“If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”
The first and third comments above are a sure way to alienate those people you were hoping to teach about birds. It works better to deflect, as you did very well with the second comment. (A flying puppy!)
For example: “he’s so ugly!” How about, “All newborn babies are funny looking. In four weeks he’ll be covered with feathers and look like a real bird. Isn’t that cool?”
Saying “the bird hates you, too” is not going to change any opinions. While carrying my tame parrot, I’ve met several people who initially had bird phobias or said they didn’t like birds. I asked them why they didn’t like birds. I heard “I got a bird stuck in my hair” or “my sister’s bird used to attack me” or similar.
My response is “this bird can’t fly” or “that’s awful! I’d never let that happen. Where would you like me to stand? I can take him away if you like.” I have a couple friends who “hated birds” but are newly FINE around my birds because they know the bird won’t scare them. I wouldn’t allow that to happen. It would not be good advocacy for birds.
“Birds are dirty and loud!” “They can be.” But my bird is potty trained and I’m carrying napkins. He will “go” in the garbage can or in his basket. If he’s loud, I will take him home. I don’t like to be around badly behaved pets either.
This is how you turn around an objection or a statement meant to provoke. It’s hard to disagree if the other person tries to understand what you mean and agrees that “sometimes that’s true”.
But I understand this question because it was a small kid.
