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"

From the introduction given to this book, you get the impression that the author will spend at least some time addressing the peculiarities of the great budgerigar. I was greatly disappointed. Aside from a passing reference that budgies are hardier than some parrot species and that they can indeed learn to talk (both painfully obvious to any budgie owner), there is nothing at all. It is pretty obvious that she has never owned one. The author makes the assumption that, because budgies are parrots, they must be the same as every other kind of parrot that she has owned. And that they are not! This book is filled with misinformation that is thoroughly and completely refuted in other books written specifically for these little birds. For the budgie owner there is no reason at all to buy this book.
For owners of other times of parrots, I would consider looking elsewhere. The book is filled to the brim with preachy, top-of-the-soapbox lectures that are uninteresting, redundant, and obnoxious. If you actually made it through the first few chapters, which outlined in detail what a bad person you are for wanting to own a parrot in the first place, to the chapter where training is actually addressed, you might be disappointed to learn that it consists of only getting your bird to come to your hand from the t-stand, from inside and from on top of the cage (my budgie could do that after about a day!). Want to know the secret of getting your bird to talk? Just repeat the same word to it twice a day for ten minutes.
All of the essential information could be put on a simple print out of a few pages, and I would be greatly surprised if you couldn't find it after a few minutes searching on the internet.

The descriptions and pictures and great is this book. Might get a little complicated sometimes but glad I bought it!

This book was a godsend for me. I was blessed with a beautiful 19 year old parrot that was given to me. Fortunately I found this book. It addressed all of our problems. I'd recommend this book to anyone looking for advice.

This is a great book dealing with parrot training. People can find any information for various problems relating to parrot behaviorism.

I'm so glad I purchased this book. It gave me the information I need to raise a happy, well-adjusted bird. The information on body language was quite helpful.