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› Forum › THE LOUNGE › Bunny agility
Any of you guys doing bunny agility? And if so, do you want to flash some pictures, brag about your awards or just simply tell about your experience?
When I got Molly, I was quite interested in doing it, and I actually have some of the agility equipment which her previous owner got me. She is a dutch, and they are the best breed when it comes to agility – which is also quite obvious on a daily basis.
However, I went to a bunny agility show, and found out that all the contestants were 13- year-olds (I’m 30!)…so I let it go and decided not to join a club. But I do think about doing it a home, just for fun.
I would LOVE to get into that. Though I’m not 13 either It looks pretty fun… though Leroy is very stubborn, so idk how well that would work out for me Thing is, it doesn’t seem to be as popular here in the US as in other countries. I haven’t been able to find a group near me that does it. So if Leroy and I go for the agility training, it would just be a backyard sort of project
I plan to start training it at home a bit. Otto really isn’t a natural jumper (he won’t even jump on the couch), so I wouldn’t think of doing it with hi in public, but I think it’ll be fun to do at home!
I remember reading that bunny agility is very big in Denmark. I’ve heard about it in the US too, but it doesn’t seem as popular (oh, just saw that Barbie said the same thing!)
As with most animals – any time you give them something – like agility training – to do, they are busy & that tends to make them happy.
I would say go for it – even if it is just at home!
Posted By Elrohwen on 01/28/2010 06:13 AM
I plan to start training it at home a bit. Otto really isn’t a natural jumper (he won’t even jump on the couch), so I wouldn’t think of doing it with hi in public, but I think it’ll be fun to do at home!I remember reading that bunny agility is very big in Denmark. I’ve heard about it in the US too, but it doesn’t seem as popular (oh, just saw that Barbie said the same thing!)
It is really huge here. Which is good. This is the way that all these hutch bunnies get a chance to come out and have some exercise. And I have to admit, these 13-year-old girls are good at training their bunnies! I have seen most of them just slightly bend down in their knees, make a click noise with the tongue, and their bunnies jump from the floor and unto their laps. And then the girls just stand up and carry the bunnies around. Easily.
But I could never participate ’cause during the shows, the bunnies are in really small cages, and a show is normally a whole weekend. My bunnies would hate me if I caged them like that.
When you start training, post some pictures and write some, okay? It could be fun to have someone to share experiences with ’cause then I could start too.
Yeah, I’ve seen videos where they just pick the bunnies up like it’s nothing … I think that’s the most amazing part! Lol. Jumping is natural to bunnies, but being in front of crowds and being picked up certainly isn’t. I wish someone we teach me and Otto how to make picking up so easy.
I was hoping to get some PVC pipes and make a jump or two and I already have a few small tunnels, so I’ll get started there. Unfortunately I don’t have much open room in my living room (where there’s a rug) and Otto will absolutely not jump on the hardwood, so I’m not sure how much we can do. Gotta get my bum to the hardware store and get some jump materials first! I found a really good guide online for making dog agility jumps and I think I could do the same for bun jumps by just using smaller pipes.
Here’s the link I found for building jumps: http://www.caninecrib.com/dog/train…d-jump.asp
It seems fairly easy since you’re pretty much just assembling PVC pipes and you can have them all cut at the hardware store (I’d get small parts for a bunny jump; maybe 30″ tall). The only tricky part would be splitting the end caps to make the jump cups. I’m not sure if we have a saw (we live in an apartment after all) but maybe I could have my dad make some and mail them to me.
how do you train a bunny to do that though?? Herhsye doesnt even respond when i say her name though ive been TRYING to tech it to her since the day we got her :S maybe she’s just ignoring me…. I got Twix yesterday and she already perks her ears up when i say her name…
some bunnies just are soo stubborn
I’m not sure how real bunny agility people train it, but I can tell you how I would train it (and how I will train it, once I get a jump built).
I would start training targeting. Get a stick with a ball on the end (or anything similar) and give your bun a treat whenever they touch the target with their nose. When they get good at this, you can start leading them around by moving the target in front of them. Then hold the target over the jump and slightly past it and hopefully the bunny will jump.
I know bunny agility doesn’t use targets, so I’m not really sure how they train it. You could always wait for your bunny to just jump it and praise when they do, but if you have a bunny like mine who won’t jump anything without encouragement, you need something to help lead them over the jump the first few times.
lmao hershey jumps over anything and everything you DONT want her to jump over…
She would probably be great at it then! You could probably just put a jump down and watch her figure it out for herself.
thats not a bad idea………
Posted By Elrohwen on 01/28/2010 03:04 PM
I’m not sure how real bunny agility people train it, but I can tell you how I would train it (and how I will train it, once I get a jump built).I would start training targeting. Get a stick with a ball on the end (or anything similar) and give your bun a treat whenever they touch the target with their nose. When they get good at this, you can start leading them around by moving the target in front of them. Then hold the target over the jump and slightly past it and hopefully the bunny will jump.
