Rabbit Hopping and How to Start

Here is a proven method on how to train rabbits to the leash and harness, and how to start walking the rabbit out in front of you on the leash. Teaching rabbits to the lead is different to puppies walking on your side or next to you. Forget all about how to walk a dog on a leash. This is totally different!

First of all do not use food as an incentive for rabbits until all training or events are completed. Rabbits do not work like dogs or cats.  If they can smell food on you rabbits will sit around and wait for you to give it to them and not finish the training/event. They will stand around waiting for the food and if they can smell it on you then they will not work but will wait to be fed and a rabbit must be trained to hop through a course without stopping.

The Basics:

1.) get them used to wearing the leash. 

2.) when they are on the ground---tap them on the bottom (rear end) lightly.
Do not use the leash to tap or a hand to hit the rabbit, tap lightly with the back of your fingers.

3.) Once they are on the ground do not pick them up unless absolutely necessary.
Do not move the rabbit along forcefully and never, never pick the rabbit up by the leash and move it along. NEVER!!!

4.) Always stay behind the rabbit. Tap it or make a clicking noise with your mouth or say ‘hop’ (or whatever your rabbit likes to hear from you). Instead of tapping you can bend over like you are going to tap him on the bottom and then ‘click’ and then he will go (hopefully!).

Keep this up whenever the rabbit is on the leash. They will start to get more freedom to their movements and start running out in front of you.
Stay up with them and don't allow them to change direction unless you allow it, this means that you will watch which way the rabbit is going. The rabbit is always looking at your feet.

Remember-they never look up past your knees when moving along at a faster pace. They see your shoes and they will change direction with your foot pattern.

Try this in an open area and it will take a few goes before the rabbit begins to understand what is required but you will soon realize that they are watching your feet and upon approach they will change direction.

This type of training will teach you about rabbit "ground work" as it is called and it will also teach the rabbit how to run the courses.

At first---take your time. The rabbit will be walking at first and you walk behind the rabbit. When the rabbit ignores you and does not turn and walks onto your shoe (as some do), then move your foot back a bit and then touch him and make the noise and then move behind the rabbit when the rabbit moves forward.

Even the laziest rabbit can do this. But you must get the rabbits into training and good condition before asking them to hop for you. 
Never work a caged show rabbit that sits on a show table from week to week at shows and never has playtime on the ground to strengthen his or her muscles.
You will be working with athletes and you should never do this without training and conditioning.

Begin training about 15 to 20 minutes at a time, a couple times a week or up to once a day. If you are very diligent you can even do it twice a day but make it several hours apart and make sure that the rabbit is fit enough. Ideal training times are early evening and late afternoon when they are naturally active.

Never train more than that in the beginning. They will put their heads down and then they will not move. Otherwise the rabbits  will feel confused and/or out of condition. Make sure that children are always supervised as they get over anxious and make the rabbits work too hard and then they get rabbits that will refuse to work. If your rabbit refuses to work it might mean that he/she isn’t having fun!

Remember- this is supposed to be a fun activity for both Rabbit and Handler!

Basic Hopping Rules:

Have at least 8 to 10 jumps for hopping. If at home you only have a couple to train on make some more as your rabbits will stop at the jumps you trained them on and not continue. Even if it is just a milk carton with a rod through it because you don’t want the rabbit to stop and look around thinking his/her job is done on the 3rd or 4th jump in the competition. If this happens then the training will have to start all over again.
Our competition will start with a straight line course of 8 jumps. Once we have enough competent rabbits and handlers we will expand the Rabbit Hopping program.

There is a 2 minute time frame for the 10 hops. You can not handle the rabbits, only tapping them on the rear to help them move forward is allowed.
You can not pick them up more than once during the event to  place them in front of the jump again. You are judged on how many faults you have for the run.

Faults are:

1.) moving the rabbit more than once in front of the jump.
2.) If the rabbit goes off course.
3.) If the rabbit refuses a jump after the first attempt (it will then be asked to leave the course).