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Introducing my staffy girl dog to my girls out of the cage...

C

clairekaitlin

Warren Scout
We have a 10 year old (big softy) staffordshire bull terrier and our two 9 week old dwarf netherlands, cleo (girldog) has always been fine with them since they came, used to sit by the cage and watch them for hours but now we want to go that step further and actually have them all out together in the front room....
We tried it today and she was very good, didn't go for them,, was a bit on edge because the girls were teasing but as longs we kept saying "LEAVE THEM" and then rewarding her with a biscuit she was fine:D
I just wondered how you clever bunch would recommend getting them used to each other? Obviously they will never be left alone together but I want all my pets out when were relaxing in the evening:)
Any advice would be great thanks xx
claire xx
 
I don't agree with it. The risks must be higher than keeping a rabbit with a guinea pig. I don't see how if something went wrong you could do anything about it. One bite and your rabbit would be dead or one kick and he would have a broken back. :?
 
I know what both of you mean and agree with you both

could you put your staffy on along lead so you have control over her?

venice
 
well when she is in the same room one of us adults constantly has hold of her collar.
Surely there is some way of getting them comfy with each other?!?!? x
 
But there equally our pets?!?!? and I am sure I have seen someone on here who has a siggy of staffies and rabbits, I have also read how rabbits and dogs can get on if they are introduced slowly and gently?!?!? x
 
I am by no means an expert and would probably advise an experts opinion on this.
Is your dog good natured?
How does she react to the rabbits in the cage? And how do they react with her?
I would think that if you are on constant guard and have hold of your dog at ALL times then doing it very slowley may be ok, but again please do not take my opinion, you should seek a professional before introducing them.
 
You know what your dog is like and if you think she will be ok over time then good luck. I know some people are totally against dogs and rabbits being in close proximity to each other. I KNOW our old dog would not have hurt anything. She could be trusted completely. I'm not sure how you would go about introducing them though, other than what you have already done and gradually progress. The long lead sounds a good idea. Unless she gets too excited being on a lead thinking she is going for walkies :)
 
I have three dogs - a tiny poodlex, a cavalier and a shih tzu.
All of mine are excellent with all other animals, and have all been raised with other pets.
My dogs are fantastic with the rabbits, but I have seen lots of incidents posted on here where people thought their dog was ok, only for it to have killed the rabbit:cry:.

The bit that worries me the most is that you said your dog has watched the rabbits for hours - to me that is a red flag. Ideally your dog would be totally uninterested by the rabbits.
Does he show excitement when the rabbits run? If so, another red flag.

If you really want to see how it goes then I recommend that you muzzle your dog, and keep her on a tight reign at all times - she would only have to jump on a young rabbit to break its back.

Personally if I had 1% of doubt with my dog, then I wouldn't allow any contact.
 
BB Mommy said:
I have three dogs - a tiny poodlex, a cavalier and a shih tzu.
All of mine are excellent with all other animals, and have all been raised with other pets.
My dogs are fantastic with the rabbits, but I have seen lots of incidents posted on here where people thought their dog was ok, only for it to have killed the rabbit:cry:.

The bit that worries me the most is that you said your dog has watched the rabbits for hours - to me that is a red flag. Ideally your dog would be totally uninterested by the rabbits.
Does he show excitement when the rabbits run? If so, another red flag.
If you really want to see how it goes then I recommend that you muzzle your dog, and keep her on a tight reign at all times - she would only have to jump on a young rabbit to break its back.

Personally if I had 1% of doubt with my dog, then I wouldn't allow any contact.
Click to expand...

