceptance. A place where he would never need to mature, but remain a perpetual child the rest of his life. And, of course, a place where destroying furniture was only reprimanded with a few harmless words….

The sun had shown especially bright that Sunday morning. Seeming to rush me out of bed like an eager child on his birthday, I suppose in hindsight that the signs were obvious how my life was about to change.

I wasn’t planing on buying another bird. The thought never crossed my mind. My one bedroom apartment was already home to a nanday conure, with a high pitched scream that was about as welcoming a noise as someone scraping his fingernails on a chalk board.

As I prepared to catch up with friends at a local bird show, I just couldn’t ward off that temporary emptiness that follows a wounded heart. Only a few days had passed since a man I cared about had told me he was seeing someone new. There was a void in my life that left me vulnerable, stripped me of my defenses against the iron will of a guileless child. And, it was in that brief moment of weakness that I found pleasure and beauty in the eyes of a gaping six-month-old.

From a distance I could see him. Carefully balanced on one leg, Chester appeared weary from the afternoon’s stress. Yet when I approached something magical happened. His eyes opened wide and his toothpick-sized legs could barely keep up with his heart as he raced to my side. I reached out my arm and he jumped on. I stroked his head and he sat calm, basking in my human touch. And my sadness was suspended in the beauty of unconditional love.

I don’t know what it was that drew him to me that day. I guess it doesn’t really matter. They say animals have an uncanny ability to sense human emotions, and I believe that’s true. I also believe that love is something shared between two souls and that giving also means receiving in matters of the heart. I’m reminded of it every day since Chester came into my life.

Positive Behavior Management In Pets

The other day I had a great conversation with trainer Jeni Rivett (pictured at left with her two dogs). Jeni, like the other trainers and behaviorists who have taught me so much about teaching animals, does not use the pack leader dominance based methods you unfortunately still hear a lot about. Instead she teaches as a collaborator and team player with her houseful of birds and dogs. I met Jeni through a parrot behavior list serve started by Susan Friedman, Ph.D. that focuses on behavioral analysis and positive reinforcement strategies to modify and manage pet behavior. But also, more importantly the list serve teaches owners their role in setting their animals up for success.

The feedback I received from people with whom I shared bits of that conversation – and the subsequent success I’ve had teaching my parents’ dog, Sam, was my positive reinforcement that has inspired me to want to write more about the subject.

Have you ever read Karen Pryor’s “Don’t Shoot The Dog”? It’s a really great book everyone who shares their home with an animal – including the human kind.

All too often, when a pet has behaved in an unacceptable way, we blame our pet. We assume our pet knows what we want him to do and he’s doing it because he is jealous or obstinate or mad. ‘My dog was mad at me for leaving.’ ‘My bird was jealous of my boyfriend.’ Have you ever made a comment like that? Bet you have. I know I did before I was enlightened.

What Jeni and Susan and others who use positive methods to teach recognize is that blaming or labeling the pet is really not going to be all that helpful in solving the problem. Although it is much easier to put a label on behavior, generally that label stops us in our tracks from working to find a solution. Instead, a much more productive approach is looking at the behavior in terms of what purpose it serves the animal. And, if your pet isn’t doing what you want him to do, it is your role to teach him.

Let me back up a second because this is important. Let’s think about it. Is it really possible to know what your pet is thinking or feeling? I may think my dog is mad or jealous but how can I really know? Heck, I can’t even figure men out. The only thing I do know for sure is that my pet is behaving, and for him to continue to behave in that way, he is being reinforced by something.

As a caretaker, and therefore trainer, I’ve come to realize that I can very effectively empower my pets to make decisions and modify their behavior in a way that will lead to their success while also improving their quality of life.

So, instead of just focusing on removing the problem behavior, now I look at the behavior in terms of ‘what’s in it’ for my pet. Is it possible that Sam stands up with two legs on the kitchen table during meals, not because he’s being bad, but because he learned that if he does, eventually the chances are good that he is either going to get human attention or a piece of something tasty? Or that Barnaby wasn’t stepping up because he knew that based on past experience, stepping up at the end of the night meant no more play time?

How can your pet be accountable for his behavior if you or something else in the environment gave that behavior purpose?

As Sam’s trainer then, I also can predict that when we sit down to eat, if Sam isn’t preoccupied with something else the chances are good he’s going to stand on the table. What are my options? Well, if we wait to feed him until we sit down that will keep him busy and satiated. I can also wrap his favorite bone in a newspaper and then in a sock, an activity that I know will keep his attention. And if all else fails and he comes to the table, I can completely ignore his standing up behavior and calmly tell him to sit. Then when he sits, I reinforce the heck out of it – with a treat AND praise. Life is pretty darned good for him when he chooses to sit by my side instead of jump up. Guess which behavior he will choose to do if I, as his trainer, am consistent in ignoring behavior I want to see less of and reinforcing behavior I want to see more of.

If, on the other hand, I chose to try and solve Sam’s jumping up behavior with punishment like a squirt bottle or a stern NO, do you think it would foster the same eagerness toward learning? Scientific data says no. Personal experience says no. Chances are it will also damage your relationship with your pet who will associate you with the punishment, can create apathy toward learning (that’s when you hear people call their pets dumb), and may even cause aggression.

Applied behavior Analysis is the process of solving practical behavior problems by changing the environment. It involves focusing tightly on the specific behavior you want to modify, and then looking at it in the context of its surroundings. What is giving that behavior purpose? What happened immediately prior to the behavior (antecedent) to set the wheels turning? What happened *immediately* after the behavior to reinforce it (consequence)?

When you look at the behavior in this way, you can begin to think about what needs to change in order to teach your pet what you want it to do. Positive reinforcement is all about arranging very motivating consequences to a behavior that are meaningful to the animal, while making sure you don’t inadvertently reward the wrong behavior. And one of the great perks to this kind of teaching strategy is that you’ll also notice your relationship with your pet grow as it associates you with that reward.

To read more about my behavior conversations with Jeni, please click here.

Barnaby's personal album

This morning I helped Barnaby, my Timneh African Grey, create this photo collage to share his family stories.

Barnaby's family

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Treat Your Pet And Help Raise Money For 4-H

It'd be hard to live around kids and not have tried a box of Girl Scout cookies. Well, now the local 4-H hopes dog, cat and horse owners will become just as familiar with Best in Show pet treats.

The human grade treats (except for the ones made for cats) have a two year shelf life and come in different flavors. Dogs can have their choice of cheese & bacon, peanut butter honey or cheddar cheese.

