I have read the downloaded eBook Clicking with Your Rabbit, and I am excited about getting started with these two tools, the clicker and the target stick. I know things can be a little complicated by the fact that I have three -- soon to be four -- rabbits, but I will just have to be careful about using the clicker when they are in a group, outside of individualized training sessions.
I figure the way I will introduce the clicker is with their morning treat. Each of them stands on her hind feet three times in a row in the morning, first thing, to greet me, and to receive three treats. I think Jemimah, especially, is willing to do this behavior now just for a pat of recognition, but I don't want to begin fading out the treat association yet, I want to use this opportunity for them to get the treat and clicker association firmly in their minds.
Then I wonder what I will work with first with the target stick. I guess just getting the rabbit to touch her nose to it. I think all three will readily catch on to that; and that's when the fun begins. I almost feel as if I should be shopping at PetsMart in the animal agility section to bring home articles that would be fun to train with, but I also realize that if I am creative, I can just come up with some fun and easy toys/training articles from materials we have here at the house. I confess that I did find one woman who does make jump kits (she won't have any for another month), and I am not sure how many jumps each kit creates, or types of jumps; but I would far rather go with her expertise (she introduced bunny jumping into the US in 2001) than trying to reinvent the wheel.
We do have one bunny jump, one catlitterbox lid that the rabbits treat as a little house that they get both into and on top of, and then the "Bunny Cottage with ramp". My fiance made the bunny jump out of some left over 2x4's. The problem is that the different heights are demarcated by bungee cords, which aren't optimal. Really, I know, the jump should have something that falls away if the rabbits' feet hit it. I am thinking white electrical conduit, taped up fancy with different colors so that the rabbits can distinguish it. We have plenty of 2x4's left and could make several more jumps. It's a question of comingi up with suitable cross pieces. That's one I have to negotiate with the fiance who is not always ready to listen to me about the requirements of bunny jumping, but rather likes to have his own ideas (e.g., the bungee cords, which actually are dangerous for a bunny).
