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Clicker Training for Birds (Getting Started) | 
 enlarge | Author: Melinda Johnson
Publisher: Sunshine Books, Inc.
Category: Book
List Price: $16.95
Buy New: $10.13
You Save: $6.82 (40%)
New (16) Used (2) from $10.13
Avg. Customer Rating:  10 reviews
Sales Rank: 92218
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 160
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 8.6 x 5.6 x 0.4
ISBN: 1890948152
Dewey Decimal Number: 636
EAN: 9781890948153
ASIN: 1890948152
Publication Date: September 1, 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand New, Perfect Condition, Please allow 4-14 business days for delivery. 100% Money Back Guarantee, Over 1,000,000 customers served.
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| Editorial Reviews:
Book Description
Find out just how smart, affectionate, and fascinating birds can be, with clicker training. * Depressed birds regain their joy in life
* One-person birds warm up to other family members
* Scared birds learn to cooperate with simple care such as nail clipping
* Undesirable behaviors such as screaming and biting fade away
* Baby birds grow up to be outstanding companions
* Rescued and older birds learn to trust, love and play
* Birds win new friends with appealing tricks and games
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| Customer Reviews: Read 5 more reviews...
Sound behavioral information December 8, 2007
After nearly 14 years with my 14-year-old sun conure, I feel I recognize good behavioral advice. I have always disliked advice that relies on dominance, punishment, or keeping a bird low (they don't have a "top bird" instinct, but feel safer up high). This book tells you how to communicate and develop a trusting relationship with your bird, and that is a priceless thing.
I would have liked a few more specific trick ideas, but I bought an additional clicker training book and registered with Melinda's online forum. So far my bird seems to enjoy the training time, even though I have a lot of learning to do!
Excellent book that explains the how and the why! July 17, 2007
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
There is not a better resource available for training companion parrots. This book is well-written, insightful, and informative. Parrots are intelligent and complex creatures. They learn so much from us, both good and bad. It is so easy to inadvertently teach a parrot unacceptable behaviors and they respond poorly to "traditional" training techniques. When these techniques don't work, the birds often find themselves neglected or re-homed. This book helps to teach the trainers to understand their birds and begin building a lasting companion relationship based on trust and positive reinforcement.
A MUST have for any Parrot OWner July 17, 2007
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
Melinda's book easily explains the theory behind clicker training and the how to in easy steps. Her book also covers how to use it when dealing with specific problems such as having a parrot stay on his cage. Our past history of training and dealing with animals was one of dominance and control. A realtionship built on that is one of fear and distrust. Training has come so far since then. Clicker training comes from operant conditioning. It is a behavioral science which gives the bird choices. The training uses positive behavioral strategies. Training a parrot this way to do tricks forms the basis for an enriching relationship for both the owner and parrot. Melinda also co-owns a great Yahoo group called Bird Click. It has wonderful files, members from all over the world and a great supportive group. I highly suggest both this wonderful book and the list for those who like the computer!
Thank you Melinda for an outstanding contribution to the field...which makes our parrot's life and ours more rewarding!
Great resource! July 17, 2007
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I found this book to be a wonderful resource for people who want to clicker train their birds. It's more than a recipe book -- it's a behavior problem-solver. It goes into great detail to teach not only what to do, but why, so in the end you'll have the tools you need to continue past the specific behaviors listed in the book. I must admit -- I'm a bit flummoxed by the earlier review who didn't like that this book delves into theory and bird behavior and is more than a recipe book. I think that's what makes this such an awesome resource. People who have less-than-perfect birds now have a resource that will help them understand why their bird have the problems they do and then help them find solutions that are kind, fun, and incredibly reliable.
 Book mistitled..should be bird behaviorism July 14, 2007
2 out of 7 found this review helpful
When you own an unruly bird, you want and need help quickly. If you want a book to effeciently teach you how to click train your bird, look elsewhere.
If you want a book that goes in extreme depth into bird behaviorism, this is your mecca.
There are 14 chapters and 156 pages. It doesn't even get to practical use of the clicker until the 8th chapter at page 77. I found myself thumbing thru it to find the "meat" of the book. A lot of fluff preceeds the actual useage of the clicker technique.
This book will get the job done, but it is much like owning a car. (I'm sure if they read this, they will dissect my analogy of a DRIVING a car to training a bird) Unless you are a mechanic, you simply want to drive the car, not know exactly and precisely how spark plugs fire in synch and the timing chain turns, etc. It is extremely indepth into bird and human behaviorism and if you can stand to wade thru that, you can get info to help you teach a bird to simply step up and do more. But, unless you are a professional bird trainer, it is not always necessary to understand why of everything you do with your pet. Not to this degree, anyway.
In addition, they direct you to a Yahoo group. Overall, except for Wendy Jefferies, http://www.wendyjef fries.com this group is about as helpful as the book. There is little one on one help as they have this collection of "files" they direct you to if you have a question. Instead, they spend time ananlyzing participant's motives and it is yet another lecture in behaviorism. Nothing much about training your bird, but more of a discussions about WHY you want to train your bird. After my first post there, they actually made a written test for me and I'll put it here because it sums up the book's motive:
"Now, let's test you. :) Give me two examples of conditioned reinforcers and two examples of conditioned punishers we see commonly in the real world." huh? I want the bird to step on a perch..please tell me how.
I am not training her to perform in Vegas or on Youtube.
It's just another chat room with people examining your reason to want the bird to step up rather than helping you attain that goal.
The book and forum, in combo, could help you if you are willing to be extremely patient and understanding with them....while you are being patient and understanding with your untrained bird. The two together are too frustrating.
You need realistic evalution of your goals, step one, step two to get there. You need to be patient but also efficient in the process and not waste time in needless analytical endeavours.
If you simply want to learn how to enjoy your pet...this is not the place.
If you want to know WHY you want to enjoy it, then here is your bird behavioral buffet.
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