Cost is $4 per package and half of that goes back to the youth development organization run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. So far only the Hamilton County 4-H is selling the treats locally.

To order a package, you need to call 513-946-8989 by October 28, 2009. You will need to pick-up your order at the 4-H central office - 110 Boggs Lane (45246) - after November 20 unless other arrangements have been made.

Teacup Pigs - An Unusual Pet

These little guys are absolutely precious. Of course they are babies. The breeder says they get about knee high.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Enrichment Ideas For Parrots

In my last post, I spoke with Robin Shewokis of The Leather Elves about parrot enrichment. Providing stimulating activities – that may include chewing, taking apart, making a noise, shredding, or playing - for our companion pets is important to increase independent play and decrease ‘unacceptable’ behaviors such as screaming, feather destruction, and the constant need for owner attention. Remember, these are animals that, in the wild, would spend hours of each day foraging for food, flying, raising young, and watching out for predators.

I thought I’d follow-up on my last post by sharing some of the things I use. Enrichment doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, I don’t spend a lot on bird ‘toys’ any more. Truthfully a lot of the toys I paid a lot of money for ended up serving as cage art. Remember enrichment is in the eye’s of the beholder so watch your bird, and, as Robin said, know what your bird’s natural tendency is. Chester is my biggest chewer so I give him things he can sink his beak into. Barnaby lives to play so he loves things he can hang upside down from, things that make noise, and things that require thinking. Dreyfuss likes to quietly chew on smaller things.
Some things I do:

Beads & more beads – I buy hemp string and small beads in bulk at the local craft store. I make MANY strands of this – tying a note in between the beads – and hang them all over their cages, inside and out. By the end of each day, all of the strands have been chewed on and go in their recycle bin. Chester also loves to mouth beads for some reason, and sort through the shapes and colors. I put beads in a bowl for him. I also found he eats his pellets better when I include beads in his pellet bowl.

Paper for shredding – For Chester, I roll up some of a phone book or sections of a newspaper and put a plastic chain link around it. (Please do not tie a string around the paper. I did this until one day I saw it around Chester’s neck.)

Blocks of wood – I go to the local home goods store and get ‘safe’ scrap wood. Then I cut it into small pieces, drill a hole in it and put it on a string.

This is a great foraging toy that all of my guys like (right) I got it from http://www.greyfeathertoys.com/. I mix Cheerios (inexpensive) with some colored pellets and beads. Since a lot of the food gets wasted when it falls to the grounds, I would not suggest filling it with all pellets.

Things that go clang! Barnaby does love his bells so I do have plenty of these and will tie bead strings through the chain or attach bells to other things.

Cardboard boxes, paper towels and more – Think of this as recycling. I put beads inside cream cheese boxes. I wrap an almond in a toilet paper roll for Chester & Dreyfuss. I give Chester yogurt containers to chew (or cut a hole through 2 of them, stuff with something, then tie to a string).

These are just a sample of some ideas. I’d love to hear about what you do.

Creating Enrichment For Pet Birds

They train vultures, eagles, cranes, macaws, cockatoos and African Greys. They work in bird shows, at zoos and parks, and even in wildlife rehabilitation using the most positive strategies to teach behavior. And this past February, they came to Cincinnati to share their knowledge at the International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators (IAATE).

I met Robin Shewokis through IAATE. Owner of The Leather Elves, she helps zoos, other facilities, and companion pet owners internationally to create a more stimulating environment for animals. She also develops new enrichment products for companion parrots that will stimulate naturalistic behavior.

In Robin’s conference workshop, we divided into groups based on bird species and brainstormed how to create the most sensory stimulating environment (keeping safety in mind) based on the birds natural activity. We were asked to generate ideas focusing on dietary, social, visual, olfactory (smell), auditory, tactile, and training/exercise categories. Gosh, how often as a bird owner, do we take the time to consider all the ways we can offer our pets a more enriching quality of life?

Robin and I spoke recently. I thought I’d share some of what we talked about.

What are some considerations companion parrot owners should consider when it comes to creating an enriching environment?

Robin: The key is knowing what your bird’s natural history is before knowing what type of enrichment to provide. For example, cockatiels are ground foragers so putting foraging activities high in the cage isn’t the best idea. If your bird in the wild would spend a lot of time in flight, then you want to make sure it has plenty of space.

Another big consideration is providing activities that stimulate as many of the senses as possible, and giving your pet a variety of choices. It doesn’t need to be expensive. Recyclables create great toys for birds.

It’s also important to know your specific bird so that you can tailor its environment based on its individual needs. A lot of times people inundate their bird with things their bird has never interacted with before. If the bird doesn’t know how to interact with something, its owner may need to teach it.

How can a parrot owner learn about his/her bird’s natural behavior?

Robin: The internet is a great source. There is also a book, ‘Parrots of the World’ by Joseph Foreshaw, that gives information on every species.

What is foraging?

Robin: The definition of foraging is making a search for food. It is a natural behavior for birds, but in captivity it doesn’t need to translate into a big giant path to getting an almond. In the wild a bird will fly from here to there, perch, find something intriguing and fly again. A foraging activity in a cage can be as simple as having food in different stations or wrapped in paper. Food can be placed in toys or stuffed into things.

Talk about the ‘big bang’ response.

Robin: It easy to fall into the ‘favorite’ trap when it comes to parrot ‘toys’. Initially when you give a toy to your bird, you may get a big bang response because it’s new and stimulating. Your bird my love it and play with it constantly, but over time, that toy loses its ‘newness’ and allure. It’s important to offer your bird a variety of toys and not leaving them in the cage until they become cage furniture.

Listen to Robin on Pet Life Radio.

Steps For Pets - September 20

The United Coalition for Animals will be hosting a Steps for Pets walkathon September 20 at Sawyer Point. The event will begin at 10 a.m. and will include a 1.5 mile walk along the river, followed by food and entertainment including dog agility demonstrations, a kids' game area, dog contests, a pet communicator and a pet photo booth. Pet microchipping will be available for a nominal fee.

Proceeds will directly benefit the UCAN non-profit spay/neuter clinic in Queensgate. The clinic provides affordable spay/neuter surgeries and basic wellness care for dogs and cats, targeting its services to those who otherwise wouldn't be able to afford it.

For more information, please visit www.ucancincinnati.org.

It's Parrot Basketball!

I found this on youtube. I had so much fun watching it that I forgot to count score but I'm sure the African Grey won!

