Gabe training
Jun. 18th, 2007 01:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
asterrocPoop training is stalled: she seems to be pooping less, which I don't think is entirely healthy, so I'm holding off and observing her instead.
Harness/handing training is coming along. I haven't taken her out lately w/ the harness as I've been hanging out at home a lot. But the video from the Aviator company demonstrated the host holding an Amazon's wing up while counting to three slowly. I've modified that and occasionally hover my hand above Gabe's back while counting to three slowly. I repeat this around three times at a time, and have been slowly increasing what I do. How responsive she is (that is, sitting passively is a good thing, nipping at my hand is a bad thing) depends on where she's located when we do this - if she's on the arm of the chair where I usually do this she'll let me even rest my hand on her back and a finger on her head or neck, but if she's anywhere else once my hand gets within an inch of her she starts whining and lunging. Good thing 'tiels don't actually bite (usually). It's clear that she does NOT enjoy this, but is learning to tolerate it, so that much is a good thing. She definitely understands the count, as if I don't count she acts up immediately but if I do she calms down and tolerates it, or if I go longer or even slow down counting she acts up. I expect that with time and more patience she'll start to let me handle her this way, and maybe even scratch those damned pinfeathers off her head! :-P
Harness/handing training is coming along. I haven't taken her out lately w/ the harness as I've been hanging out at home a lot. But the video from the Aviator company demonstrated the host holding an Amazon's wing up while counting to three slowly. I've modified that and occasionally hover my hand above Gabe's back while counting to three slowly. I repeat this around three times at a time, and have been slowly increasing what I do. How responsive she is (that is, sitting passively is a good thing, nipping at my hand is a bad thing) depends on where she's located when we do this - if she's on the arm of the chair where I usually do this she'll let me even rest my hand on her back and a finger on her head or neck, but if she's anywhere else once my hand gets within an inch of her she starts whining and lunging. Good thing 'tiels don't actually bite (usually). It's clear that she does NOT enjoy this, but is learning to tolerate it, so that much is a good thing. She definitely understands the count, as if I don't count she acts up immediately but if I do she calms down and tolerates it, or if I go longer or even slow down counting she acts up. I expect that with time and more patience she'll start to let me handle her this way, and maybe even scratch those damned pinfeathers off her head! :-P
