In paperback at last — the definitive guide to parrot training.

Originally published as The Pleasure of Their Company: An Owner's Guide to Parrot Training, this amply illustrated book is just what parrot owners need to bring up happy, well-behaved pets. You get:

• Hands-on advice from one of the nation's foremost parrot authorities
• A thorough explanation of "normal" parrot behavior and the benefits of training
• Coverage of everything from gentling fledglings and basic obedience to potty training, speech, and tricks"

Making the Most of a Good Thing Sharing Your Home and Life with a pet bird from the parrot family can be a joy that must be experienced to be appreciated. Whether your parrot pal is a lordly macaw, a tiny budgie or any of the beautiful Amazons, African greys, cockatoos or other beloved species in between, life can be beautiful when communication works. And that is what "The Pleasure of Their Company: An Owner's Guide to Parrot Training" can do for the relationship.

The text discusses the reasons for training a parrot, how an owner's behavior influences training results, working with baby birds and weanlings, three basic obedience skills and training techniques for adult parrots. You will find chapters on potty training to help your parrot clean up its act; speech training that makes your parrot more fun to be with and some intriguing examples of parrots really knowing what they're saying; trick training that allows a parrot to use its nimble mind and dexterous body together and some valuable insights on fun and games with your parrot to enjoy your relationship fully. With delightful illustrations by parrot lover Richard Cole and a wealth of practical guidance, "The Pleasure of Their Company" is the gift you give yourself and your parrot to make life better for you both.

"My Parrot, My Friend" is a straightforward book that addresses a growing need for parrot owners and their birds. When difficulties develop in the home, or a clash in avian and human natures makes for unhappy birds and angry owners, many times the sad consequence is painful termination of what could have been a long-term, joyful relationship. Happily, there is an effective remedy and it lies in a program of behavior modification. That program is fully detailed in this well-written, wonderfully detailed text. In addition, the text helps readers to find the right bird so problems can be sidestepped altogether, and it explains which birds not to consider and why.

"My Parrot, My Friend" shows how parrots grow and develop, and how behavioral problems can start. The book explains behavioral modification, how it works, and how to apply it in specific situations. Case studies and an examination of pertinent issues add considerable interest to the text. These and other special features make this one of the most indispensable reference books you will ever use.

"My Parrot, My Friend" is the first book to approach the subject in such depth for the lay reader. It will make a significant difference in how pet owners view and relate to their birds and will point the way to happy endings where once there were none.