Problem: Article: Female rabbits are does, and male rabbits are bucks. Does can get pregnant from around 4 - 5 months of age, and males can breed at roughly the same age. Thus, there is a high risk of pregnancy if both sexes are housed together. Desexing is strongly advised, and helps to make males less territorial and therefore better pets. There is a strong health benefit to neutering the females as does are at a high risk of uterine adenocarcinoma (womb cancer) and removing the womb during surgery removes this risk. Desexing is commonly performed from around 4 months of age. Get your Dutch rabbit checked by a vet soon after purchase. A yearly check up is also advised. In the UK it is usual to vaccinate annually against myxomatosis and viral hemorrhagic disease. Your veterinarian should tell you what vaccinations are common, and important, in your area. Be alert for signs that your Dutch rabbit might be unwell. These include not eating (even if just for 12 - 24 hours you should seek urgent veterinary attention), lack of pellet production, a wet chin, limping, sneezing or wheezing, a wet nose, discharge from the eyes, excessive scratching, and diarrhea. Seek urgent veterinary attention if you see any of these symptoms, as rabbit's deteriorate rapidly when they are ill.
Summary: Get your rabbit desexed. Get routine veterinary exams. Watch for signs of ill health.

Problem: Article: Sink your weight between your knees to keep from being knocked off your center of balance. For blocking strikes directed at the body, you may take either naihanchi-dachi (with the legs wide and the body facing your opponent) or zenkutsu-dachi stance (with the legs staggered and your weight positioned over the front foot). Have your hands chambered or raised to protect the midsection.  It is critical to take a wider stance when defending body attacks to prevent being forced off balance by a strike to the center of your mass. The lower you sink into your defensive stance, the harder you will be to move. You’ll also have a clearer shot at your opponent’s lower extremities such as the ribcage, solar plexus and groin. Rather than accept the strike head-on, rotate your shoulders and hips so that one shoulder is pointing toward your opponent. Angling the body slightly creates a smaller target for the attacker to aim for, making you harder to hit. From this position, you can decide whether to employ an inward block (uchi uke) with the lead arm or an outward block (soto uke) with the rear arm.  By turning your upper body slightly, you “close off” your body, keeping your torso more guarded, and present your shoulder to your attacker rather than your chin. From this position, punches delivered with the rear chambered hand will have the most power. With your fist clenched and your arm held firm, swing your blocking arm up and inward to deflect the punch. When delivering an outward block, your fingers should be facing you, and you will make contact with the inside of your forearm or elbow.  Soto uke is defined as an “outward” block because the blocking arm begins its from outside the body’s center line and moves inward. Use soto uke to defend against jabs and straight punches. Outward blocks divert the attacker's arm to the inside of your guard. This leaves you in a position to use a counter punch, knee strike, arm lock or throw. Outward blocks are quite similar to a boxer's parry. As an alternative to soto uke, you might be in a better position to employ uchi uke, or an inward block. From a chambered or defensive guard, raise and rotate your blocking arm outward from your opposite hip, catching the punch with the outside of your forearm.  Uchi uke is known as an “inward” block because the trajectory of the blocking arm moves from the inside out. Uchi uke should be done to protect the body from looping “haymaker” blows, straight punches and hooks. Inward blocks open up the center of your attacker’s body, allowing you to follow up with an unobstructed strike. Your attacker should now be in a vulnerable position with their arm fully extended and their face and body exposed. Continue diverting the punch with your forearm and return a strike of your own to the most sensitive target on your opponent’s body. The block and counter strike should be performed in quick succession as one fluid movement. Decide whether to strike to the ribs, midsection or face depending on the position of your opponent’s punching arm and the placement of your own body.
Summary:
Adopt a stable defensive posture. Turn your body away from the opponent slightly. Bring the blocking arm up and inward from the hip (Soto Uke). Turn the blocking arm up and outward from the hip (Uchi Uke). Counter the strike.