Rehome

[Marissaw]

My husband and I are considering adopting a B&G macaw. He is 10 years old and has had 2 owners. His current owner has some recently diagnosed health problems which prevent her from handling him.

I grew up with birds in the house and owned a GC as well. I know all about the noise, mess and also the incredible reward.

My concern is we own 3 large dogs. They are well trained and are a livestock guardian breed who is very tolerant of other animals in general. All 3 of our dogs are clicker trained and I enjoy teaching them new tricks.I just worry our house would be too chaotic for a parrot to relax.

My husband and I work opposite shifts so our bird would only be alone for 5 hours a day. Most of the things we enjoy doing could easily include our bird (hiking, game nights, gardening etc.) I love to cook and making bird chop looks fun!

Basically I'm looking for reassurance from current owners we could make a macaw happy in our home.

 

[Rain Bow]

@Shezbug
@Hankmacaw
@Karen
@macawpower58
@Macawnutz

 

[Toy]

I had 8 yappy Toy Poodles around my 3 parrots (B&G Macaw, U2 & CAG) all the time. Parrots seem to thrive on noise & really get wound up when young kids are around. None of my parrots were afraid of my dogs. Parrots don't know dogs can be a threat. After a nip or two on a nose my dogs quickly learned to stay away from the birds.

Place the bird in a dark room, attempt to keep the dogs quiet during night time hours, so the bird can get sleep.

 

[MiniMacaw]

I have a few large dogs, two kids and a cat lol. I also have a rescue macaw who requires a lot of tlc. He does great and while I have to keep a disciplined routine to keep everyone happy, I see no issue with having a macaw share a home with other animals at all. What matters is the effort put in.
In my experience, if a macaw knows they’re loved and well cared for then I don’t think they’ll mind the occasional bark/dog chaos.

 

[Marissaw]

I had 8 yappy Toy Poodles around my 3 parrots (B&G Macaw, U2 & CAG) all the time. Parrots seem to thrive on noise & really get wound up when young kids are around. None of my parrots were afraid of my dogs. Parrots don't know dogs can be a threat. After a nip or two on a nose my dogs quickly learned to stay away from the birds.

Place the bird in a dark room, attempt to keep the dogs quiet during night time hours, so the bird can get sleep.

Well that is sure reassuring. I've been doing lots and lots of reading and research and saw theories that a more active household can lead to a louder bird in general, and nobody wants to hear bird screams 24/7.

 

[Marissaw]

I have a few large dogs, two kids and a cat lol. I also have a rescue macaw who requires a lot of tlc. He does great and while I have to keep a disciplined routine to keep everyone happy, I see no issue with having a macaw share a home with other animals at all. What matters is the effort put in.
In my experience, if a macaw knows they’re loved and well cared for then I don’t think they’ll mind the occasional bark/dog chaos.

We would also be inheriting a large outdoor aviary for him so when the weather gets nicer everyone will have even more space to relaxing in. His previous home had a small dog. I just want to be 1000% sure we would be making his life better/ richer by bringing him to our home and not adding more stress.

 

[MiniMacaw]

One thing to add is they are mirrors of our emotions to an incredible degree. My macaw Bowser is pretty quiet for a macaw. My house is very loud between the kids and my two severe macaws that talk to each other like bickering spouses all day lol. Bowser will actually yell at them and they’ll be quiet, then he’ll look proud of himself and enjoy the peace and quiet lol. I think there are so few good and loving homes for large parrots out there compared to the amount needing homes that if you have the love and willingness to bring one home, the rest can be learned as you go.
I never stop learning from Bowser on his needs and vice versa. For example, my father passed a while ago and I was crying really hard next to his aviary. He came out and put his head down and he is not a bird that likes touch or cuddling particularly much because he endured a lot of physical abuse by prior owners. He let me kiss his little head feathers and rest my cheek on his head while I cried it out and the whole time he was muttering soft little macaw words. I had no idea the capacity macaws have to share in our emotions and really be a part of the family. They’re all individuals of course, but the feeling of being part of a “flock” with a family and the safety that brings them goes a long way.

