Barbara Heidenreich and Good Bird Inc Recommended by professionals
…….and parrot owners around the world (parrot training success stories)
I am the proud owner of 7 wonderful birds; I have a Sulpher Crested Cockatoo named Angel who is the love of my life, an amazing female Blue and Gold macaw, a male Myer’s parrot, 3 beautiful cockatiels and the bossiest white dove you’ve ever met.
My first bird was my cockatoo, I got her when I graduated from Veterinary medical school (yes, I’m a veterinarian), but at that time I was just a normal dog and cat doctor. As you can imagine obtaining a cockatoo changed my life, the next thing I knew I was in an avian residency specializing in birds!! Now I’m a board certified avian veterinarian.
When I first became boarded in avian medicine, we were busy fighting avian diseases, nutritional issues, etc. As time passed and we became more knowledgeable about how to prevent and treat disease and formulated diets became available, we started having to deal with birds living longer and developing behavioral issues.
I met Barbara at an avian conference and became fascinated with her approach to training birds. I have spent years training my dogs, but never considered this with my birds. Being a proud owner of a screaming cockatoo (yes that’s why Angel lost her first home) I had tried all sorts of approaches to no avail. If I left the room, she screamed!! I obtained Barbara’s videos and started working with all my birds, teaching them tricks, training them to let me trim their wings and nails and Eddy’s little scissor beak. I did not solve all my problems yet (Angel still screams when I leave the room), but she is a happier bird, loves to show off her tricks, goes to elementary schools and other veterinary school events and is the star of the show. And the positive time I’ve spent with my birds, interacting with them and training them has improved our relationship.
I also am responsible for a large number of parrots at the University. When I came to the University one of my primary goals was to improve their lives, I wanted to provide a more enriched environment. I started by having veterinary students volunteer time at the aviary, but may of these birds were not used to being handled and many had been in a research setting all of their lives, it was difficult for veterinary students with limited experience with birds to feel comfortable handling and interacting with these birds. So we invited Barbara to the Schubot Exotic Bird Health Center to provide one of her workshops. The response was phenomenal. The confidence of the students with the birds escalated. We also obtained her videos and books and they are required viewing and reading to volunteer or be a student worker there. I have attended several of Barbara’s workshops and have had her provide workshops at the aviary twice now, and learn something new every time. I require anyone who adopts a rescue bird from me or who pet sits for my birds to watch her videos.
I highly recommend her books, videos and her workshops.
Sharman Hoppes DVM, ABVP-avian
Texas A&M University
College of Veterinary Medicine
College Station, Texas
Ellen K. Cook DVM
cicero Veterinary Clinic
Cicero, IN
“I am a pet sitter, relief veterinary technician, and soon-to-be avian behavior consultant. I have two eclectus, a red-bellied parrot, and a budgie. Back in '04, I adopted an eclectus and needed guidance on how to help her overcome her fear of people. Mattie Sue Athan recommended Barbara to me.
I purchased the book Good Bird, Good Bird magazine, and the first three DVDs and attended a workshop. I'd read Karen Pryor's book way back in the day and sort of was using positive reinforcement when training animals, but there was a lot I was confused about or didn't understand, so my training methods were kind of a hybrid of things. Barbara's materials helped clarify and crystallize what positive reinforcement really means, what it is, and how to use it.
I would say, for people who think they know what positive reinforcement is and have tried to use it in the past to train an animal (especially if they have tried "clicker training"), clear your mind of all preconceived notions and really listen to what the Good Bird Inc materials have to say. I think you will find that you will learn something new that could really change the way you think about and approach behavioral modification and training”
Emily Strong Austin, TX
“I am a vet tech and I have a Blue and Gold Macaw named Rio and a Green wing Macaw named Cuba. I have been running Parrot Preschools and private parrot behaviour and training consultations for nearly 5 years now. I also am a guest lecturer to students at the local Tertiary College, doing Animal Studies and Vet Nursing and write monthly articles on companion parrot keeping and training for a bird newspaper, Talking Birds.
I had already heard of you and bought your books, then later DVDs and subscribe to Good Bird Magazine and then presented at the Parrot Society conference, in Australia, with you a couple of years ago. I was already running Parrot Preschools, private consults and lecturing at parrot clubs and to Vet Techs and students doing Animal Care studies at a TAFE.