Snowball Is At It Again

Yep, the beautiful dancing cockatoo who has graced the stage of the Ellen Degeneres Show and the front page of the Times newspaper is showing more of her stuff. Snowball belongs to Irena Schulz of Bird Lovers Only Rescue Service, a non-profit donation based rescue which takes in unwanted, neglected, abused birds and birds with disabilities. Her website is located at http://www.birdloversonly.org.

If you'd like to learn more about Snowball's story, click here.

However, please DO NOT watch or read about Snowball, and think a cockatoo is for you. Cockatoos are definitely not a bird to adopt on impulse - which is why so many of them end up in rescues. As with any pet, do you research before bringing one home. Here is an article about cockatoos as pets.

New Research Challenges Dominance Based Training Techniques For Dogs

ScienceDaily (2009-05-25) -- A new study shows how the behavior of dogs has been misunderstood for generations: in fact using misplaced ideas about dog behavior and training is likely to cause rather than cure unwanted behavior. The findings challenge many of the dominance related interpretations of behavior and training techniques suggested by current TV dog trainers.


http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090521112711.htm#

But What's REALLY Going On When Your Pet Is Suddenly Phobic?

Studying behavioral analysis and positive reinforcement in behavior modification has completely changed my relationship with my pets - and how I look at behavior all together. What my teachers, mentors and friends in the animal training world have taught me is that far and away the most effective way to teach and modify behaviors (in any animal) is using the most positive and least intrusive way possible.

A couple of years ago I devoted one of my Hyde Park Living pet columns to talking about sudden fear exhibited by pets. I thought I would share it on my blog to help more people. Below is an exerpt...

With birds especially, I’ve often heard people talk of their pet’s sudden neurotic, phobic behaviors. Out of the blue, for no apparent reason, their loving companion will scream, lunge or try to escape the hands that up until that moment had only been associated with positive things.

I know about this, unfortunately, from firsthand knowledge. My loving Barnaby Timneh African Grey, who normally would be very happy spending his entire day with his face pressed against mine (of course it would have to be with the occasional play break), would suddenly ‘out of the blue’ panic when he stepped onto my arm. He’d scream with horror in his voice, breathe heavily, and then take off. If you’ve ever experienced the unconditional love of an animal, you can probably understand it is completely heartbreaking when you are thrust into the portrayal of some evil monster – and you don’t even know why.

Each time it would happen with Barnaby, I’d have to go through a systematic desensitization plan to help him overcome his anxiety. Because we have a long history of trust, we were able to work through this fairly quickly, but my training taught me there had to be a reason for this reoccurring behavior. And there also had to be a way of eliminating or minimizing the frequency of it. Behavior, I know, doesn’t ever happen willy nilly. It is always triggered by something in the environment. And the consequences of that behavior are what either maintains, builds or extinguishes it.

Hmm. Actually it became fairly easy to figure out once I put on my behavior analysis hat.
There is a window in the birds’ room that faces the street. On sunny days, when a car drives past, the light that reflects from the metal and glass makes a brilliant pass from one wall to the next. A pretty scary demon to a Timneh teddy bear no longer than a ruler. If my neighbor parks her car in a certain spot at a certain time of day and Barnaby happens to be way up high, that same evil light hovers. Each time that Barnaby jumped on my arm, only to be terrified, that same ‘trigger’ light just happened to be coming from the street.

My mentor and teacher, Dr. Susan Friedman – a respected psychologist and behaviorist - helped me to understand. Purely based on my poor timing, in Barnaby’s mind, I got associated with the light. And that was not a good thing to be paired with.

Barnaby had two types of behaviors going on. One was an automatic, involuntary response to a bright light (panic scream, escape). In scientific terminology, this is called an unconditioned or respondent behavior because it wasn’t something that Barnaby learned in the way that he came to know stepping up generally meant only good things would follow. On the other hand, his stepping up behavior is most definitely learned. Scientists call that operant learning.

Now, think of the use of a clicker. The clicker in and of itself is meaningless to an animal. It only acquires value to that animal when a good trainer repeatedly pairs the sound with a treat. Then the click acquires reinforcing value.

This same type of association was going on with Barnaby, only it was a negative one. Being on my arm – something that had always given him positive reinforcement in the past – when the light (remember, something that causes an unconditioned fear response) came through the window, was being paired with that fear response. Just as the words ‘good boy’ have become associated with safflower seeds, his being on my arm had become associated with that awful light.

Once this became clear, working toward a solution really wasn’t that difficult. What I learned from Susan (and so many great people on Susan’s international parrot behavior listserve) is how to modify Barnaby’s environment so as to set him up for success. When I’m working from home, I try to remember to close their shade at a certain time. But if the shade is up, and there is that dangerous light outside (at least in his eyes), I absolutely will not pick him up. Instead, he’s learned to go inside his cage at that time. That one small adjustment has meant the difference between a pet who became instantly phobic of me – on a more frequent basis – to one who hasn’t exhibited those behaviors once since I figured it all out. So, it really wasn’t just some irrational fear after all.

This isn’t to say that something else in the future may pop up, that will cause that same fear response. Barnaby is a living being, and, as life goes, behaviors evolve all the time to adapt to the environment. But next time, I’m going to be better equipped to send those awful monsters packing so Barnaby can just focus on having fun.

Meet Oscar, One Happy American Cocker Spaniel

Yep, only looks sad. Truth be told, his housemate Helen Dinshaw, says he's one happy little trouble maker. Anything is fair game to this nine month year old. His favorite toy is a stuffed vulture but what he really likes to do is play with one of Helen's cats. They roll around, wrestle and chase each other bouncing off the bed, couch or even Helen - whatever gets in their way.

By the way, I met Helen at the International Association for Avian Educators and Trainers Conference that was held in Cincinnati earlier this year. She is a trainer at the Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester, New York. Maybe in the future I'll post some pictures of her with her co-workers.

Wow...A SHOE!

Wow...A SHOE!
Originally uploaded by goodthingslisa

Sam's all time favorite toy. He's got them inside and outside, front yard and back. Just move everything fragile and watch him go! We all should have so much fun.

When You Want To Stop A 'Problem' Behavior, Set Your Pet Up For Success

In the days before Barnaby joined our flock, there was just Chester, Dreyfuss and me living together in a large two bedroom apartment. It actually was a wonderful place with many of the rooms being larger than those in my house and the large sliding glass window in the dining room made for a scenic view of the woods in the back. Pink floor length curtains hung from its side with a hand made valence (made by me) stretching across the top.

Chester and Dreyfuss stayed in the dining room, their cages arranged on a wall at either end of the table. It made for some interesting meetings (I work from my home) and dinners with the family. Whoever thought only dogs begged for food has certainly never met my guys!

