newbies with TAG, too much noise, please help!

[merlin]

Hi Barb,

Your new baby sounds beautiful!!! The cockatiel screams, dog barking, and macaw sounds are the language of her "old" flock groups. In time, she will be adopting her "new" flock language, which is what you and your husband teach her. It does take a little time, so please try to have patience for the next few months, while she learns the new language. It definitely will take longer than the first 10 days. It could be a few months, but if you love her, don't give up.

It sounds like you are doing the appropriate strategies to help her stop making those sounds. But it also sounds like you are doing too many things and may be confusing the picture. Choose one soft sound that you can stand to hear back from her. Make that sound ONLY... and make it every time she makes the sounds that you don't like. Respond back to her in that quieter sound, but in a cheerful, upbeat way. Make it a fun game.

You can also try this. Find a treat she loves. Do not serve it in the cage. Instead, break it into tiny pieces. When she responds to YOUR sound, instead of her loud sounds, praise her and give her a treat. Do that, in combination with the making-soft-sound strategy.

Also, try to work on yourselves. I've found that when I'm very irritated about something, it gets to me and gets stronger. But when I switch my perspective and look from a different lense, it loses its intensity and disappears. Try to get yourselves excited and see this whole process as a fun game that helps you teach your new companion.

Hoping this helps.
GREY'T Blessings,
Maggie-

[merlin]

Hi Barb,

I just wanted to make it more clear. When SHE responds to you... making YOUR softer sound, instead of her noisy sound, then praise and treat her. That, in combination with making the softer sound, should help.
Blessings,
Maggie-