I know bunny agility doesn’t use targets, so I’m not really sure how they train it. You could always wait for your bunny to just jump it and praise when they do, but if you have a bunny like mine who won’t jump anything without encouragement, you need something to help lead them over the jump the first few times.
That’s how I would do it as well. I have read quite a few guidelines from the Danish Association of Bunny Agility (or whatever the name), but I just don’t remember now. I could look it up, but there should be some guidelines in English as well out there?
I started on doing some clicker training on Molly the other day, and I think that is the way to go when doing agility as well.
My buns are… uhm… not agile? Lol…
LMAO at your signature Karla!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted By Beka27 on 01/29/2010 03:57 AM
LMAO at your signature Karla!!!!!!!!!!!
I guess, the quote applies for you as well? When I read it the first time, I thought that was the truest thing, I had ever read about having pet bunnies, LOL. I actually don’t have the book, but would really like to buy it.
Posted By Karla on 01/29/2010 05:46 AM
I guess, the quote applies for you as well? When I read it the first time, I thought that was the truest thing, I had ever read about having pet bunnies, LOL. I actually don’t have the book, but would really like to buy it.
Home in shambles… check.
Husband running to grocery store at 6am in search of parsley… relationship in shambles… check.
Friends snicker when I flash my bunny cell wallpaper or tell off a moron at the petstore… check.
Hay storage is in the walk-in closet, hanging clothes smell like a barn… check.
Rabbit raisins surround me… half the time I don’t even stop to pick them up… check.
LOL Do not worry about the age thing-likely it’s just who has patience and time to train them-13 year olds have the time and are patient enough at that age-definitely not a kiddie sport so go for it!
I have done some clicker training and work-but my buns aren’t the best group for it. Chuck and Rupert are disabled, Noot is very old and Kahlua is very dumb (hehehe)
Rupert is the bun I train but nothing high and nothing tough. Kahlua knows beg and only from watching Kokanee and Rupert-she has no interest in me-never has. She’d be a tough bun to train (except to stomp that’s her fav move).
Dutch buns are my fav and are awesome for training and agility. They are smart and active-perfect combinations
Training for agility or anything is going to strengthen your bond AND work out your bun AND make your bun more confident and stimulated It’s a wonderful pursuit
Remember-we NEED videos though heheh or at least pictures
oh my god i had a bunny called twix!
he was a dwarf lop,
brown,
male,
and seriously cool.
he was always escaping out a tiny hole in his carrier and he would run round the garden in the middle of the night!
sadly he died of floppy bunny.
and i was very sad.
I might try get her into agility, but is she too old?
she is 2. and very lazy. mabey lindt’ll be better…
really my smilies have gone. the old way is longer.
for my jumps ill just get a broom and put it on two plant pots and put a town over it so she cant go under. mabey put it nere a wall and fence or something so she cant go around. buttons wont like that idea.
😮
am i alowed to do i hole post of s
ok i will
phew.
Posted By Beka27 on 01/29/2010 01:45 PM
Home in shambles… check.
Husband running to grocery store at 6am in search of parsley… relationship in shambles… check.
Friends snicker when I flash my bunny cell wallpaper or tell off a moron at the petstore… check.
Hay storage is in the walk-in closet, hanging clothes smell like a barn… check.
Rabbit raisins surround me… half the time I don’t even stop to pick them up… check.
ROFLMAO, Beka!!!!!!!
BTW, getting back on topic , there’s a book on clicker training in BB’s store that I understand people have had success with, and you can also get a clicker. It’s a popular book for the subject, so if you can’t order it from BB if there’s any problem shipping overseas to Denmark, you can look for it locally.
And I do NOT think you should be intimidated by a bunch of 13 year olds. I am certain that the audience is full of adults who are saying to themselves “I would love to do this, but I’m too old.” You could be a trailblazer for adults who clicker train and kick teenaged butt!
Otherwise, the backyard is fun too.
Pam, the book is pretty good, though can find a lot of the information on http://www.clickerbunny.com.
I do looove the clicker available on BB. Regular clickers require you to click with your thumb, but with the one on BB I can click with any finger. I’ll often hold treats between my index and thumb, then put the clicker in my palm and click it with my middle finger. It really makes things easier.
› Forum › THE LOUNGE › Bunny agility