That was long before I had ever heard of behavioral analysis, and creating an enriching environment, well, that meant putting some acrylic toys in their cages, right??? I got them at the pet store, and they were labeled ‘bird toys’ after all.

I did a lot of things differently back then, and, as a result, so did the guys. Take for example those flowing, opaque pink curtains that were no longer transparent to the sun’s afternoon rays by the time I bought a house. If you’re ever looking for an awesome playgym for your parrot, I’ve got a suggestion. To Chester, they were the greatest thing next to safflower seeds. He’d slide down his cage stand, waddle across the floor and climb to his heart’s content. Up, down, right, left. If he was on the outer edge, he could swing it around so that only his head would stick out. And, if I didn’t find him while he was playing monkey on the curtains, he’d make it all the way up to the valence. I can’t tell you how many times I’d walk out to find him hanging upside down. When he’d see me, he’d tilt his head up as if to say ‘look mom, look at me!’

I was so frustrated because I couldn’t stop him, but at the same time, if you’ve ever seen an Alexandrine hanging upside down with such a comical look about him, you can’t help but laugh. It’s just so funny.

Then there was the time when I was on the telephone in a back bedroom and suddenly I heard
C*R*U*N*C*H. That was the sound of a dining room chair being disassembled by a beak that didn’t have anything better to chew on.

Needless to say, I was determined when we moved, that history was NOT going to repeat itself. And thankfully now, I have the knowledge to prevent it. (at least so far – and it’s been nine years)

It’s easy to look back on the situation now and see how Chester’s environment wasn’t setting him up for success, at least success through my eyes. With a behavioral analysis hat on, let’s look at his curtain climbing antics. (If you need a refresher on behavioral analysis, please scroll down and read Dr. Susan Friedman's article.)

Background: Chester is activity and Lisa deprived.

Antecedent: curtains were in view
Behavior: Chester waddled over and climbed the curtains
Consequence: sensory feedback – stimulation from his having to use his beak and feet
activity – he was busy and engaged
social – if I came out, he’d get my attention

Probable Future Behavior: When Chester is activity and Lisa deprived, he’ll continue to climb the curtains to gain sensory, activity and social stimulation.

So, what have I done differently to set him up for success? Well, honestly, I really just needed to do some antecedent changes to prevent him from destroying things here and it has solved our problem. I have created a much more enriching environment. I even keep their cage doors open while I’m working in my basement and the only reason Chester will come off his cage is if something scares him. But I’m prepared for that too.

Chester, and all of my birds, have a lot to do during the day to keep them busy. I spend time each week making strands of knotted hemp and beads that I hang all over the inside and outside of their cages. I wrap almonds in cloth or a box or paper cup for Chester and Dreyfuss. I have portions of a phone book curled up inside a plastic ring on the cage floor of Chester’s cage and hanging toys for Barnaby, my Timneh Grey, to hang from. The list goes on but you get the picture. They are busy if they want to be, and if they want to nap, that’s fine too.

But in the instance that Chester should come to the ground (and now I put him there too when I’m cleaning cages or watching tv), I’ve made some play stations for him. I got a mirrored toy from a human baby store and he can spend hours with it, so much so that I got a second one for the television room. (Scattering some beads or resting a tub of activity items next to it makes it even more reinforcing.) I bought a cheap plastic round snow sled and placed an Orbit play gym on top, tying strands of beads to it. This is also in the television room, next to the mirror toy. Chester receives such positive sensory and activity reinforcement for playing with these toys that there’s no reason for him to search out a dining room chair or curtain.

And I’d much rather laugh at him rolling his mirror toy around than hanging from my hand made valence any day!

NOTE: This is a past pet column of mine from Hyde Park Living that is being reprinted with their permission. A modified version also ran in Good Bird Magazine.

Agility Training Isn't Just For Dogs

Meet Milo, An Equal Opportunity Follower

In this difficult time, when we all could use a little inspiration, I thought I’d introduce you to Milo Maggenheim. Milo is a Portuguese Water Dog who, on about his seventh birthday, is just now coming out of puppyhood. “He’s so sweet and happy,” said Katie Magenheim, who shares her home with the bushy haired ball of energy and Robert, her husband.

Just how happy is Milo? Well, he actually sprained his tail one time by wagging it too much. No kidding.

They had been looking for a hypo-allergenic breed, a real in-your-face kind of companion and that’s exactly what they found when they brought Milo home. Definitely NOT your lay-at-your feet, cuddle-up-by-your-side kind of dog, Milo is much more about playing and running and chasing. Portuguese Water Dogs after all are working animals which means they are very active and require a lot of exercise. They are not recommended for working adults who look forward to enjoying a relaxing evening after a long day at the office.

I had actually researched the breed long before news of the First Family bringing one into the White House. I felt compelled to write about them because I wanted to educate people about the responsibility they would be taking in, should they want to adopt the same type of pet as the Obama’s. As with any animal you bring into your home, please take the time to consider your lifestyle and what would be the best fit.

NOTE: You can read more about Milo in my pet column in the next issue of Hyde Park Living.

Don't Want Your Dog One Your Couch? Try 'Teaching' Him Where You'd Rather He Be

Whenever I can, I enjoy sharing what I’ve learned about animal behavior modification using the most positive strategies. This is one of those times.

It was through my parrot behavioral analysis email listserve that I met Jeni Rivett. She is an Arizona-based agility dog trainer, sharing her home with three fully flighted birds and four energetic dogs. I still have one of her posts from years ago when she described how, on cue, all seven of her animals fly or run to their cages. What an amazing site, I remember thinking. When I wrote to her, she described in detail how she taught them.

Jeni, like other trainers with whom I respect and learn from, doesn’t train using ‘pack leader’, dominance-based methods. Although, like so many of us, she did try those other punishment based techniques first. What she and everyone who has ever taught animals (including the human kind) has learned, is that by far, positive reinforcement based training gives her the best results. Behaviors she teaches using positive reinforcement are stronger and done with much more enthusiasm because animals are eager to learn when they are rewarded for their actions. Additionally, teaching in this way serves to build stronger relationships – and that’s something we all want.

Take Sophie for example. The once unhappy dog housed in small quarters of a pet store who later was labeled stupid and stubborn, turned out to be excessively smart when her teacher began using different strategies. The problem - Sophie’s newly adopted mother, that would be Jeni, unwittingly took her to a place that trains police dogs to learn about obedience. They employed practices we’re all too familiar with like jerking the collar. In behavioral terminology, that is called positive punishment, and, as is the danger in using that type of method, Sophie quickly learned to hate training. Can you really blame her?