Agreed, I have a 10 year old staffie aswell, she is totally un-interested in the buns but, I wouldn't risk it. I have to rota things fairly for each of them and my two buns are still being kept apart till Feb (doe being spayed in Jan, he is done). My outdoor doe has a shed and the run of the garden but, obviously she has to share with the dog and vice versa, I have told Lil she has to wait whilst I get the bun in and vice versa. My indoor bun comes out during the day a couple of times (just downstairs) and I put my dog upstairs for an hour-she doesn't object as I lift her onto my bed or she goes in hers for a sleep. He then comes out later when she has gone up with OH for at least 2 hours and quite often just snuggles next to me on the sofa. His pen is 6x6. The point is that whilst it can happen and dogs can live alongside the buns it very much depends on the buns, the dog and the surroundings and the owner. I personally don't want to, my dog has been on her own from aged 5 till she was 8 and is very much 'our baby' she accepts the rabbits are here and indeed has never shown anything but a protective type instinct towards them. She is a dog though and don't forget rabbits can nip or bite aswell! If you do please don't be complacent about it as the dog is a predator and the rabbit is prey and this is a underlying instinct.
 
Just to clarify had two dogs till she was 5 then got my first bun when she was 8. I can see what your saying as mine is totally chilled but, the buns aren't and very often Gizmo will just run like a mad thing and launch himself up on to my lap or back of the sofa and then run along and end up on my shoulders, I am not sure if she was sleeping and he did that to her she would be impressed, especially if he kept doing it. x
 
Thanks very much for that reply. Your staffy sounds a lot like mine :)
She doesn't seem to mind if I put her in the kitchen while the rabbits are out as her bed is against the radiator lol but it would have been nice to have them in the same room.
Think we will continue letting her in holding her and she sits on the sofa while the rabbits are on the floor.They both have a habit of binking lots and flying around the room very fast and I would hate to think that would scare Cleo and she would hurt them.
I totally get the whole predetor/prey thing but it does make me wonder if people automaticaly assume staffies are mean?? thats what REALLY gets on my wick!!:censored:
sorry rant over lol xx
 
recently a can recall 3 threads where dogs have killed (and even eaten) their owners pet rabbits despite having lived with them for a while. I feel it is very unfair on the rabbits to try and have dogs and rabbits live together. Bit like having a small child and a lion - might work - but devastating consequences the moment it goes wrong.
 
Why the need to introduce them at all? Why can't they be kept separetely?

Bunnies are pray animals, one sniff of a dog and my bunny is really scared.

Doesn't matter what breed of dog it is, never a good idea.

You would never forgive yourself or your dog, if he bit, scratched, jumped on your bunnies, one dead bunny and lots of what if's and yet another sad post on here.

Just my opinion.
 
parsnipbun said:
recently a can recall 3 threads where dogs have killed (and even eaten) their owners pet rabbits despite having lived with them for a while. I feel it is very unfair on the rabbits to try and have dogs and rabbits live together. Bit like having a small child and a lion - might work - but devastating consequences the moment it goes wrong.
Click to expand...

I totally agree why take the risk at all?

Not fair on the dog or bunnies
 
I too have the most gentlest staffie. He has helped me handrear look and after babies.

Several years ago I had another dog (Roxie), She was lovely the buns used to climb all over her. They were well socialised and i all got on well. She showed no signs of aggression toward the buns. She was a dalmation/ Great dane/ Bloodhound mix and huge.

Although i trusted them completely i never allowed them to have unsupervised contact.

One day all my buns(10 of them) were running around the garden they were behind a four foot fence on the grass and my dogs (three of them) were on the patio lying in the sun.

I was on the grass with the bunnies hosing the littler trays. The next thing i knew my Roxie had jumped the fence she killed three bunnies before i could stop her. As i tried to get the bun away from her she attacked me. She had my face in her mouth luckily i had put my hand up over my face. I have no idea why she did it but she would not allow me to get the bunnie off her. My other dogs were barking at her and my bunnies were running around frantically. Then my staffie jumped the fence and pinned Roxy down if he hadnt have done that i have no idea what would have happened. I manged to get to my feet and drag her into the shed and lock the door.

When i let her out later she was back to "normal". I rehomed her to a man with no pets and no kids.

Now i only have my two dogs and although i trust them my buns and my dogs will ALWAYS be kept seperatly.

Its just not worth the risk
 
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