1. Understand what motivates your rabbit. Unlike our canine friends, rabbits aren’t naturally particularly motivated to please the “top dog.” This means that strong punishment, such as spanking or yelling at a rabbit, won’t make him more cooperative (many people say these behaviors are actually counterproductive to training dogs, as well). Rabbits, however, are very intelligent and eagerly respond to incentives. If you use these incentives correctly, most rabbits will respond accordingly.
2. Devote plenty of time to training. For best results, you should plan on initially devoting at least 30 minutes, and preferably an hour or two, every day to training your rabbit. It may seem like a lot of time, but in the long run it’s well worth it. Don’t worry: you’ll probably only need to do this for a week or two. In fact, you may begin to see results on the first day.
3. Use your rabbit’s favorite treats. Since training is based on incentives, you’ll need to find a treat that provides the best incentive possible. If you don’t know what your rabbit’s favorite treat is, try to figure it out. If you’re not sure if a particular food is safe for your rabbit, check with your vet.
4. Get your rabbit in position for training. Stage your training in the area and situation where and when you will want the behavior to occur. For example, if you want to teach your rabbit to jump up on your lap when called, first put him near the couch. If you want to train him to go in his crate at night, train him around the appropriate time, and make sure his crate is positioned where it will normally be.
5. Give your rabbit a treat immediately when he performs your request. If you want to teach your rabbit to come when called, start her training by having her positioned very close to you. When she comes to you, give her the reward. Be consistent. Make sure that your companion knows why he’s getting a treat. Use the exact same commands, such as “Sit, Fluffy,” or “Up, Fluffy,” every time, so your rabbit will learn to recognize your requests and associate those exact words with getting a treat.
6. Keep providing the treats until your rabbit responds correctly nearly every time. When you’re trying to teach a new skill, don’t skimp on the rewards. You need to make sure you are thoroughly conditioning your rabbit.
7. Gradually wean your rabbit off the treats. Once your bunny has a skill down pat, begin to give the treats less frequently. Give him his reward once and then don’t the next time, or give him a treat only every few times. Eventually you may not need treats at all. In time, reward your rabbit with petting and toys, and only use food occasionally to keep the behavior strong.
8.Reinforce the training as necessary. From time to time your rabbit may need to relearn a skill. That is, you may need to bring the incentives back. Don’t be afraid to do so.
No comments:
Post a Comment