# recall training



## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

im thinking of recall training both my tiels because i do bring them outside on their hatnesses when its warm. if they ever escaped, recall training might be really handy. 

they wont come for millet or sunflower seeds... and tsuka doesnt normally take treats by hand... he prefers scritches as his reward... dally might come if i have a bowl of cherios or walnuts...

thoughts?


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## meaggiedear (Nov 20, 2011)

what about clicker training them first to associate the treat with the click? ... otherwise- i don't know how tsuka will know he will be rewarded with scritches.


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

he taught himself to give kisses with scritches... he demands them after, but clicker may work for him.  thanks


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Something recommended with huskies (because they do take off) is to teach an emergency word. Only use it in a dire situation and give extremely high rewards when using it to train them to WANT to come back to you (a girl had to do this once when her dog broke the leash taking off after something, he tripped over himself trying to stop when she used the word) and it can be any word you want. It would be a good idea for both your birds in case they slip out of the harnesses (or chew out of them lol.)


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## cknauf (Aug 27, 2012)

I've been working on recall training with my birds as a safety measure as well. I've been doing clicker training and been making good progress. If Tsuka prefers scritches, that's a perfectly acceptable treat--the trick is finding something that the bird wants enough to work for. If he'll work for scritches, that's perfect.

The "emergency word" is a good idea. I wonder if a bird would respond the same way as a dog.


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

dally isnt so treat oriented... i might have to use cherios. she loves them so much she dives at my bowl. i plan to spend the winter months to recall train them. this way they should be trained when i bring them out again.

a friend on another forum gave me an idea. keeping them on the harness on a long cord outside attached to something else and practise recall that way too. i think that will be good final training, but i will need my husband to stay next to them... i worry for hawks.


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## meaggiedear (Nov 20, 2011)

dally + toast = awesome treat. LOL


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

true toast might work well too. i will see which treat gets better results


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

so i started training today. i used our last slice of bread too lol we had one last end piece, which normally goes to the birds anyways.

anyways, dally is more interested in the toast over cherios. 

so first phase of training i hold her on one hand and hold the treat in the other. i use our "emergency" cue when i encourage her to fly. when she lands on my other hand she gets the treat. this is so she gets used to landing on a hand. shes showing good promise in understanding the concept. next step will be from a perch to the hand.

tsuka shows no interest. he is not going to be easy to work with. he's having a mood where he is flying away instead of stepping up. but then he turns around and flies to my head lol will have to recall him to land on my head lol

but its showing promise


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

so i started training today. i used our last slice of bread too lol we had one last end piece, which normally goes to the birds anyways.

anyways, dally is more interested in the toast over cherios. 

so first phase of training i hold her on one hand and hold the treat in the other. i use our "emergency" cue when i encourage her to fly. when she lands on my other hand she gets the treat. this is so she gets used to landing on a hand. shes showing good promise in understanding the concept. next step will be from a perch to the hand.

tsuka shows no interest. he is not going to be easy to work with. he's having a mood where he is flying away instead of stepping up. but then he turns around and flies to my head lol will have to recall him to land on my head lol

but its showing promise


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## cknauf (Aug 27, 2012)

DallyTsuka said:


> tsuka shows no interest. he is not going to be easy to work with. he's having a mood where he is flying away instead of stepping up. but then he turns around and flies to my head lol will have to recall him to land on my head lol


I don't know how strong of fliers your two are, but I've noticed with Pippin (whose just molted out her clip) that she finds my head an easier target to hit than my hand. Given an option, she'll try to land on my head, as she often misses my hand.


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

tsuka just likes my head lol when i sit on the laptop he flies over and lands on my head. but ask him to step up from there and he bites lol but he sits there for hours and preens my hair


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