 

[Shezbug]

Burt loves it when the dogs bark.... he screams “mum” for me so I know they’re barking then he joins in lol.
My dog never tries to interact with him though, she does scrounge for dropped food on the floor around his cage and he tells her off because that’s what I do. Both my dogs were told off for showing any interest in Burt as soon as he got to my home so the most they ever did was scrounge for food.
The louder and more energetic it is at my home the louder Burt is. When it’s quiet at home he’s mostly fairly quiet.

 

[Hankmacaw]

Although many people handle it with no problems, dogs and birds always worry the heck out of me. My advice is to ALWAYS keep them separated. A dog can kill or maim a macaw in an instant. Believe me you can't react as fast as a dog can.

And yes if you believe you can give the bird a good loving home take him. Just always be aware that birds are prey and dogs/cats are predators.

 

[Marissaw]

Although many people handle it with no problems, dogs and birds always worry the heck out of me. My advice is to ALWAYS keep them separated. A dog can kill or maim a macaw in an instant. Believe me you can't react as fast as a dog can.

And yes if you believe you can give the bird a good loving home take him. Just always be aware that birds are prey and dogs/cats are predators.

It worries me too, im going to have very strict rules for bird/dog interaction and constant supervison. I don't need them to be bff's just peacefully coexist

 

[macawpower58]

It all depends on your dogs.
My 3 working GSDs were raised with my parrots. Too, Macaw, Zon.
They were taught from an early age birds are 100% off limits, to the extent mine would leave a room if they saw a bird out.

With your dogs being adults, it's a toss up. How is their prey drive?
If it's strong, it's a tragedy IMO waiting to happen.
Even super well trained dogs can at times act on instinct over orders.

It they have little to no prey drive, and are well trained, it could work.
Only though with constant supervision, rules taught them, and a unbreakable barrier between dogs/birds when you're not watching them.

LGDs accept and protect any member of a family they're raised with.
Not sure if this can or will carry over to a bird that is brought in after they've grown.

 

[Marissaw]

One thing to add is they are mirrors of our emotions to an incredible degree. My macaw Bowser is pretty quiet for a macaw. My house is very loud between the kids and my two severe macaws that talk to each other like bickering spouses all day lol. Bowser will actually yell at them and they’ll be quiet, then he’ll look proud of himself and enjoy the peace and quiet lol. I think there are so few good and loving homes for large parrots out there compared to the amount needing homes that if you have the love and willingness to bring one home, the rest can be learned as you go.
I never stop learning from Bowser on his needs and vice versa. For example, my father passed a while ago and I was crying really hard next to his aviary. He came out and put his head down and he is not a bird that likes touch or cuddling particularly much because he endured a lot of physical abuse by prior owners. He let me kiss his little head feathers and rest my cheek on his head while I cried it out and the whole time he was muttering soft little macaw words. I had no idea the capacity macaws have to share in our emotions and really be a part of the family. They’re all individuals of course, but the feeling of being part of a “flock” with a family and the safety that brings them goes a long way.

That is really beautiful and one of the biggest reasons I have always loved birds. They connect with their people in such unique ways.

It all depends on your dogs.
My 3 working GSDs were raised with my parrots. Too, Macaw, Zon.
They were taught from an early age birds are 100% off limits, to the extent mine would leave a room if they saw a bird out.

With your dogs being adults, it's a toss up. How is their prey drive?
If it's strong, it's a tragedy IMO waiting to happen.
Even super well trained dogs can at times act on instinct over orders.

It they have little to no prey drive, and are well trained, it could work.
Only though with constant supervision, rules taught them, and a unbreakable barrier between dogs/birds when you're not watching them.

LGDs accept and protect any member of a family they're raised with.
Not sure if this can or will carry over to a bird that is brought in after they've grown.

