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Dog/Bunny Help!

sarahsarah

Warren Scout
Hello, I have 3 rabbits who live in a big hutch/run in my small garden. 2 weeks ago I got a cocker spaniel and he likes to bark at them :-( At first they ran upstairs into the bedroom but now they seem to have realised he cant get them and sit muching hay in the downstairs bit which just makes him bark more! So I have been only letting the dog out back first thing am and last thing pm and going out with him to keep away from hutch but he has still been barking, will be keeping him on lead and just staying out long enough for him to pee from tomorrow! He gets plenty of walks in the day time! Any advice? My mum suggested getting the reed screening to go around the rabbit run so he cant see them but not sure if thats a good idea or not?
 
Hello, I have 3 rabbits who live in a big hutch/run in my small garden. 2 weeks ago I got a cocker spaniel and he likes to bark at them :-( At first they ran upstairs into the bedroom but now they seem to have realised he cant get them and sit muching hay in the downstairs bit which just makes him bark more! So I have been only letting the dog out back first thing am and last thing pm and going out with him to keep away from hutch but he has still been barking, will be keeping him on lead and just staying out long enough for him to pee from tomorrow! He gets plenty of walks in the day time! Any advice? My mum suggested getting the reed screening to go around the rabbit run so he cant see them but not sure if thats a good idea or not?

Sounds as though he is not really to be trusted in their vicinity. HAve you thought of taking him back to wherever uou hot him?? The buns were there fitst so its not fair on them
 
Cockers do seem to be a notoriously barky and excitable breed, they need an awful lot of stimulation. If he is definitely staying, I would advise some training classes, you should be able to train him to bark on command, which also means that you should be able to train him to stop barking on command! My neighbours have a cocker and no matter what they do, they cannot stop him from barking at hedgehogs and virtually anything else that moves in their garden (including leaves!) I don't think it's fair to screen off the rabbits unless you only do it when the dog is out, otherwise they won't have any view and will lose their own stimulation.

I hope you manage to find a solution which is fair on all the different animals :)
 
I have a cocker spaniel, and when he was a puppy, he would bark at my rabbits. It just took training to get him to ignore them, and now he completely ignores them. Have him on a lead when he's in the garden. If he barks, take him straight inside. Wait a minute or two for time-out. Take him back outside, and repeat if he barks. He'll soon learn that to be outside and around the rabbits, he has to be quiet.
 
As has already been suggested! It would be a good idea to train him he can't bark around the rabbits. There are some awesome dog training websites out there. kikopup and sirius pup by dr. ian dunbar are both good starting places. I'm sure there are some simple dog training books you can buy for targeted areas. I bought a little book completely about how to train a dog who barks at other dogs on the lead. A whole book about 1 behaviour!
But yeah either let him out but take him in as soon as he barks. but most importantly do reward him for not barking as well. :) Not sure if clicker training could be applied to not barking, but it probably could be :) If you do research about general training you will get the idea of how to correctly reinforce or discourage the behaviours. If you are really struggling to get him to stop barking you could try teaching him to hold something instead of barking. Don't know how effective that would be but for some un-acceptable behaviours the theory is that you train a mutually exclusive behaviour instead. EG: instead of jumping up at the cue of you coming in, the dog woud be trained to sit-stay when you come in. That kind of thing. :D

Disclaimer:I do not have a dog myself- i have just done lots of researched and helped my OH's family to train their dog sometimes.
 
Thanks everyone, especially LionheadLuvr, its good to know someone else had same problem and it got sorted. I do think he will just get over it eventually, I've done as suggested and took him out on lead and brough back in when he barked, second time he sat and watched for a minute or two and then went to sniff at fence and pee so will work i think! and he will prob calm down as he gets older anyway, he is only 7 months old :)
 
Thanks everyone, especially LionheadLuvr, its good to know someone else had same problem and it got sorted. I do think he will just get over it eventually, I've done as suggested and took him out on lead and brough back in when he barked, second time he sat and watched for a minute or two and then went to sniff at fence and pee so will work i think! and he will prob calm down as he gets older anyway, he is only 7 months old :)

you're welcome. :)

Cocker spaniels are very clever and he'll soon catch on to what behaviour you want from him. They love to please you, and they adore training (especially when it involves treats). Maybe think about a good training class. He'll enjoy it, as well as you learning about training techniques. :)
 
you're welcome. :)

Cocker spaniels are very clever and he'll soon catch on to what behaviour you want from him. They love to please you, and they adore training (especially when it involves treats). Maybe think about a good training class. He'll enjoy it, as well as you learning about training techniques. :)

I've tried to find one but they are none within walking distance and I do not drive. Will have to get some books. He's very well behaved and loves practicing his little tricks, I'm sure he will soon catch on not to bark at the rabbits.
 
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