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Rabbit and dogs

Fellie

Warren Veteran
Puppies came home yesterday. .and are great. But rabbits are not sp great.

They haven't caught site of the puppies yet but can definitely smell them on me..and are really not happy about this.

I suppose they will get used to it..but my joy of the pups is somewhat tempered by my worry over the rabbits.

Any advice would be much appreciated.
 
What sort of dogs are they? I have 8 outside rabbits, 2 of which are giants who are free range, and the other smaller rabbits are in a very large enclosure. I also have 3 dogs (just lost one:cry:) they are all quite small and get on fine with the rabbits. When I got my latest dog as a puppy the big buns used to terrorise her, running at her and chasing. Now she's a bit bigger they get on fine. My elderly dachshund is often to be found in the rabbits garage snuggled up in their bed, and the rabbits take no notice. My chihuahua/pomeranion mix dog comes with me in the enclosure to feed the buns and they don't bat an eyelid. They probably think he's a rabbit too. The rabbits are not frightened of them barking so I think they just get used to it..My buns are more worried when my daughters dogs visit - 2 large exuberant labradors.
Sorry this is so long, but I was trying to give you an example of how rabbits and dogs can co-habit successfully. If introduced gradually I would think your rabbits would get used to sight and sound of the puppies from behind fencing:wave: Good luck:D
 
It's going to take them a little while to adjust to the new smells etc but there's no reason why, eventually, they won't be completely unbothered by the puppies so try not to worry.

Our rabbits are outside so things are a little different as they don't tend to interact as much but, when we first brought our cat home, they behaved in a similar way - they seemed very uneasy about the different smell, the first few times they actually saw the cat they would run and hide etc. They did eventually get used to her presence though, although still behaved the same way when we brought our first dog home for the first week or two. But the smells would have been different of course and the dog is about 50 times bigger than our cat. :lol::lol:

Like joybell said, they do eventually get used to the different noises/barking etc too. My two don't even bat an eyelid now if Kane barks or if both dogs are play barking/growling out in the garden. Likewise, if the dogs go up to the mesh to have a sniff, the rabbits usually have a good sniff back and don't really seem bothered by their presence at all.

For now I'd let them get used to the smell. Maybe let the puppies sleep on a blanket or an item of clothing and then place that somewhere in/near their enclosure so that they can investigate it in their own time and then gradually introduce them to each other once they seem less bothered by the smell.
 
I agree with Cari.

My rabbits ignore the dogs now but were a bit wary of Tass for a while (never bothered about Jojo).

I am pleasantly surprised at how little notice Tass takes of them now. She used to be VERY interested. Jojo has always touched noses with them through the mesh.

All my wabs are outdoors so it is a bit different.
 
Thank you for the reassurance everyone. Feel better now..was flapping a bit there[emoji2]
The buns seem a bit better this evening. The pups slept in our bedroom last night and the buns free ranged in their this evening. .initially very wary then settled down after a good sniff around.

As you've all said..They will get used to the different smells and sounds soo enough[emoji171]
 
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