First, I check the bunny over, looking for brightness of eye (no eye infection, or runny eye, or dull appearance that may signal illness); check the ears for ear mites (crusty layers or black gunk in the ear); check behind the ears on the neck for signs of fur mites (you may find scratches here on the bald section, then check the fiber for excessive dander or a sticky feeling), etc. 

Then, turn the bunny upside down, and check the vent area for signs of irritation or diarrhea, and check the toenails, trimming if needed.  It's an easy time to check teeth as well, to make sure they are even and not overgrown (buck teeth).  Next, groom the legs and belly with the mini slicker brush.  Pull apart with your fingers any tangles you find, snip what won't pull apart.  Yes, you might snip the bunny's skin, and it freaks us all out when we do it, but the world doesn't end, and they heal quickly.  Even experts do it occasionally.  So don't let fear keep you from your necessary work.  If you use Fiskars for Kids blunt nose scissors, they stay sharp the longest and can't stab the rabbit.  Don't pull up on the fiber to be snipped, that pulls up on the skin, increasing the chance of snipping the skin.  Keep the scissors parallel to the skin, it usually helps as well.  When you have the belly and legs done, flip the bunny back right side up. 

Hold the bunny on your lap or on the grooming table, I start with the bun facing to the right, but that is a matter of personal preference.  Use your left hand to run up the bunny's side, from bottom up, to push the longer top hair aside, so you can start at the bottom and really deal with this problem area first.  If you brush from the top down, this part will not be adequately groomed.

Now, with your right hand (reverse if you are left handed) slowly use the pet rake or slicker brush if you don't have a rake, (the slicker will take too much fiber out, not my first choice) and brush down.  The teeth will go down through the fiber, pulling a little down from the supply in your left hand.  You will be able to see any tangles as you brush.  Tease them apart with your fingers as needed.  Cut out the ones that won't pull apart.  You are going to work all along the bottom edge of the rabbit, from right to left. 

Once I am all the way across, I start back, again pulling down a little more fiber from the supply in my left hand.  So now I am doing another row across, a little higher.  I keep working across the rabbit, each row going a little higher, until I get to the center line.  Note that this method allows me to groom each row of fiber from the base of the fiber completely to the end.  If you are grooming from the top down, the upper fiber is covering much of the shaft of the lower fibers, and so the lower parts are incompletely groomed.

I then go along the back (rump area) of the rabbit, same technique.  Note that many rabbits do not like to have their tails or feet groomed, so be patient as needed.

Now, turning the rabbit around to face the other way, I do the other long side, same technique.  And finish with the cheeks and ears. 

Judy Mackenroth