Any rabbit owners with pet dogs?

elmoandfern said:

i have 2 dogs but my bunnies live outside so i suppose it's not really the same. that being said, both dogs are very used to the buns and once mumu leapt out of his hutch and landed at tinkadogs feet before running off she she just looked at him with confusion and wandered off :lol:

i think you'd be fine with either a rescue dog or a puppy. although how they are raised is very important i do still think some breed traits make a dog more of a 'risk' however you raise them, such as terriers (although there are always exceptions!) with a rescue dog, the rescue is likely to have a good idea of temperament and i'm sure you'd find a calm dog that could take to rabbits some dogs are surrendered due to no fault of their own such as owners moving house/break ups etc. so the rescue may have a full history and know what the dog is like with small furries tinka was a rescue and we know she came from a family with cats which is why we thought she would be suitable

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Hele said:

Yes, I have 3 rabbits and a dog

Lilley was rather an unknown quantity as well when we got her as she was an adult rescue dog who we believe is a whippet/Staffy cross so has some sight hound in her and her favourite thing in the whole wide world is chasing balls. If she sees a squirrel on a walk she is gone as well :shock: her recall is good but she has to chase the squirrel for a bit before coming back :roll:

When we brought her home we put a stairgate up in the upstairs hall which stopped her access to the rooms which the bunnies live in. She jumped the gate on her first day, got told off and never did it again. She spent months just being able to smell them, then I started to let them into the hall so they could sniff her through the bars of the gate if they wanted to and she was incredibly calm.

We have now taken the stairgate down, if I go into Thor and Poppy's room I tell her to wait and she lies down in the doorway looking longingly at all the poops on the floor that she wants to eat :roll: :lol: If I go into Loki's room she is allowed in and she methodically searches the room for poops with Loki hopping around her sniffing and binkying :shock: I would never ever ever leave them unattended, and am always right there to grab her if she starts being too interested in him. If I am spending time with the buns the doors get shut with Lilley on the outside, same with clean outs, if my attention cannot be fully on the dog and my hand pretty much hovering over her collar she does not go in and she is fine with that, the bunnies don't care much either way :lol:

One thing I would say is that some buns are terrified of the smell of a dog. I knew my guys didn't mind as my parents collie had been to stay in the past and they weren't bothered. But one of my childhood rabbits was so affected by the smell of a dog even if I had just gone to a friends house who had a dog I would have to change my clothes before saying hello to him :shock: I would never have introduced a dog into the house whilst I still had him.

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Badger4920 said:

I have outdoor rabbits so not the same. However, out if my 3 dogs the whippets would kill the rabbits no question (one is a rescue whippet, one from puppy) Badger my miniature dachshund is fine now, (he is 11 years old) but when younger, he went for one of my guine pigs and would have killed it, had my husband been slower, straight in for the neck.

Not sure if this helps!

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Vegan_Bunny said:

I have a trio of house bunnies and a lurcher. My buns live free range in my bedroom and the door is always shut. When they go out in the Summer for some fresh air, Larka (dog) has been taught to leave them be. She will sometimes bark at them but the buns are used to her now and ignore her. She is never allowed near them apart from when they are in their run. Having said that she has gotten into my room a few times when I've been cleaning and somebody has let her upstairs. Fortunately, she was interested in the buns but didn't seem to want to actually "kill" them. I would never trust her, though.

As long as you take care you will be fine. Shadowfax (one of my buns) was terrified of dogs when I got her but she learnt quickly that she is safe with me.

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chloeturner said:

Poppy was not interested in either of the rabbits I have had. She was a collie x staffy/lab mix I think, she was allowed into the kitchen where the buns lived at the time. Both rabbits have nipped at her feet and she has not been bothered by them in the slightest. She was from the RSPCA so didn't have her from a pup, she was just such a placid dog in every sense of the word.

