Teaching parrot to bow?

[claireby13]

Hey guys, just wondering if anyone could help me with a little conundrum I've encountered while training Tiko.

I'm trying to teach him a trick I've called 'bow', where I make him follow a target stick with his head and try to get him to lower his head. However, I was just wondering ways to fade out the target stick? Usually he learns tricks in one session but he's been having a lot of trouble learning this trick.

Hopefully I am using a correct method, I'll just run through it:

1. I say the word command 'bow', and I hold a target stick in one hand a do a hand cue in the other.
2. I move the target stick so he follows it with his head.

The problem is that he only pays attention to the target stick and not the cue, rendering it impossible for him to do it on command. He won't move past the target stick. What should I do? Is it possible he's reached his trick capabilities?

 

[MonicaMc]

Unlikely that he has reached his "trick capabilities" but perhaps you may only want to use the target for now without a hand cue? And once he grasps the trick with the target, you can then phase out the target?

 

[claireby13]

Thanks MonicaMc, I think that both the voice command, hand cue and target were all just a little bit too overwhelming for him!

I just tried to stick with the voice command and target, slowly moving my finger closer to the tip until he was following my finger. In one session, he had it!

Thank you so much, it took me two weeks of daily training but its great to finally have it completed. He gets a little bit cranky if left mentally unstimulated.

 

[MonicaMc]

Great job! Sounds like you just need to be creative with how you train him and try to figure out different ways of training one behavior so that he can figure it out!

 

[lotosha]

I was sitting here and thinking what trick could I tech my CAG. You gave me great idea. Thanks.