Chattering
When I enter Otto's mew, I instinctually try to be as silent as possible. I don't want to spook the Great Horned Owl, after all. But then my mentor reminded me that predators slink along quietly. She suggested that I talk to him to make it clear that I'm not a predator trying to sneak up on him. I understood the assignment, but found it difficult. I'm a naturally quiet and concise person and have a hard time chatter away without a structured conversation. Otto keeps his eye on me when he has food enrichment in his talons. When my daughter was born, I got the same recommendation. You must talk to your baby to strengthen brain development and language skills. I was surprised how easy it became to narrate my day to a little human. Luckily my newly acquired parenting skill transferred into Otto's mew. Now I find a stream of words coming out of my mouth during training sessions as I describe where I'm moving, what the glove is doing, and what type of treats are in my...