In my Parrot Preschools and private consultations, I have contact details to your web site, magazine, books and DVDs in the resource manual each person receives. I show them the products so they can also see them for themselves. The vet surgery where I hold the Parrot Preschools, Brisbane Bird Vet, has your products for sale and on display and I also recommend The Parrot Rescue Centre as a place to purchase them as well as directly from you.....I do not sell any of your products, but rather direct my clients on to these suppliers.
All your products have been really wonderful and are things that I am happy to recommend with confidence. All my clients have let me know how much help they have been in assisting them with problems or just helping them to gain a better understanding of their bird’s behaviour and training. All your products have more than met my expectations and I always look forward to each new product you, so I can review it in the Companion Parrot articles I write for a bird newspaper. I loved your new DVD, 'Get Your Bird Back' and when I bought it to review for the magazine, I really thought that I would know most of what you were going to show, but I was pleasantly surprised at just how much new and great information was on this DVD. Again, this is really wonderful and I am already recommending it to all my clients.
I usually buy any and all products I see, so I can personally tell clients if I think they are good or, not so good and why. I only recommend your training and behavioural books and DVDs. I have read so many books with old and out-dated information and watched some DVDs with the most bizarre information, eg.,........."If your bird starts regurgitating food at you, you should be really flattered, as this means he really loves you"!!!!!!!???????? The Good Bird Resource books and DVDs are wonderful to have and are all that I recommend.
I have been recommending Barbara's books and DVDs for years now, to all my behavioural consultation clients and to everyone who attends my Parrot Preschools. I cannot think of a better resource library to have. I tell all my clients that today, there is just so much information out there and without knowledge, it can be really hard to know what is the best information. I want my clients only using positive reinforcement training methods and following scientific based training methods that are kind and gentle, so I am just so happy to be able to recommend all my clients buy all of Barbara's products from Good Bird. It also makes my job a lot easier knowing that they are learning correct training methods and getting to really understand how to train and read their parrots. I am so glad that I have these are available for me to recommend.
In a perfect world, I truly wish that every person that was thinking of getting a parrot would buy all of the Good Bird Inc products and read and watch them before acquiring their parrot, or that it was compulsory that every parrot sold came with their own Good Bird Inc package of books and DVDs. I really believe that it would make better educated owners that could have a better and happier relationship with their birds and this would, in turn make the lives of many parrots much easier and happier......a win- win situation. It would be wonderful to be able to educate and give owners important information, before they need it! It may well do me out of a lot of work in assisting clients with training and behavioural problems, which would give me more time to assist and educate new parrot owners, before they have any problems.
I love having the confidence to recommend anything from Good Bird Inc and yourself as I know the clients are going to get the best information. Parrot owners, and especially new owners are going to search the net and buy stuff, which as we all know can be good, bad and sometimes really scary!!!! If they are going to spend their hard earnt bucks, I want to know that they are getting the best information, which your products are.”
Gary Colvin Auchenflower, Queensland, Australia
“We have various birds here from time to time. I am a Certified Avian Specialist and run a rescue and take in anything from budgies to macaws. Right now I have a Blue Headed Pionus, Gary that will be with us forever.
I have heard much about Barbara and the work she is doing. Her methods seemed to the best for me and they work very well. Gary had a screaming problem and was also aggressive to everyone but me.
I have used most of Barbara's products. I have not been to a workshop but hope to if one is close enough to my location. Gary is still a little aggressive to others but is coming along nicely. Two of my grandkids have even been able to pick her up. Even though she did not stay with them long that is a BIG improvement over how she used to be.
Not long ago she would have bitten them a few times before they could have gotten away from her. She will now take treats from them and is very gentle when she does. Before, she would have attacked.
She very seldom screams and we found that if we just say her name she will stop. She only seems to do this if she does not see us leave the room or the house and only if she has not heard us in another part of the house. I think in the last month this has only happened twice.
I have received other products with birds that we have rescued. But after reviewing them I did not think they were what we wanted. Maybe I should have tried them but why stop using what
works.
The only thing I can say is use the products. Barbara knows what she is talking about. And don't be discouraged. Her methods will work. You will end up with a friend for life.
You may like to look at this video of Gary just being herself. She loves to shred paper.
Spanish Fork, UT