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New dog and rabbits

emmaclaire

Warren Scout
Hi all
I have just adopted a golden retriever puppy from a rescue, he is adorable very friendly and clean BUT i have 3 rabbits that have a room of there own on route to the garden but now i have my new dog they have lost half of the room and access to the garden. my dog has shown lots of interest in the rabbits,he can see them and watches them like a hawk. As i have only had Freddie for 3 weeks i dont know his personality that well he has shown no agresion towards my buns just seems really inquisative,he is 13mths old so is almost fully grown, what i want to know is does anyone on here have dogs and rabbits living in harmony together or are my rabbits going to have to get used to half a room thanks for reading xxxxx
 
Every dog/rabbit situation will be different.

However...

Dogs are predators.
Rabbits are prey.

Put the two in the same environment and you could be stressing the rabbits out massively. How are they reacting? Even the scent of a dog could put a rabbit into such a stressful state that it has no quality of life.

I personally totally disagree with doing so. You've taken away from your rabbits to have a dog, what will you do if the rabbits become absolutely petrified in a permanently stressed state? What if the dog tries to get at the rabbits and a horrible accident occurs.

Have you really thought this through? I expect the answer is no, considering you've got the dog and are now asking questions.

Sorry, yuo might not like what i say, but its my opinion and believe you have to put the rabbits first, they were there first, you have to do what is best for them.
 
I have two labradors which are really close to Golden retreivers. I have on dog, a field bred Black lab who can NOT be trusted around any little animals, including other dogs. His prey drive is SO high I wouldn't trust him. He can be on leash and around them but not, off-leash. My other lab,Bentley a yellow labrador and he doesn't have that drive that Tank does. So he is trusted around my bunnies but I watch him like a Hawk!

Also teach the new dog the command "Leave it". If he starts bugging the buns say Leave it and he is to leave the bunnies alone. My dogs are also crate trained so if they get to excited I just simply put them in their crates and give them time to calm down. So anyway what i am saying I would NEVER 100% a dog and a bunny in the same room together unsupervised. Even if they do get along, there is a risk and one I wouldn't be willing to take.
 
i have had 4 dogs live happily with rabbits but mine were all a little younger when i got them.

i had 2 dogs when i got my first rabbit and none of my rabbits have been stressed or upset at meeting the dogs though i do agree it depends on the rabbits and the dogs tempraments and it was all taken very slowly with total supervision to start.


my first 3 dogs lived full time side by side wth free range house bunnies and Jazz has had fosters in the house with her and she was so mumsy they loved her (to the extent they shared her food while she ate!)

if i ever had a dog i was unsure of it would never be considered to let them be around the rabbits but i do believe if done right it can work and actually be a lovely thing to see.

jazz is very calm and spends hours grooming the bunnies! when out she never chases cats though she is dying to see one close up! and she just watches squirrels with fascination!

i would just say take care, take it slow and be safe. if your rabbits get stressed it must stop, i have alway let the rabbits approach the dog, never the other way around. be calm and have a stern 'no' ready for any giddiness!

jazz is more interested in eating the poop than the actual rabbits.. she sees them as little treat machines!! :shock:
 
Every dog/rabbit situation will be different.

However...

Dogs are predators.
Rabbits are prey.

Put the two in the same environment and you could be stressing the rabbits out massively. How are they reacting? Even the scent of a dog could put a rabbit into such a stressful state that it has no quality of life.

I personally totally disagree with doing so. You've taken away from your rabbits to have a dog, what will you do if the rabbits become absolutely petrified in a permanently stressed state? What if the dog tries to get at the rabbits and a horrible accident occurs.

Have you really thought this through? I expect the answer is no, considering you've got the dog and are now asking questions.

Sorry, yuo might not like what i say, but its my opinion and believe you have to put the rabbits first, they were there first, you have to do what is best for them.

Yes this has saved me a lot of typing.
Did you not think this situation through before getting the dog?
 
Yes this has saved me a lot of typing.
Did you not think this situation through before getting the dog?

ditto -

You used to have very happy content rabbits with loads of room to play and no predators nearby - how would you feel if you were them?

I can only echo the question why get a dog and upset the whole thing? It seems really cruel to me.
 
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