Thursday, July 10, 2008

Why won't my rabbit bark?


I have a rabbit named Fido. I like the rabbit well enough, the problem is that he won't do some of the things I want him to do. I had him checked out and there is nothing wrong with him, for example, we know that he does not have ADD or Tourette's, or anything like that. Yet, no matter how hard I try I can not get that rabbit to behave.

The other night I had to go outside to get something out of my car. I wanted the rabbit to come with me in case there was- I don't know- an intruder or large animal or something. I wanted the rabbit to protect me and it wouldn't! Then there was the time that I wanted to go jogging with him and he wouldn't run along side of me. Fido wanted (get this) to HOP!! I was outraged. I am a little embarrassed to be admitting this to the world. Fido never barks at the mailman or smells new visitors to see if they are trustworthy. He doesn't get excited and run around in circles wagging his cotton ball tail when I get home. I am seriously wondering if there is something wrong with my rabbit.

I knew a couple who had two boys and they had a birthday party for one of them. They had a house full of little boys who were acting like- little boys! The father was clearly perturbed. The boys were not being destructive, they were not running around the house screaming, they were simply being little boys, yet the father wanted the boys to behave like 30 year old women. That idea, that is far more prevalent than it should be, is as ridiculous as a person expecting their rabbit to behave like a dog. I am not talking about things like ADHD, which I very much believe is a real problem, not a made up diagnosis for parents with normal boys and too little patience. I am talking about boys wanting to run around, wanting to climb (sometimes on top of things, sometimes under things). Little boys who would rather jump on a trampoline than read a book. There is nothing wrong with this. In fact it is quite normal. So next time you see a little boy hopping around on one foot in church, or wanting to climb under the seat in the movie theater and you find yourself getting annoyed, imagine a bunny running along side the fence barking at a bicyclist and remember how ridiculous you are being.

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