“I really just thought obedience wasn’t for Sophie,” Jeni said.

There’s a dynamic that happens a lot, Jeni explained. When an animal becomes non-compliant we tend to want to make them do what we want. But when the relationship is adversarial (whether just humans or humans and animals), it just doesn’t work. There are so many possible negative ramifications, aggression and lack of interest are just two.

It was by fluke that Jeni learned about agility training, training that is done with positive reinforcement instead. Suddenly Sophie was catching on, and fast. In two days, that dumb animal had caught on to everything. Everything. It has transformed Jeni’s teaching approach, and as a result, she lives with a house full of really smart companions.

Now Jeni sees her role as more of a team captain and collaborator, rather than a pack leader. “I work really hard to listen to my animals. If I’m having trouble training a behavior, I know there is good reason for it. As the teacher, I look at what I can do better to explain what I want. Maybe I’m not reinforcing my dog for what I want to see more of, maybe my timing is off for providing reinforcement, or maybe I’m asking for too much,” she said.

So, how would someone go about teaching a dog ‘not’ to do what we don’t want – like jumping on the plushy and very expensive sofa in the living room?

“Think about your goals,” Jeni advises. “If I had a dog I didn’t want on my couch, I’d realize he needs a comfortable alternative, otherwise we’d all be sitting on the floor.”

So, first step. Get your dog the most comfortable, plushy pillow or bed you can find and place it in the same room as the sofa you’d rather left to humans. Then get a nice supply of your pet’s all time favorite food or toy treats. Put the treats on the acceptable pillow and when your dog comes over, up the reward with extra human attention. Wow, it doesn’t get much better than that.

Your goal is to make being on that pillow the most totally awesome place to hang out because look at all the reinforcement your friend gets for being there, not to mention it’s sooo soft. Next time you see your dog on your sofa, instead of scolding him (remember punishment is bad for relationships and serves no teaching function), simply ignore him, go to his pillow and have a great time without him, playing with his favorite reward no less. How soon do you think it will be before he ‘chooses’ to go to the pillow instead because he associates it with so much that is positive? You can even put that on cue if you’d like.

Jeni’s dogs never get in trouble for being on her couch, they just get reinforced for being somewhere else. Instead of being punished for doing something wrong, they are rewarded for doing something that is acceptable.

“I’ve found that when I offer plenty of opportunities for reinforcement for everyone, the whole household is a more pleasant place to be,” she said. “There is no such thing as a dumb dog, they just need to be shown what they need to learn. If you can fix the trainer, you can fix the pet.”

NOTE: This was originally published in Hyde Park Living as one of my past Pet Pals columns.

Understanding Behavior Is As Simple As ABC

Written by Dr. Susan Friedman, Utah State University
(Susan has taught me and thousands of others around the world about applied behavioral analysis, how it can strengthen our relationship with our pets, and how it can open the floodgates for learning among all living creatures.)



To improve our ability to understand and influence our parrots’ behavior, we need a systematic approach which provides an organized framework and simplifies the seeming complexity that threatens to obscure our view.

As Simple as ABC
One such approach to understanding specific behaviors is known as ABC analysis. The letters stand for the three elements of a simplified behavioral “equation” which includes the antecedents, behavior, and consequences. With this strategy, we seek to identify through careful observation the events and conditions that occur before the target behavior − antecedents, as well as identifying the results that follow the behavior - consequences. This simple analysis, when paired with keen observation skills and creative problem-solving, will help us clarify the way in which the basic components of behavior are interrelated. It is this clarity that leads us to important insights and teaching strategies.



How To
There are six steps to analyzing the ABCs: (1) describe the target behavior in clear, observable terms; (2) describe the antecedent events that occur and conditions that exist immediately before the behavior happens; (3) describe the consequences that immediately follow the behavior; (4) examine the antecedents, the behavior and the consequence in sequence; (5) devise new antecedents and/or consequences to teach new behaviors or change existing ones; (6) evaluate the outcome.

Let’s look at one example: Veda, my otherwise charming Alexandrine Parakeet bites fast and forcefully when I ask her to step onto my hand from inside her cage. Seeing the problem in isolation and decked-out in its full complexity, we might hypothesize that she is aggressive, territorial, hormonal, defensive, or dominating. Alternatively, she could be recalcitrant, stubborn, uncooperative or simply a stinker who is also spoiled rotten! Any one, or all, of these hypotheses might be accurate, but in terms of problem-solving, they serve only to label the behavior, not resolve it. And, since they do not describe observable behaviors per se, one can never really be sure about the accuracy of the label.

The ABC Analysis
What follows is my analysis of Veda’s biting behavior using the ABC approach: First, the background and setting: When asked to step onto my hand from inside her cage, Veda often, but not always, bites me! She does not bite under any other circumstance or in any other situation. She does it any time of day and with all her family members. However, once out of her cage, Veda steps up and down without hesitation, from all locations, including the top of her cage. For three or four hours each day, Veda plays happily on her tree perch in the family room, enjoys cuddles, and generally relaxes by preening, playing with toys and nibbling. She is by all other measures an outstanding companion bird.

Step 1: Describe the behavior in observable terms.
Veda widens her eyes, tightens her grip on her perch, pulls her body back and waits in this position for a second or two. If I don’t move my hand she bites it hard.

Step 2: Describe the antecedents.
Any time I walk up to Veda’s cage, I greet her to let her know I’m there. I open her cage door, slowly put my hand in front of her and say, “Step up, Veda.”

Step 3: Describe the consequences.
I remove my bitten hand (hurt and annoyed), and Veda stays in her cage. Case, or should I say door, closed.

Step 4: Examine the antecedents, the behavior, and the consequences in sequence.
Any time I walk up to Veda’s cage, I greet her to let her know I’m there; I open her cage door, slowly put my hand in front of her and say, “Step up, Veda.” Veda widens her eyes, tightens her grip on her perch, pulls her body back and waits in this position for a second or two. If I don’t move my hand, she bites it hard. I remove my bitten hand (hurt and annoyed), and Veda stays in her cage.

Let’s stop here for a minute to examine the insights that resulted from this analysis, as it helped me clarify several important things. First, far from being a biter or having a biting problem in any chronic or generalized sense, I learned that Veda displays a very specific set of responses, in a specific location with a different antecedent than I had originally assumed. Before analyzing the ABCs of Veda’s biting behavior, I had not realized that she tenses her body, pulls away from her perch and widens her eyes in a valiant attempt to warn me to withdraw. How remarkable!

