Quote Originally Posted by Saluqi View Post
Hi Oliver,

You asked why hood a bird, Pete and I gave you some reasons why hooding is used and you think it would be better to train the bird not to react to these stimuli. I contend that it's a better use of my time and resources to have a bird that is solid to the hood, rather then attempt to prepare the bird not to react to an almost infinite number of circumstances that might arise at home, in transit, and in the field. As a falconer, and not an animal trainer, I like to focus all of my training on activities that lead to the taking of wild game with my bird, and the hood is a tool allows me to do so - I simply do not have the time or desire to train for every eventuality, it's that simple I'm lazy.
I'm sorry Paul, I hope I didn't offend you in anyway. I appreciate all your guys' feed back and the reason I started the thread/debate was to learn from those of you that know more about this than I do. I am running into all sorts of things within this hobby/sport/lifestyle, which I respect deeply, that just contridict what I have been taught.

I am one of the laziest people that I know, there isn't anyway anyone can be worse, lol. I just think training these things can be done rather easily and it's all about balance of reinforcement. Training is really to make life easier and not more difficult. We had birds that would present wings for inspection, or feet for coping the feet. Our dolphins would turn upside down and hold their breath, presenting their tail flukes, as long as it took to draw blood. I've seen a dolphin slide up on a stretcher and allow 10+ people to pick it up and walk it around. One of our dolphins needed extra water each day, and in the middle of the show she would allow me to stick a tube all the way down to her stomach and funnel water (they don't do the drinking thing). Sometimes these behaviors don't come easy, sometimes they do, but you never know until you try. It really only takes a bit of reinforcement for doing them.