Now Zena (border collie, I have had her from 9wks (now 7 months) and she is VERY interested in Lola. She used to sit at the baby gate looking into the kitchen at Lola and on occasion Lola has come up and the pair have shared a moment grooming :lol: Zena has been let into the kitchen on a leash, and the pair havr investigated each other but Lola started going for Zena rather aggressively. They still share a moment at the baby gate upstairs now Lola is moved but sometimes Lola still growls at the dog :lol:

You honestly just get to know your dog and know what they will be like :wave:

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Angie65 said:

I have a Lhasa apso cross. He was interested in the buns when I kept him (he was a stray) & my wildie was nervous (but is in captivity as injured by a dog). But, he now comes into the playhouse with me, & they pretty much ignore him as he is more interested than threatening. I wouldn't leave him unsupervised with them - but I don't worry any more

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RogerRabbit999 said:

Over the years, 2 of my single house buns struck up the most amazing bond and friendship with one of the dogs. Benjamin (bunny) and Spring (collie cross) were inseperable. Always going everywhere and doing everything together. They shared the same water bowl and slept together in Spring's bed. They ate side by side, played together out in the garden, and would then lie down in the sun together side by side. If one went in to get a drink the other would also go.

One summer afternoon, Benjamin and Spring were playing in the garden. Spring would play chase Benjamin in a circle, and then Benjamin would put the brakes on, spin round and then take of after Spring. They played likevthis for some time, and then stretched out in the sun to sleep side by side.

A bit later, Spring woke up and went inside for a drink, but very strangely Benjamin didn't, and because we had never seen one go anywhere without the other, my husband and I went to check Benjamin, and discovered he had gone to the bridge, after a fab last play with his bestest friend ever, and then he left stretched out up against Spring. They had many happy years together, and although we were devastated at Benjamin's passing, there really wadn't a better way he could have spent his last day. Spring was a rescue dog with the most amazing, loving nature. I think as long as you get a dognwith a really good temperament, they will be fine. In over 20yrd of house rabbits and dogs, haven't had a single bad experience.

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mokwa32 said:

I have 4 rabbits and 2 dogs My dogs are both trained terriers - yes terriers, Parsons Russel's to be exact and they are absolutely fine with my 4 rabbits who free range the house and the garden. One of my dogs actually really appreciates the bunnies and will often watch the tv with one of the bunny's :lol: I would seriously consider the behavioral aspects and history of any rescue dog, you would need to know its full history and any emotional problems. You need to know your dog 100%. Be prepared to train them to be non-reactive, they may have 'prey drive' so you will need to iron that out, the training is repetitive, but the benefits are worth the effort.


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RogerRabbit999 said:

Over the years, 2 of my single house buns struck up the most amazing bond and friendship with one of the dogs. Benjamin (bunny) and Spring (collie cross) were inseperable. Always going everywhere and doing everything together. They shared the same water bowl and slept together in Spring's bed. They ate side by side, played together out in the garden, and would then lie down in the sun together side by side. If one went in to get a drink the other would also go.

One summer afternoon, Benjamin and Spring were playing in the garden. Spring would play chase Benjamin in a circle, and then Benjamin would put the brakes on, spin round and then take of after Spring. They played like this for some time, and then stretched out in the sun to sleep side by side.

A bit later, Spring woke up and went inside for a drink, but very strangely Benjamin didn't, and because we had never seen one go anywhere without the other, my husband and I went to check Benjamin, and discovered he had gone to the bridge, after a fab last play with his bestest friend ever, and then he left stretched out up against Spring. They had many happy years together, and although we were devastated at Benjamin's passing, there really wasn't a better way he could have spent his last day. Spring was a rescue dog with the most amazing, loving nature. I think as long as you get a dog with a really good temperament, they will be fine. In over 20yrs of house rabbits and dogs, haven't had a single bad experience. Never had to do any training with either dog who befriended Benjamin and then Roger. Just kept an eye on them. Both dogs super friendly lovely dogs, and Spring and Benjamin, and then Roger and Guiness (choc lab) struck up their friendships and adored each other.

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