In this light, it becomes so clear that the critical antecedent to her biting is not my putting my hand in her cage; it’s ignoring her non-aggressive communication, requesting me to remove it. Only when I ignore her communication and persist does she resort to biting. So, who set the silver balls in motion this time, Veda or me?

It is also evident that by withdrawing my hand and leaving her in her cage, I was in fact, reinforcing the biting. With each of these interactions, I was unwittingly, but explicitly, teaching Veda that biting is an effective and necessary way to get my hand out of her cage; apparently so, since warning me non-aggressively did not work. I’m sure she would say it was nothing personal but that I was quite … dense! Can’t you just hear her explaining this to our baby cockatoo? “Listen up, baby. No matter how kind and gentle you want to be, these humans respond to one thing and one thing only, aggression. Why, it’s a jungle in here!”

Step 5: Devise new antecedents and/or consequences.
After careful consideration of my options, in this case I chose to change the antecedents to decrease Veda’s biting. First, I no longer say, “Step up!” when I want her to come out of her cage. Instead I ask her, “Wanna step up?” If she displays the warning behaviors, I take that as an unqualified “No, but thanks for asking!” and I calmly remove my hand from her cage. I then leave her cage door open, allowing her to exit how and when she chooses. As an additional strategy, I trained her to step onto a perching stick for those rare times when staying in her cage is not an option. We practice stepping onto the stick a few times a week, for which she earns an avalanche of praise and kisses.

Step 6: Evaluate the outcome.
Changing the antecedents to decrease Veda’s biting has been a huge success. Of course it is not surprising that she no longer bites me – by heeding her warnings, I don’t give her the opportunity, or the reason, to do so. I continue to present my hand to her and ask if she wants to step up. If she tenses her stance, pulls away and/or widens her eyes I remove my hand and go on to other things (you know, like cleaning cages and changing water bowls, uh-huh).

What has been very unexpected is that after a few months of letting her decide how to come out of her cage, she now rarely declines my offer to take her out on my hand, choosing instead to step up nicely and hitch a ride! Who knows … maybe the freedom of choice was important to her or she benefited from more control over her own destiny; perhaps her trust level increased when I lowered my apparent dominance. These are all very interesting possibilities.

Closing Thoughts
In my opinion, we generally focus too much on consequences to influence behavior. This is especially true of negative behaviors that we want to decrease or eliminate. In this way, we limit ourselves to rewarding or punishing more or less. One of the exciting benefits of this simple analysis strategy is that it fosters careful consideration of the antecedents, that is, the things we do to promote … or provoke … behavior. Antecedents should be brilliantly arranged to ensure that the appropriate behavior is facilitated. Doing so makes selecting consequences easy – when the behaviors are all acceptable, the consequences are all positive! I truly believe (and my experience working children bears this out) behind every negative behavior is a poorly arranged antecedent.

There is certainly more than one way to productively analyze a behavior sequence and more than one useful solution to be devised. The right analysis and solution is the one that produces the desired outcome, fits the style in which you and your bird are comfortable interacting and improves your relationship with your bird. With Veda, all three criteria were met. In our teaching, we are limited only by our powers of observation, our creativity and our resolve to treat our parrots humanely and with compassion.

This original version of this article is reprinted with permission from the TGPC Internet Conference, December 2000.

Sometimes animals amaze me

Originally uploaded by goodthingslisa

What a sweet video. This was emailed to me and I wanted to share.

Don't Blame Your Pet

Too often when pets don’t behave how we want them to, we blame the pets. We assume they know what we want and they’re doing it to be obstinate or jealous or domineering. “My dog was mad at me for leaving him.” “My bird was jealous of my boyfriend.” “My bird was trying to show me who is boss.” The list goes on and on.

What Dr. Susan Friedman and other animal behaviorists/trainers who use positive methods teach is that, rather than blaming the animal, the better and more productive way of looking at it is as a lack of skill – a learning opportunity. Think about it, animals don’t sit around plotting how to get even or misbehave. They’re doing what they’re doing because they’ve learned what they’re doing gets them positive results (or at least positive to them). Their behavior is serving them a purpose.

Truth is, we don’t really know what our pets’ are thinking or feeling anyway. I may think that my bird is mad or jealous, but how could I possibly know for sure. Heck I have a hard enough time trying to figure out men. The only thing I know with certainty is that the animal is behaving, and that behavior is occurring because it is being reinforced.

What we, as their caretakers and therefore trainers, need to realize is that we can very effectively empower our pets to make decisions and modify their behavior in a way that will lead to their success while also improving their quality of life.

One of the first steps is to stop thinking about problem behaviors in terms of just removing them, but instead focus on what purpose those behaviors serve to the animal. Could it be that your bird bit your hand because you persisted to force him to step up, even after he tried to communicate first by dilating his eyes and leaning away – and biting was the one action that caused you to back off? Could it be your dog chewed up your favorite sock because it caused you to give him attention?

Your pet can’t really be accountable for its unacceptable behaviors if YOU or something else in the environment gave those behaviors purpose, now can it? Wow, that’s something to think about.

So, what would happen if, instead of punishing your dog for chewing your sock, you instead modified the environment. You could be diligent about keeping your socks out of reach while teaching him to chew on a rawhide. By praising him profusely each and every time he has the rawhide in his mouth, you are teaching him that he can earn the same – even better – reward for doing something you *want* him to do. Then you can catch him doing something else you approve of, and you can praise that. And so on.

When he does something you don’t approve of, you simply don’t react. You remove all value from the unacceptable behavior while at the same time, give the acceptable behavior lots and lots of value. You’ve made it easy for him to make the *right* decision. Which option do you think he’ll choose?

Applied behavior Analysis is the process of solving practical behavior problems by changing the environment. It involves focusing tightly on the specific behavior you want to modify, and then looking at it in the context of its surroundings. What is giving that behavior purpose? What happened immediately prior to the behavior (antecedent) to set the wheels turning? What happened *immediately* after the behavior to reinforce it (consequence)?

When you look at the behavior in this way, you can begin to think about what needs to change in order to teach your pet what you want it to do. Positive reinforcement is all about arranging very motivating consequences to a behavior that are meaningful to the animal, while making sure you don’t inadvertently reward the wrong behavior. And one of the great perks to this kind of teaching strategy is that you’ll also notice your relationship with your pet grow as it associates you with that reward.

