At Parrotdise Perch, we believe training is one of the most important things to do right when taking care of a Parrot, and positive reinforcement is the best, most predictable, and easiest way to train a Parrot. It's based on very simple principles - you don't have to be an animal behaviour expert to understand how it works. All you need is a few minutes with your Parrot and your Parrot's favourite treat.
Over the past 15 years, a huge amount of research has been done into Parrot care and behaviour. Old myths have been debunked and techniques have been refined. However, not all Parrot care professionals and authors have accepted the new information, so there are still some books being published that contain outdated advice. We see this particularly with care manuals that advise punishment for misbehaviour or techniques based on the Parrot owner being the "dominant" or "boss" member of the flock. Parrots don't understand dominance - there's no flock "leader" and it certainly isn't the Parrot that's up above all the others. Training techniques based on this idea are flawed by nature and unpredictable at best; at worst they can permanently damage the trust between you and your Parrot.
Books that contain outdated training information are often still valid sources of information for feeding, housing, toys, and many other parts of Parrot ownership. We still sell them for these useful parts. But from now on, we will include a notice in the Behaviour chapter letting the reader know that negative training techniques are not the recommended approach. And for good training advice, the best book to read is Don't Shoot the Dog.
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