Dogs and Rabbits

[William]

You can have prey and predators, you just have to be careful. We always have, all my life, so I'm very used to it and it doesnt seem difficult at all to me. I currently have dogs, cats, budgies, lovebirds, 'tiels, ducks, button quail, hamster, turtle, fish, and rabbits. If I let my lovebirds around my button quail my buttons could quite possibly be killed, even though lovebirds aren't predators they can be aggressive. My ducks could swallow my hamster whole, thinking he is food. Same for my fish, if one happened to jump out of the tank during water changes. Making sure animals don't come into contact with each other unless its supervised isn't all that hard.

Can you imagine if people only had pets that couldn't kill each other? There would be much more overpopulation.

[luluhound]

Obviously u have to take care with rabbits and guinea pigs with dogs, but mine live well together, we have 3 cats, 4 guinea pigs, 2 buns, and 4 dogs, the dogs r a greyhound, lurcher, a staffordshire bull terrier and a mastiff x, one o f my guinea pigs rushes up to the wire and squeaks with delight when she sees the mastiff and he licks her.. he will guard them as well, when my friend comes over with her dog.

[littleboots]

You could have saved a different pet from being put down. If you had taken in more rabbits instead of a dog maybe you would have saved their lives.

No, you shouldn't keep guinea pigs on a floor you walk on, seems a bit silly. I'm not saying rabbits have to live without risk. We all live with risk. I am saying you shouldn't introduce unnecessary risks. Getting a dog you don't already have or need is adding a risk.

It would be a very sad world if we all lived by your standards
The only dogs or cats in my opinion who harm ANY other animal are those who are brought up without other animals around!
Animals get on together much better than most humans!

[Buuny_Friend]

You could have saved a different pet from being put down. If you had taken in more rabbits instead of a dog maybe you would have saved their lives.

No, you shouldn't keep guinea pigs on a floor you walk on, seems a bit silly. I'm not saying rabbits have to live without risk. We all live with risk. I am saying you shouldn't introduce unnecessary risks. Getting a dog you don't already have or need is adding a risk.

I think my guineas would much rather live in the large accommodation they currently live in, with me having to get in it to clean it out, than in an area so small that I cannot get into. What about house pigs or rabbits? If everyone thought this way, nobody would ever move around their home or garden!!!

No, I do not have the space in my garden to 'save more rabbits' but foster rabbits AND dogs so do my bit to help there.

I am going to stop now because I don't think anyone should have to explain themselves!!!!

Back to the OP - congratulations on thinking of getting a dog from a rescue. I foster for a dog rescue - feel free to PM me and I will give you the details. All the dogs from this rescue are in foster homes, some with small animals (like the girl we are fostering). You could always foster a dog first with the view of failing if it all works out

[Buuny_Friend]

It would be a very sad world if we all lived by your standards
The only dogs or cats in my opinion who harm ANY other animal are those who are brought up without other animals around!
Animals get on together much better than most humans!

Good post! I often feel quite capable of killing some people sometimes! Maybe I shouldn't be allowed near people!

[unalakey]

My dog (staffy) guards my buns, Its the only way i would ever let them free range. I have been home checked by a charity and they are amazed by how good my dog is with rabbits etc. I trust my dog 100% with my furries.

[Ambience]

Good post! I often feel quite capable of killing some people sometimes! Maybe I shouldn't be allowed near people!

Dont say that- did you hear about that guy who joked about blowing up robin hood airport on twitter - he was going to be sent to prison- fortunately they saw sense and just fined him. Daft as it is.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...shire-11736785

[mattyp]

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/sh...7&postcount=28
I also remember other stories and close calls, but don't remember enough of the details to search.

That is an awful tragedy, but stories like these are often in the minority and the majority of people seem to have harmony with their pets. I do think you have a point about how people should rehome more rabbits instead of getting a dog, but I think if the person is confident in their ability to train a dog, and in keeping the 2 animals seperate and supervised I don't see a problem.