NOTE: Content for this post came from one of my past Pet Pals columns for Hyde Park Living

A Great Example of How Positive Reinforcement Works

This is Steve Martin of Orlando based Natural Encounters. Steve is an incredible trainer and teacher. Here you can see how quickly the African Grey learns the foot scratching behavior because she is so eager for the treat, which is positive reinforcement.

When Your Puppy Has Something In His Mouth That Shouldn't Be There...

Through my studies, I’ve had the fortune to study from some well respected trainers and behaviorists who use positive reinforcement strategies to affect behavior modification in animals. Barbara Heidenreich is one of them. She is an animal trainer who consults with zoos and other animal related facilities around the world. She is also past president of the International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators (IAATE).



(When Barbara was in town for the IAATE
conference, I brought her in to Dr. Gary
Clemons 55KRC program to answer questions
from listeners.)
In her Fall 2008 Good Bird Magazine, Barbara shared with readers how she solved an age old dilemma for people with animals – what do you do when your dog or bird or cat has something in his mouth that he shouldn’t have?

Here is an excerpt from her article:
Puppies are notorious for chewing up all sorts of contraband. Despite my best efforts to keep all items I did not want chewed up from the floor, I knew there would be moments when my favorite shoes might end up in my puppy’s mouth. I decided to teach a strong ‘drop’ behavior.

To do this, I armed myself with Waylon’s absolute favorite treats hidden in my fist. I offered Waylon an acceptable chew toy such as a stuffed animal. As he was chewing, I place my closed fist full of treats next to the toy, when he would stop chewing and smell my closed fist, I bridged (said the word ‘good’) and opened my fist so that he could get a treat. This was repeated several times, until the presentation of my fist would quickly cause him to drop what was in his mouth. I then added a verbal cue as well. I chose the oh, so clever, word ‘drop’.

My next step was to raise the bar a bit. I offered Waylon something he enjoys more than a stuffed toy, his squeaky ball. This was followed by even more enticing items, including a bone. Every time Waylon dropped the item he received a treat, or in some cases I simply offered back the item he had dropped, or another fun chewable item. When the day came when he found a shoe, I walked up to Waylon as I would under any circumstances. This meant no chasing, yelling or shrieks that my shoe was in his mouth. I calmly gave him the drop cue and the shoe left his mouth unscathed and hit the floor. I also did not have a treat in my hand, which was not a problem. My goal had always been that the treat would be phased out from being hidden in the hand. This time I gave him lots of praise and attention, which worked fine as a reinforcer. Now I regularly reinforce with all sorts of things…a treat, giving back the item he dropped, attention, another acceptable chew toy, etc. I so enjoy that he will drop even the smallest item when cued. And he does it eagerly knowing something else he enjoys is sure to follow.

For more about Barbara, please visit her web site at: www.goodbirdinc.com

Is Your Garden Pet Safe?

I don’t know about you but I love gardening. I’ve got a huge one in my backyard and all the wild animals love to romp and rest there. But if I had an outdoor pet like a dog or cat, I’d have to be real careful. A number of my favorite plants made it to the toxic list.

So, I thought I’d post a list I found online of plants you should be cautious of around your pet.

Toxic Plants
The springtime plants that can result in gastrointestinal upset in dogs and cats include:
Amaryllis Caladium Tulip
Ferns Calla lily
Hyacinth Iris
Iris
Plants that are considered very toxic and can result in severe illness or even death:
Crocus Azalea Rhododendrom
Easter lily Tiger Lily Bittersweet
Clematis Daffodil Day lily
Foxglove Lily of the valley Narcissus
Morning Glory Death Camas

If you suspect your pet may have chomped on one of your plants, try to determine how much he actually ingested, and from what part of the plan. (The entire plant isn’t always toxic.) Then make sure to take a sample with you to the veterinarian. Of course prevention is always the best solution.

Absolutely Adorable

Patient-Cat
Originally uploaded by goodthingslisa

No, these aren't my pets. My cousin shared the video with me. It was shared with her and she doesn't know where it originated. But it's definitely not photoshop, and it's way to cute to not pass on.

Solving A Screaming Problem Can Be Accomplished Using Positive Reinforcement

(This was originally written for my Pet Pals column and published in Hyde Park Living. It is being posted with permission from the magazine.)

Barnaby is my little grey talking teddy bear. I always tell people he’s 1/3 child, 1/3 puppy, and 1/3 bird. Probably actually less than 1/3 bird but the fact remains that he IS a bird, his grey and maroon feathers give him away.

He has the innocence of a child and the playfulness of a puppy. Whether he’s swinging from one foot, twisting his body around, batting his bell, or chasing after a wiffle ball I just threw in his cage, he adds so much entertainment to this household. Barnaby willingly gives kisses the minute he’s picked up, and you probably guessed, that happens often. When he wants me to come, he calls “mommy here.” Whatever he wants, Barnaby begins with “mommy?” then states his need – “water” or “mommy got your beak” (meaning a game we play) for example. I just love that little grey guy.

But, there was a time in our relationship that I was beside myself in angst. Barnaby is a Timneh African Grey, and being an African Grey, his nature is to learn sounds that have value to him. The first sounds he decided to learn since coming here were the rare screams he heard coming from my other two birds. And Barnaby’s version was always at ear piercing decibels for very long periods at a time.

Just like so many other bird owners, I tried everything I had heard to try. I tried putting him in his cage, talking to him in quiet words, telling him “no”, ignoring him. All to no avail. I was at the end of my rope when I stumbled upon a bird behavior list on the internet.

I was one of the fortunate ones. I say that because finding Susan Friedman, Ph.D., and her bird behavior teachings were the best things that ever could have happened to my relationship with my birds. Susan is a professor at the Utah State University in the Department of Psychology (and bird owner) who very generously volunteers her time to help people like me become better “parronts” using the principles of psychology. She teaches an online bird behavior course that I took several months ago, and began a behavior analysis solution list serve where graduates of the class help other bird owners learn to change or prevent bird behavior problems. It has been the single greatest resource for me as a bird owner.

We are taught to stop looking for answers by labeling behaviors or birds, or generalizing species. It serves no purpose in helping to get at the root of the problem. The bottom line, Susan teaches, is that ALL behavior has function. No matter what the behavior is – whether it’s biting, not stepping up, chewing on furniture, or screaming – something occurred immediately prior to the act (antecedent) that may serve to set the occasion for it to happen, and something occurred immediately after the act (consequence) that impacts whether or not the behavior will be repeated in the future.

We, as teachers, can influence behaviors by changing the environment including antecedents and consequences.

