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For Professionals | For Companion Parrot Owners
Natural Encounters, Inc. Presents the Workshop Series:
"The Art & Science of Training Companion Parrots"
Designed for all Companion Parrot Owners
Workshop Leader: Steve Martin Steve Martin has lived with parrots from the time he was five years old. By the time he was 16 his bird interest expanded to falconry and he has been a Master Falconer ever since. He began his professional animal training career when he set up the first of its kind, free-flight bird show at the San Diego Wild Animal Park in 1976. Since then, he has produced educational animal programs or consulted on animal behavior issues at over 50 zoological facilities in eleven countries
Steve has produced three videos on parrot behavior & training, and lectures frequently about parrot behavior. He has also written several articles on animal behavior and conducts training workshops each year at his facility in Winter Haven, Florida. Over two-thirds of his year is spent on the road consulting with zoos and aquariums on animal behavior issues or teaching staff the art and science of animal behavior.
Our Mission To help you reach your goals and realize your full potential in every aspect of parrot behavior and training.
Workshop Descriptions: Foundation Skills Workshop
This five-day workshop is the perfect introduction to understanding parrot behavior and developing the skills required to shape and modify even the most challenging behaviors. This workshop is a combination of insightful lectures and hands-on experience with several birds from our extensive collection. Our expert bird trainers lead each team of four or five participants as they put into practice the skills they have learned in the lectures.
The information in this workshop includes:
• The Science of Learning and Behavior
• Arranging the environment for success
• Creating lasting positive relationships
• Operant Conditioning
• Empowering your parrot
• Understanding and using Positive Reinforcement while avoiding Punishment
• Teaching parrots basic and advanced behaviors
• Problem solving
Refining Skills Workshop
This five-day workshop is the perfect compliment to the Foundation Skills Workshop. Participants will enhance the skills they learned in the foundation workshop and develop an even deeper understanding of parrot behavior and the techniques that will open doors to more fulfilling relationships with companion parrots.
The Refining Skills Workshop offers a full curriculum of training principals, procedures and advanced bird training techniques. Our team of expert bird trainers will lead each team of four participants in daily training sessions with a variety of birds from our collection. Your team leader will focus on helping you refine your observation and mechanical skills, as well as lead participants through predetermined tasks to help accomplish specific learning objectives.
This course is more dynamic than Level 1 and is tailored to meet each participant's personal goals. We will focus more on refining skills and less on lectures, quizzes and exams. Though Steve Martin's schedule prevents him from participating in this year's Refining Skills experience, Susan G. Friedman, Ph.D. will be our featured instructor for the May 2-6, 2010, workshop. We are also pleased to offer a $100 discount for this workshop for students who have completed Dr. Friedman's LLP course.
The information in the workshop includes:
• Review of the science of behavior
• Advanced behavior modification techniques
• Replacing unwanted behavior
• Observing subtle body language
• Refining mechanical skill
• Problem solving
• Group discussion on current behavior topics
Level 3: Trainer Immersion
We are happy to announce a new parrot behavior and training workshop experience we are creating at NEI. As the name suggests, this workshop is an opportunity for people to spend five days immersing themselves in the daily routine of a professional bird trainer. The groups are limited to three people to provide plenty of time to pursue the personal goals of each attendee. The days will be spent in partnership with one of our expert instructors you have come to know from our other workshops. Without lengthy lectures, quizzes, exams, etc., attendees will have ample time to work with a wide variety of birds. Students will have the opportunity to increase their understanding of parrot behavior as well as their training skills on a more personal level than in any of our other workshops. Each day will be filled with hands-on training with birds and exciting brainstorming and problem solving with an NEI expert trainer. It is the perfect next step for those who have completed both the Level 1 and Level 2 workshops. We will have lots of time to work with birds and to focus on individual student goals.
The Trainer Immersion Experience is only open to those who have completed Levels 1 and 2 of our Companion Parrot workshop series. Optional dates and additional information will be available soon.
Companion Parrot Workshop Schedules:
Foundation Skills Workshop
When: Jan 17-21, 2010
Where: Natural Encounters, Inc. Training Facility in Winter Haven, Florida
Tuition: $1500 per person (limited to 20 attendees)
Icebreaker: Jan 16
Banquet Celebration: Jan 21
Refining Skills Workshop
When: May 2-6, 2010
Where: Natural Encounters, Inc. Training Facility in Winter Haven, Florida
Tuition: $2000 per person (limited to 16 attendees)
Icebreaker: May 1
Banquet Celebration: May 6
Trainer Immersion
Prerequisites: Only open to those who have completed Levels 1 and 2 of our Companion Parrot workshop series
When: We are not accepting applications for 2010 Immersion dates at this time.
Where: Natural Encounters, Inc. Training Facility in Winter Haven, Florida
Tuition: $2,000 per person
For Registration and Information:
Online Registration Form
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