Harness training updated

[marie83]

Just restarted Ollies harness training in the hope he will be tolerant of it by the time it gets a bit warmer. Tbh, he hasn't even seen the harness since last time I tried (he became sick so I had to postpone the training) so I'm amazed by tonight achievement. It took him 3 times to get to the point of sticking his head through the neck collar with a verbal command with lots of praise and a treat afterwards of course. Not sure how much he remembers from last time or if he is just really 'getting' the way training works but his intelligence leaves me speechless at times. Until the past couple of years it never really occured to me to train anything other than step up. In the past 8 weeks or so alone (and I haven't been consitant at that, frequently missing several days training and a week and a half at one point) he has learned Step up(relearned due to his illness), target(nearby and distance), perch(nearby and distance), recall, to lie on his back on my hand and now put head through the harness loop.

I wish I could expect the rest of the harness training to go as well but I'm under no illusion that it probably wont when it comes to putting it on fully, will take it nice and slow from here on.

[Michael]

Just build it up a little at a time rather than all at once. Head through loop, head through loop for longer, head through loop touch material to back, head through loop tough material to back, lift wing, head through loop put one wing on, etc. Of course this may taken multiple attempts for each and multiple sessions but that's the idea. Of course touching him with the harness material, grabbing him with the harness material, and cuddling him in the harness material without actually putting it on is good requisite preparation in addition to the head through loop part.

[marie83]

Thank Michael, exactly as I planned to do it apart from 'cuddling him in the harness material without actually putting it on is good requisite preparation in addition to the head through loop part.' Definitely going to include that in the training too now. Thanks for the suggestion

[marie83]

Think I'm going to have to call the harness training a day. Never gone to the next step until I was 100% sure he was ok with the current one but when it comes to tightening the harness up slowly he goes crazy and I've had to start all over again and take it even slower twice. Today I tightened the harness up (not fully) and offered him a full meal instead of a treat to try and take his mind off of it for longer and it seemed to work, he was so calm until he ate his second piece then he freaked out, flew up before I could stop him, landed next to me where I was working with him on the sofa, flew up again screaming before I managed to grab him when he landed again by which point because I hadn't tightened it up fully he was so tangled up and fighting me it took more than a minute to get it back off. Luckily I had my wrist through the loop so he couldnt flap round the room.
Can't believe I've completely messed this up

[Michael]

All's not lost. Remember I had Kili panic and fly off in the harness and it was an awful mess. However with 3 intense days of harness training and she was putting it on voluntarily. Just keep at it and keep it fun. I prefer an all or nothing approach though when the harness is worn for more than a minute to prevent this kind of entangling fly off.

[marie83]

I've no doubt I will keep trying really, just upset that I stressed him out so much with it. In hindsight I should have tightened it properly but didn't as I was hoping he would be less uncomfortable with it looser and too distracted by the food to panic like that. My aim was to gradually tighten it and get it back off before he started paying too much attention to it then gradually leave it on for longer periods while he was eating his meal each night. I've seen your videos with kili and I've been following your method of doing things but at a slower pace but after the past two attempts I decided to modify the last part and sneek the tightness of the harness up on him in the hope he wouldn't notice quite so much.

How long did you leave it after kili flew off before starting again? I would say Ollie is nearly as tame as kili, he just isn't taking to the harness as well as kili, I can lift his wings and touch him anywhere without him protesting. He will happily lie on my flat hand on his back for short periods of time.

[dorp]

My girlfriend's pure evil 30 year old Yellow naped amazon has little interest in doing anything except sitting on a cage or perch for the rest of its misserable life. So, how would my girlfriend get the bird to actually fly after she gets the harness on? I bought her a harness and extension leash from aviator harness in December and she frankly has no interest in even using. I feel bad pressuring her into using it because if the bird gets maimed by a hawk or something, I would feel bad (for her).