Teaching your Grey correct phrase association

[danmcq]

I started teaching Dayo a new phrase "Good Job" about 2 weeks ago. I started training him to understand this concept by telling him "Good Job" each time I asked him to do a task and he completed it. Such as turn the water off, pick up toys, wipe his beak etc.

 

Now there is no doubt he understands it. My wife fills dog water bowl, Dayo - "Good Job...", I clean a poop up, Dayo - "Good Job", wife washes a container, Dayo - "Good Job".... now every action we perform is rewarded with that phrase upon completion.

 

I believe our home has become the most "Positive" environment I have ever slaved in.

 

Seriously though, when you want your Grey to associate and use words in the correct context, be sure you are consistent and describe an item or action the same every time you offer it, do it, enter your home, leave your home, answer the phone, cook dinner etc.<br><br>Post edited by: danmcq, at: 2010/04/04 03:03

[rbpittman]

In regard to that phrase, it's easy to know that Dayo understands the concept of the word, but what about a word that has multiple contexts and is one we use daily? Dixie loves the word "help." When she wants someone to get her out of her cage (like first thing in the morning) she says "help." But when I'm cleaning her cage and she's sitting on my head or chasing the paper towel, she also says "help" as in assist. She says this in two different ways - help out of her cage comes across like a plea; but help while chasing the paper towel in the bottom of her cage sounds like a question. Is it possible she's grasped this concept?

 

--

 

Robin

[Luvparrots]

That sure must take a lot of patience. I'll have to give it a try!

[Jane08]

We also do that and it really works. Everytime we have an item or do somehting we use a word or phrase to associate with it and ours really learn this way. For example, they will only say sorry when they have done something wrong, if they want water they ask for it.

 

Now the only one I am having difficulties teaching them is thank you. When I give them something I always use it but they have never picked it up, ungrateful little so and so's.

[pearllyn]

This is a helpful post Dan - good job!! I feel Alfie is only just at the stage where I can start to really teach her things, rather than her just pick them up by accident - her attention span has been non-existant until lately.

RObin if you use that word to her in these two situations I think it's likely she will have picked up both of their meanings. Alfie uses "step up" in two seperate tones - one when she's on her perch and is about to fly to me, and another far more impatient tone, when she's on top of the curtain rail and has no intention of flying to me!! i know it's not the same situation as you describe but shows again the same words can be used in different circumstances!

[Janfromboone]

Wonderful idea for a post Dan. Thank you would be a good one to teach - Ha! Tobie seems to understand "When" to say something more than "What" he is saying. He can be uncanny in his use of words or combination of words, or just not get it at all. He clumps his greetings and salutations and when I leave in the morning and say "Bye Bye" he sais "Hello". He is either trying to tell me something or thinks the words are interchangeable. We play a game called "what time is it" Tobie will ask the question or I will ask the question "what time is it" and the answer might be "bedtime", "suppertime", "dogfood time", "Morning time" etc. He has a new you tube video in which he nails this one. He isn't always right though.

[danmcq]

Robin - Thats hard for me to really say. It all depends on the different actions you have taught Dixie to come to believe is the correct context(s) for the word "Help".

 

I only use words and phrases in one context and make sure I only use it when I am performing that action, asking a question, giving him something etc.

 

Janet - It's not so much patience, as it is just consistency. I keep using words all the time in correct context and some Dayo has not used...yet. I believe they pick up and actually use, what THEY find interesting, useful, fun and it benefits them in some way either physically, mentally as in Joy, a feeling of self worth, accomplishment etc..

 

So, if you just use "Drink of water" each time you give your Grey water. It's not patience, it's just something you are son doing with out even thinking about as in an auto-response.

 

Perilyn - Your absolutely right. At first most is just words and sounds they seem to like and use hit and miss. But, just like a human child learns speech, a Grey starts making those synaptic connects and soon is producing meaningful phrases and correctly using words for what the desire, need or are doing.

 

Jan - I actually taught Dayo "Thank You" about 6 months ago and he uses it consistently in context now. I used the same scenarios for "Thank You", as I did for "Good Job". When I asked Dayo to step up, move (to fill a bowl), give me a kiss etc. and he did so, I would then say "Thank You" and praise him with a smile, high pitched voice and plenty of "Good Boys". It took about 4 weeks for him to grasp when to say "Thank You".

 

I am no "expert" on "Teaching Greys to Talk", but I have found that consistency and praise works for Dayo.

 

In fact, my suspected wild caught Conure Jake is all of a sudden talking, probably from recognizing Dayo gets actions from us when He talks.

[katana600]

Thanks Dan, I have been so delighted in hearing all of Kopi's words that I spend more time answering him than being conscious of teaching him. He is having great success in teaching me his phrases though. LOL

[Janfromboone]

I think answering them is important too. I think in the beginning that is why they talk. They want us to answer them and they will say whatever gets the biggest rise from us. That's funny, that the bird has taught you many phrases.