Bird Training Is Quick When You Make It Fun

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Steve Martin, president of Orlando-based Natural Encounters, is a phenomenal trainer of animals and teacher of people. I was fortunate to have traveled to Florida several years back for a weekend course taught by him and my mentor, Dr. Susan Friedman. Steve was also president of the International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators, of which I’m a member.

I love this video. Watch the African Grey on the left and how easily Steve shapes its behavior simply by reinforcing what Steve wants to see. And how eager the African Grey is to try and figure out what he needs to do to get that reward. That is the magic of positive reinforcement training. You create such an eagerness for your pet to want to learn.