Our great pyrenees have 0 problem with my mothers rabbit so I feel like their prey drive is next to 0.
Our 3rd dog is a working Mal who is incredibly well trained and does have some prey drive (obviously) but basically flunked out of IPO for not having enough drive. I can also very easily keep him and the bird separated. He already knows a strong leave it and go to bed to help prevent accidents.

 

[macawpower58]

Malinois? Some prey drive? lol Haven't seen one yet like that!

Awesome dogs if you can handle all that drive. Love their desire to work.

 

[finchly]

I am not a Mac owner but.... I have a very large flock and a cocker spaniel (talk about prey drive!). She’s the most stubborn dog on the planet but at age 3, she has learned “down” when a bird gets near the floor, to the extent that she does it herself and continues to lay there even when a caique is attacking her nose.

If she and I can do it, I know you can.

 

[lexalayne]

I have large birds and large dogs - they are always separated. I have only had one dog I wild have trusted around my birds and he was gone years before I had my birds. He was a large lab/ retriever mix who would bring home baby bunnies alive and cry over them and also cuddle them. He was one of a kind. And if you’ve noticed home seems to be a safe place for the normal prey/predator drive don’t trust it.

 

[Birdtawk]

It all depends on your dogs.
My 3 working GSDs were raised with my parrots. Too, Macaw, Zon.
They were taught from an early age birds are 100% off limits, to the extent mine would leave a room if they saw a bird out.

I just got a GSD mix puppy, he's half Golden Retriever, half GSD. May I ask how you trained your dogs to leave your birds alone? I have 4 conure-sized birds.

 

[macawpower58]

First thing was the command bed, which meant go to my bedroom (where they also had crates.
This was a command I taught daily for many occasions. I'd command and then treat once they were there.
I'd have treats in the room (snuck them in) and command bed. Self rewarding!
I also did not allow them out without an 'OK come' command.
You have to be very aware of your dogs age, and ability. With a young pup it's almost an instant OK.
You have to make sure the family is on it, or not allowed to command at all.
My daughters were only allowed to use normal words like 'lie down, and go away'.
They were not allowed to use my commands as they didn't enforce them, not remember to release the dogs.
I used German commands mostly for down, come, sit and stuff.

I eventually would have a bird in hand, I'd say 'BIRD-BED!'. Reward.
I'm big on rewards, for the life of my dogs.
They must obey reward or not, but I won't work for free, and never asked my dogs to do it either.

By the time my dogs were mature adults, I'd say they were safe (as a dog can be) with the birds.
I actually had my Goffin escape her cage once. Came home to my one dog in the bedroom (good boy!), and my Too on the bed he was lying against.

Even as well trained as they were, only one dog I really trusted fully, and even he was never allowed in the same room lose while the birds were out.

High prey dogs and birds are a recipe for disaster. I trained, was careful, and was lucky.
Even my escapee, escaped hurt. It could have easily gone very wrong.

I had the dogs in a separate locked room than the birds, when I wasn't home, and the dogs were young.
They had to earn the right to be out lose in the house, with the caged birds when I was out.
Several never earned that right.

 

[Birdtawk]

I eventually would have a bird in hand, I'd say 'BIRD-BED!'. Reward.
I'm big on rewards, for the life of my dogs.
They must obey reward or not, but I won't work for free, and never asked my dogs to do it either.

I like that command! Bird bed! I'm going to do that.

I have successfully trained 2 dogs in the past to never bother my birds, one was a golden retriever collie mix, maybe with a little GSD or husky! in there too, and the other was a chiweenie! When the birds were out they'd leave the room or just ignore them. However, later in life my partner had a fearless peach face lovebird who would occasionally play with the golden retriever collie mix, they would chase each other (supervised) and he was very gentle with her. She would also groom his ears. Neither dog ever bothered my birds but my new dog is a 50%/50% mix of GSD and Golden (I met the parents) so I want to be on the safe side!