How to teach your rabbit to stand up

By David Lessem

Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

Rabbit
<br />Rabbit Treats

Step 1:
Hold a tasty treat between your fingers where your rabbit can see it. Raise the treat right above his head.
Step 2:
As you raise the treat, say a simple command. You can include the rabbit's name, or simply say something like "stand." It can also be helpful to include a visual gesture such as a slight upward movement with your hand.
Step 3:
When the rabbit stands up to get the treat, give it to her. Then praise her in a soothing voice and pet her if she likes being petted.
Step 4:
Repeat the trick several times a day, each time giving the rabbit a treat and praise.
Step 5:
As the bunny gets better at standing, make her stand for longer before you give her the treat.
Step 6:
Once your rabbit has gotten the trick, stop giving him the treat every time. Sometimes, simply praise and pet him. Other times give him a toy. Only occasionally give him the snack. This intermittent reinforcement will actually strengthen the training.

Tips & Warnings

Always use the same command to train a specific behavior. If you say "stand" sometimes and "up" other times, it will make it harder for the rabbit to understand.
Rabbits can be timid and temperamental.Never force your bunny to perform a trick. If the rabbit is moody, simply leave him alone for a bit and try again later.

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