A beautiful night with harness training

[Grey_Moon]

So this has been probably the most chilled-out, zen, peaceful day Jacko and I have ever had.
I figured out how both of us really mellow out with the right music on, and Jacko's been the most relaxed and in tune with me I've ever seen her.

Harness training progress is slow but tonight was beautiful. She was so relaxed and positive and happy with it. Sure, we're just working on her being ok with putting the tip of her beak through the headcollar, but she just sorta stood there all squinty-eyed and beak-grinding and when I wasn't fast enough wih the walnuts she approached the harness on her own. It was a small but powerful moment I think, to have her eyes half-closed but completely zoned in to my own eyes and just sort of telling me it was ok and she trusted me. It was this ultimate and amazing moment of love, trust and communication, I've never been so happy

I hope eventually she'll let me start to actually make contact with her head and that we won't get stalled at her being skittish about it touching her eyes or nostrils. How do I teach her to close her eyes and slip her head through? Or will it just come with time as she slowly gets used to putting more and more of her beak through the headcollar?

[Michael]

Yeah you just lure the head further and further through. Either target or lure (prefer target but luring is probably ok) the bird into the collar. But with subsequent attempts hold the stick or treat just a little further, just a little further so it has to stretch and reach deeper and deeper into the harness. Comes with practice. The closing eyes and slipping it on part has to be learned on its own.