Best dogs for sharing a home with rabbits?

I would love a dog and realise a puppy would be the best option so I can integrate them with my two rabbits. Obviously the plan is not to leave them together but it would be nice to have them kinda get on and not try to eat each other!

Does anyone successfully combine the two? Can they be left alone? Are there any which are just a definite no go? I would really like a beagle or a cocker spaniel. But both are gun dogs but I just don't know if having been brought up together there is a possiblity to combine both?

I have two corgis that are fantastic with the bunnies.

We got Heidi at 10mths shes fine with Bob just needs supervision.:wave:

My two staffies are brill with the bunnies

I've got 2 rescued collie x dogs and they both free range alongside the bunny quite happily! i only put Tinkerbell back in her closed pen at night or if i have to go out, the bottom floor of my house is open plan, but i've made sure there are a few hiding places for the dogs to retreat to

a collie

andrea82 said:

We got Heidi at 10mths shes fine with Bob just needs supervision.:wave:

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what is Heidi?

I must admit I was hoping longterm it might be possible to just let them roam about together. Just wasn't sure if I was living in cloud cuckoo land! hehe!

My beagle, and 2 scruffy jrts are fab with the dogs, my nans poodle doesnt like them though, hes a whingy dog haha. i think it just depends how you bring them up.
Beagles are meant to hunt rabbits but ive brought her up with them and she loves them!

I thoroughly recommend going to your local rescue and seeing which dogs are most suitable for your needs, there is BOUND to be someone there for you :wave:

coco1200 said:

I thoroughly recommend going to your local rescue and seeing which dogs are most suitable for your needs, there is BOUND to be someone there for you :wave:

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I wouldnt risk it. Not if you have rabbits. You never know what the dog is like with smaller animals

Paddy, my cross GSD, who thinks he's a rabbit :lol::lol: hoppily shared his sofa with Mopsey and more recently Norman.

neenee said:

I wouldnt risk it. Not if you have rabbits. You never know what the dog is like with smaller animals

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dogs from rescue homes are assessed before rehoming... what risk is there if they have been thoroughly assessed? Dogs should not be left alone with rabbits without human supervision regardless.

I have three dogs-cavalier, shih tzu and a poodle cross.

All are fantastic with the rabbits, but I wouldn't leave them all together unsupervised.
If the doorbell goes all three dogs leg it for the front door (yes,beautifully trained:roll and a rabbit could be injured in the kerfuffle.
I have a house rabbit too, but when I'm not around Oscar is safely in his room.

Aw... they're ace pics! Thanks! I must admit I feel a lot better knowing I'm not being too ridiculous thinking it is possible... I wouldn't leave them alone. To be honest my rabbits sleep under the bed all day until night time when they come down so I don't think it should be too much of a problem that way...

Just have to be careful I guess.

Any tips on how best to introduce them?

Slowly and carefully. When my dogs first came here they spent the first few weeks getting used to seeing the buns in their runs - I look for the dogs to show total disinterest in the rabbits before I go any further.

I have a rescue terrier, who absolutely loved my old rabbit Mops.
I've said this SO many times on here, but they used kiss through the bars and everything.

It also depends on how your rabbits take to the dogs, I think .
Mops wasnt scared at all by Andy. She used to just sit there.
Where as, oggie ( who is basically scared of everything apart from Delila, my bedroom, food and me :roll runs at the first site of him. So of course Andy reacted in a different way.

If you particurely want a puppy, there are basically so many in rescues right now. But, I personaly wouldnt completely rule out an older rescue either

That's good to know. I might take a pop over. I guess the only prob I might face is convincing the rescue that having rabbits and a dog would be ok. Think as I work it might be a prob with a rescue too which is a real shame...

pickles said:

That's good to know. I might take a pop over. I guess the only prob I might face is convincing the rescue that having rabbits and a dog would be ok. Think as I work it might be a prob with a rescue too which is a real shame...

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:wave: I would be really careful about introducing a dog to rabbits, although a puppy will be easier, I don't think it's wise to get a puppy however if it will be unattended for anymore than 4 hours a day. I don't think it's significant which breed it is apart from practical issues like the rabbit being trodden on etc it is really about how the dog is brought up. My dog is senior nearly 11 and shows absolutely no interest in the rabbits however, I haven't bothered because I am able to rota them around quite easily and I would rather if they need to be in the garden at the same time in the summer that they were safely in their run and the dog will actually protect them at that point. Animals are funny and I can imagine it does work but, you have to weigh up the risk with the benefit. I think my rabbits are happy without interacting with the dog, she sees them and vice versa and in fact will protect them in the sense if a cat or other intruder like a fox was around she would chase them off but, for me I like the fact that she is disinterested and the rabbits are aswell now, if she walks past them in their enclosures they just look at her they don't move, whereas Gizmo used to jump if she went by. Good luck give it lots of thought, a dog is a big commitment.

pickles said:

That's good to know. I might take a pop over. I guess the only prob I might face is convincing the rescue that having rabbits and a dog would be ok. Think as I work it might be a prob with a rescue too which is a real shame...

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Can I just ask where abouts you are? I could possibly recommend some rescues in your area for you...

People have very successfully introduced adult dogs to buns, but it really does depend on the dogs temperament, and the rescue will advice you which dog is most suitable... I don't think it would be a problem for you. Also, there are more and more puppies being bought into rescue, so you could always end up getting a pup! These these and these puppies have just come into rescue too :wave:

We have a border collie and he is really gentle with our 2 frenchies but I wouldn't let him near our smaller buns as he is a great big clumsy thing:roll:

He can only watch the big buns through the gate when we are out. I am more worried about Doona doing him some damage.........

I suppose it depends on the individual dog.