Squirt bottle training?

[maherwoman]

Hey guys!

I know someone that's been using a squirt bottle to try to train herrabbit not to do this or that. Is this something that works?

In my own experiences with cats and squirt bottles, my first instinctis that it isn't the best way to train...but I don't know if the sameapplies to buns.

Anybody know or have articles or links they can also give me to the fact?

Thanks!

Rosie*

 

[Bunman]

This is not the kind of relationship i want with my rabbit.

I simply arrange her environment so there's no mischief she can getinto, except approved mischief, like ripping up newspaper &cardboard boxes in her pen.

 

[hummer]

When Miffy was alive, I used a squirt bottle andshe still loved me. I would squirt her and give her a veryfirm NO when she tried eating the carpet (will not get rid of wall towall carpet) or when she would chase and/or run and growl towards mysenior citizen kitty Hobbes. Her reaction was shaking herhead and stop (and maybe a little bit of the bunny evileye). Eventually she did those bad habits so I think itworked. It does not hurt them, just gets them a little wetand she was never worse for wear cause of it.

 

[Jace]

I've used mine to teach Bud that when I make theno noise he knows what it means and will quit. He used to be really badabout chewing the walls and taking the paint off, also carpet eating.It only took him maybe a week to learn that if he hears that noise anddoens't stop what hes doing he'll be squirted. Also it seemsthey associate the squirt bottle with negativity, not you. Which in myown opinion is always a plus. Once he got used to what the no noise wasI found that I didn't need the squirt bottle anymore, and it wassalvaged into a new toy.

 

[ec]

I've used one in a fairly limited waywith Nibbles - set to "mist" - and it worked. It was the *only* thingthat reached her regarding her giving me constant hard nips(along with a loud "No," foot-stomping, etc.). With otherbad/potentially dangerous behaviors (trying to eat carpet, forexample), "No!" + clapping and footstomping (and other things to do)has been enough.

but the nipping was persistent and quite different. I worked with herfor many weeks re. gently pressing her head and shoulders to the floorfor a second or two after she did it, then praising her to the highheavens when she decided to nose-bump or lick. She understood, butstill didn't stop nipping.

I got so tired of hard chomps and was running out of patience - calledthe director of the shelter where I got her and she suggested mistingher. At first, N. was angry and literally came back again and again formore nips. She got pretty damp the first night, and we were bothfrustrated.

Two days later, she started licking me for the first time ever (conceding that she wasn't Top Bun), then tooth-purring.

She also would come up to the spray bottle, nose bump it and then startrolling it around, as if to say "Hey, I can beat this thing." She'svery sassy and bossy and more or less hates being told No. But she's afar happier bunny now than she was when she was trying to make me toethe line.

It took a lot of patience on both sides, and she's still nippy at times- but the nips are pretty gentle; no hard "chompage" like before.

using a spray bottle wasn't an easy choice for me, but I'm glad I didit. Nibbble is not a grudge-holding type; if anything, she stays angryfor about 30 seconds, then wants more affection and petting. If shewere anything other than Ms. Alpha Bun, I'd have hesitated, and stillwould do so. But she needed to learn that her behavior wasunacceptable, and nothing else seemed to get through to her.

 

[naturestee]

I use a squirt bottle, but I mainly use the wordno, often with a thump or a clap. If they keep ignoring me orrepeatedly start doing the naughty thing again, they get squirted whileI say no and thump. This taught them the meaning of the wordno and I don't bring out the squirt bottle much any more.

Bunman, do you not have any carpets, furniture, wood molding, doors,etc in your home? I deter and distract whenever I can, but Ican't replace everything in my living room with cardboard,unfortunately.

 

[HoneyPot]

Cookie has gotten a squirt or two in his life -mainly for chewing carpet, which he doesn't do anymore. Hedidn't seem to worse for it.

Misty - I tried to squirt her for chewingthe walls, but shedidn't care,I think she liked the water... so wasn't assuccessful.

__________
Nadia

 

[maherwoman]

Hmm...okay. I see it doesn't work thesame as it does for cats. Seems buns actually associatebetter the fact that the water is just us asking them tostop. Cats take a GREAT amount of offense to it, as they areso intent on maintaining their scent, and the water tends to ruin allthe time they've spent maticulously bathing to perfect their look andscent.

Well, okay, then. Thanks for your thoughts, guys! I really appreciate it!

Hugs!

Rosie*

 

[ec]

Rosie, never having had cats, I'm in the dark about how they react to water.

But I can tell you this:

Nibbles is offended by it and usually grooms it off right away - thoughsometimes she thinks provoking me into using the water bottle is onebig game.

I think you have to gauge this by individual personality, and canimagine that for shyer or timid rabbits, it would be inappropriateand/or even cause fear. But that's most definitely not true formy bold, "bad" bun!

BTW, I always say "No!" in a deep, gruff voice (well, as deep and gruffas I can manage ) when I use the spray bottle. The water reinforcesthe "no." And again, I don't use it that often, only for incorrigiblebehavior. (And hey, I no longer have black and blue marks all over myforearms, so it's working...!)

 

[Linz_1987]

It doesnt work with dogs either! Mydog trainer told me to use one and it certainly didnt see popular withmy doggy! If anything it made her worse and try to bite yourhand off.

I have tryed it with my bunnie when i was bonding them when they wentto fight each other. I dont personally think it worked forthat sort of thing cos they were so determined to fight with eachother. But it sounds as if it does work when they chew thecarpet etc.