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From: hobright@SRC.Honeywell.COM (Lesa Hobright)
Subject: Re: Indoor: companion for parrot?
In-Reply-To: rollo@xerxes.Xylogics.COM's message of 6 Jun 91 15:13:27 GMT
Message-ID: <1991Jun7.153529.26342@src.honeywell.com>
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Date: Fri, 7 Jun 91 15:35:29 GMT



We have a 4 year old parakeet and a one year old Keeshond.  

Peep (the bird) has had the entire house to herself for three years with full
freedom to fly whenever she wants, although she primarily stuck to her cage and
the palm plant by the sliding-glass doors.  

When we introduced Chaska (the dog) into the house, the bird was curious as to
what was making so much noise and Chaska was curious as to what was moving in
the cage.  (we have a cage with legs and stands on the floor)  Peep stuck to
her cage for about the first 2 months the dog was around.  She'd come out and
fly around the rooms but would go back into her cage.

Now...the bird teases the dog into chasing her around the house.  She'll come
out of her cage and dive-bomb the dog to get his attention and then fly off.
When she lands back in her cage, Chaska follows her and smiffs.  If she's had
enough, she'll bite him on the nose.  One day we found Chaska licking her tail
feathers as she was sitting there in her cage with her tail out the door. 

They have become buds and spend a good part of the evening chasing each other
around.  If the dog barks at the bird, the bird squacks back.  It is rather entertaining!