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Help please: Dogs and House Rabbits....

BinkyBun

Wise Old Thumper
Can anyone give advice on bonding house rabbits and dogs, smoothly?

I am seriously considering adopting a dog but am having reservations about how to bond with my 4 free-range house rabbits. Anyone done it? Any advice pros and cons?

Thanks x
 
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My situation slightly different but...

My house bun grew up with a lab; she was introduced as a puppy, but introducing them really gently through the mesh of the hutch (when he was an outside rabbit) to start with, buidling up to hanging onto the collar and letting them go nose to nose.

Took a while, but eventually the dog would get in the hutch and it was fine, and these days the rabbit will box the dog if she tries to steel her food. (The introductions were 11 years ago and dog and rabbit no longer live together as dog stayed with parents)

But- it has to be slow and I did have a couple of freak outs along the way, si wasn't always smooth...

Not sure that I ever would have left them together on their own, and 4 might take longer but it is doable. Where would everyone be housed?

Let us know what you do!
 
i have 4 dogs, 2 are fine with rabbits, 2 would kill them. The younger you introduce the dog to the house rabbits, the better.
 
Do you think breed of dog has anything to do with it? I would obviously get a rescue but am thinking that certain breeds would maybe be more receptive to a good relationship with rabbits?
 
But remember that a puppy is more work than a human baby. :lol: I would stick to the 4 rabbits, to be honest, but I am not a big dog person, anyway. If I was a rabbit or a cat or some other quiet pet, then I would not want a dog invading my space.
 
But remember that a puppy is more work than a human baby. :lol: I would stick to the 4 rabbits, to be honest, but I am not a big dog person, anyway. If I was a rabbit or a cat or some other quiet pet, then I would not want a dog invading my space.

I was thinking of an older dog for that reason and they also get adopted the least.
 
I was thinking of an older dog for that reason and they also get adopted the least.

Yes, I would always go for an older dog, after all the stories I have heard about puppies. I used to walk dogs for our shelter in Germany, and liked the older mongrels best.
You just never know what the bunnies are going to think of all this. Even if the dog is very friendly and doesn't want to eat them, the bunnies could still feel threatened and maybe attack it. My cat was very scared of my rabbit, because he would nip him if he got too close.
 
Yes, I would always go for an older dog, after all the stories I have heard about puppies. I used to walk dogs for our shelter in Germany, and liked the older mongrels best.
You just never know what the bunnies are going to think of all this. Even if the dog is very friendly and doesn't want to eat them, the bunnies could still feel threatened and maybe attack it. My cat was very scared of my rabbit, because he would nip him if he got too close.

Yeah this is something I'm worried about. I may talk to a rescue and see what they suggest. I'm in no rush and my change my mind after I've found everything out. I would really love to adopt a dog though but won't do it at the detriment of my rabbits. I just wonder if it was a soppy nice old dog that they would get used to eachother. I've seen photos of dogs and rabbits together cuddled up or playing on Youtube etc. :)
 
I'm thinking the same at the moment, would love one but not sure. And Fluffs comes first :D

My experience is that labs are good- but they were guide dog stuck. I wouldn't trust my mums GSD as far as I could throw him with a bunny, even if he is a retired guide dog !!
 
I would personally not even go there. Four house rabbits who are happy, why tempt fate. You will never know how it works out until you bring a dog into the mix. With good intentions of getting a rescue dog, it may not work out and then the dog will have to go back.
 
I think the big question is how much space do you have? For me at the moment as much as I would love a dog, my downstairs is open plan. If I put Fluffs upstairs I wouldn't spend enough time with him (for my liking anyway), but don't have the space to give him a safe area downstairs.

Maybe worth thinking, if you did have a dog, where would everyone live, and can you give the rabbits a dog free space?
 
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