Another good idea.

One thing this old bun has learned is that if you want to train your humans you have to change your mind set. Forget about being a lagamorph. For a house rabbit like me, stamping is no longer a sign for danger as with my cousins in the wild. No, foot stamping is for getting immediate attention. It now means Pronto, Subito, Imediatement and other foreign words of that ilk.

Last night, when I had nothing better to do, I decided it was bedtime for the old folk so I shot upstairs into their bedroom. Usually I potter along to mine for a bit of peace but this time I had something on my mind. I gave a couple of heavy stamps on the floor above them as only a rabbit can and waited. As sure as eggs are eggs up came my human mum. Right on cue. I stared very hard at her until she got the message and lay down on the bed. Good girl! Then I ran over and flopped out by her side for the night. Done!That was the successful part. Suddenly, not at all according to my plan and just as I had closed my eyes, she got up grabbed me and carried me downstairs. Not so good but an achievement in part for rabbit kind. I wonder where I went wrong.

I'm running out of training ideas. Any new ones will be gratefully received. Something to encourage a constant supply of juicy raisins would be good.

Harve's complete faith and conviction that I will understand his wishes is quite astounding. Staring at closed doors, sitting with his front paws in his empty food bowl, waiting patiently at the foot of the stairs until the rug he uses for take off is put in place, pushing his face into my hand so I will cuddle his head and stamping for immediate attention whether it be for banana, which he can smell at a hundred paces or his running entrance into a room to tell us he has arrived. Why do I still find it so strange after eight years?

A family friend refers to him as The Cog. A combination of a cat and a dog. He encompasses the habits of both of these with a little more intelligence.

People still keep these wonderful companions in hutches.

Superbun.

I'm going to enter the fire tong throwing section of the Olympic Games. Nobody will believe a small ball of powderpuff, black fluff like me can toss heavy, sooty, fire tongs. It's best to do it across the cream carpet so they can easily check the distance because there's a black mark where they land. I bet I win the feather weight class.
My carpet fringe has disappeared. It's been tucked under so I can't tug and chew it so I have to do something. Tong throwing seems a good way to strengthen my neck muscles. Nobody here seemed very impressed but they didn't take the tongs away until my second throw. I don't think they believed it the first time.

This is Edward. He came especially to see me today but I kept my distance. He kept waving his arms about because he is only five months old. I wasn't quite sure whether he could reach me or not so I kept the chair between us although I did go over to sniff him once. He was quite nice for a human kitten but he couldn't binkie. I could at that age.

Campaigning Day.

I had to look after things at home again today while the other two helped out at The Rabbit Welfare Association stand at the Veterinary Nurses Conference.

We are desperately trying to get people to join so they can spread the word about so many important things people should know about rabbits. If you join you get four fabulous magazines a year and all the information you need to know about bunnies in the house and in the garden. The main problem is the size of hutches. People put their rabbits in hutches that are far too small for us. We need a house which is at least 6 feet by 2 feet by two feet. Then of course we like a run so we can binkie and improve on our running speed. I'm the best speed runner in the world but I get plenty of practise in this house. Well, I could miss something exciting if I were too slow.

I heard that in Germany there is already a law to make sure hutches are big enough. Maybe in Holland too but I am waiting to find out about that from a Dutch friend.

If you join the Rabbit Welfare Association there is a helpline in case you want to ask questions.

Anne Mitchell came home to see me afterwards. That's Anne in the middle of the picture. Now, Anne thinks all bunnies should live in pairs but my brother didn't like me very much so we had to be separated. I did my bit to charm her, jumped up beside her on the sofa, chewed at the carpet fringe while J tried to stop me while I ducked and dived, dashed about to show how fit I am and so on. I was so proud when she said what a wonderful life I have. Well, I sorted that out myself with my training sessions for people. Quite easy if you persevere. None of those hutches for me thank you. Not of any size or shape.