All of my earlier attempts, I was taught were actually reinforcing his screams – definitely why he had never stopped screaming. There’s a scientific word for what I had been doing. It’s called “intermittent reinforcement”, meaning, sometimes I gave him attention for screaming without even realizing it. Intermittent reinforcement makes a behavior more resistant to change (think of the addiction of the slot machine in a casino).

My challenge as Barnaby’s teacher, was to provide him with a more stimulating and satisfying alternative to his screaming while at the same time ignoring the screaming. This strategy is called differential reinforcement of an alternative behavior (DRA). It is reinforcing an alternative to screaming that makes it different than just plain ignoring it. In summary, it boiled down to three basic steps –

1)Each and every time Barnaby would make a chosen sound (at first it was a whistle, then changed to “mommy here”), I was immediately there with reinforcement. The contingency I wanted Barnaby to learn with this was “When” I make this sound “Then” mom gives me attention. Eventually I got to where I don’t come each time, sometimes I’ll tell him I’m busy.

2)Ignore all screaming. Period. No attention at all, if I’m in the room, I calmly walked out with the other birds. With this step, I had to be prepared for an “extinction burst” where he screamed even louder to try to get my attention. Under no circumstances could I give in and go to him during this, or his problem would only worsen. The contingency I wanted Barnaby to learn was, “When” I scream “Then” the room is evacuated.

3)Thoughtful arrangement of the environment. I needed to make sure Barnaby had enough activities that HE was interested in to keep him busy. When I left his room, in the beginning, I would give him something to keep his mind occupied until I was out of sight. If he wasn’t interested in what I had given him, it meant that his gift wasn’t as stimulating to him as calling out to me, and so I had to find something else that was.

Of course there are still moments when the birds scream, they are, after all birds. But it is more the exception than the rule now.

So often bird owners don’t even realize that they’ve played a role in developing their birds’ behavior “problem” or that they have the power to change the behavior. But they do have the power.

One of the list serve members, who also trains dogs, once wrote, “Here in this house, my assumption is that if the animal knew what I wanted, they would do it. If they don’t do what I want, then they don’t know the skill.”

It's Time To Eat!

April 12, 2009
Originally uploaded by goodthingslisa

Taken on April 12, 2009. The little guys are starved and mom is making sure they don't stay that way.

Nature's Wonder Right Outside My Back Door

So, they're not really my pets, but I've been having fun watching this miracle of nature happen before my eyes. The babies are so cute. I'm going to miss them when they leave.

This series of pictures takes you from when the mother was sitting on her eggs until one of her babies first day of flight. (at least that I knew of) The little guy in the bottom picture was just resting on my driveway, not a care in the world til I tried to pick him up and move him. He wandered into my neighbor's yard and into my neighbor's window well. Hours later, the little guy was back in his nest safe and sound with his mom and sibling. Amazing!

Chester is a good boy

Chester is a good boy
Originally uploaded by goodthingslisa

Why you shouldn't teach a bird in the presence of another. :) As soon as I get the seeds out, Chester gets so excited he goes through all his behaviors until we get started. The voice you hear praising Chester for the wrong behavior is Barnaby, my Timneh African Grey. I just happened to get it on tape.

(Make sure to have your speakers turned up for the video. It recorded softly.)

I'm a Proud Parront

That’s right, I’m a parront. I have three beautifully feathered, well mannered (most of the time), intelligent fids.

You may be asking yourself, what exactly are fids? Well, fids, quite simply, are kids in every sense of the word, they just happen to have feathers. They play, they bicker, they laugh (really, they do), they talk, they’re sensitive, they’re not fancy to cleaning up their room, and they LOVE when their parront is silly. The sillier the better. They also never grow up. Fids will always remain fids.

My oldest is Chester, an Alexandrine ringneck parakeet. It’s hard to believe I’ve had him about 16 years. He’s stunning to look at. Measuring in at about 25 inches, about half of his length is his tail. His light green feathers are almost velvety, and his oversized, vivid red beak always looks to me like it’s bearing a smile. Chester is one of the happiest, carefree fids I’ve ever met; but, when I have a down day, he somehow instinctively wants to be close.

Dreyfuss, a maximillian pionus, is my middle fid. At around 15, she and Chester grew up as siblings. And, just like siblings, they may squabble one minute and want to be close the next. Dreyfuss is shy around strangers but not like she was thanks to strangers (to her) learning to respond to her body language. She also loves her head rubs and is one of the few living beings that actually likes when I sing to her. Sometimes she’ll raise her head and sing right along with me.

My youngest is Barnaby, an eight plus old Timneh African Grey, who LOVES his cream cheese, and his kisses. His very first words were “I love you.” Barnaby came to me on a Delta jet and I always think about him when I’m at the airport. His breeders are Nannyroo and Rooster, given their nicknames because Nannyroo – otherwise known as Eva – from infancy carried the babies around in pockets of her apron. It’s one of the ways they socialized their babies. (Due to health issues, she’s not hand raising them any longer.)

In my opinion, having fids is very much like having kids. Granted, I’ve never had children but I have a niece.

If Dreyfuss should wander on Chester’s cage, he’ll usually find mom to be rescued. (Barnaby, however, will fly to his play cage instead. Then call out ‘Mommy here!) They love attention, and know exactly how to get it. Unlike kids, however, I don’t read them stories before putting them to bed. I do however, need to plan ahead. Barnaby would much rather stay up and talk about his day than sleep.

On a serious note, adopting birds isn’t a decision anyone should take carelessly – never should it be a whim decision. I have heard one too many sad stories of birds who have lost homes because of chronic and destructive behaviors brought about by owners who simply weren’t fully prepared for the complexities of owning a parrot.

In addition to needing healthy foods, plenty of toys, and a non-toxic environment, parrots have other needs. Like all animals, they respond much better to positive reinforcement. Their “bad” behaviors (like biting and screaming) are often misunderstood, and often unintentionally reinforced or inappropriately punished. Learning about applied behavioral analysis and positive reinforcement was the best thing I could have done for our relationship – and their success. For me, becoming a better parront is a continual learning curve.

I get asked a lot why I became so fascinated with birds. Truth is, I’ve been an animal lover my entire life. My family has always had dogs. And, growing up, I’ve come home with gerbils, turtles, frogs, lizards, a cat, a rabbit, a guinea pig, a crawfish, and even a raccoon.

Pets are truly wonderful companions. If you’ve ever owned a pet, you know what I mean. This blog is going to be about all kinds of topics relating to pets. You’ll find anecdotal stories and information about behavior, photos, events and organizations related to pets and more. I hope you enjoy it!