Bunny and Dog

Hi, has anyone on here successfully bonded their Bunny and a Dog? I'd like the two of mine to be in the house together (with me in the room at all times obviously) I slowly introduced the two and my girl seems calm and so does Bun.. I'm just wondering if it's actually do-able and a good idea? My Dog is fine with other Dogs, and was fine with our hamster.. any advice on how to go the right way about it/or not at all would be appreciated thank you
(My Dog is a cockapoo) X
 

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I wouldn't trust a dog with a rabbit. Rabbits are too fragile and easily spooked - it doesn't have to be anyone's fault, but bunny will always come off worst. A running rabbit can also trigger a chase reflex in dogs, or a dog may try to play by pawing at it. It really does only take a few seconds for things to go badly wrong - it's not worth the risk.
 
I wouldn't trust a dog with a rabbit. Rabbits are too fragile and easily spooked - it doesn't have to be anyone's fault, but bunny will always come off worst. A running rabbit can also trigger a chase reflex in dogs, or a dog may try to play by pawing at it. It really does only take a few seconds for things to go badly wrong - it's not worth the risk.
To be honest that was my thoughts.. as much as I trust my Dog, I know they are an animal and can't be trusted 100% and can be unpredictable. Thanks for the response
 
I agree. A prey animal and a predator is never a good idea, despite what tictok would like us to believe!
 
It really depends on the dog. I did take in 3 different dogs for days or weeks, no issue, no bonding either. The rabbits were shortly interested in the dog as a curiosity, and ignored it afterward. Only the Collie was disappointed by that, but that wasn't a problem. I think something like that would be the most likely outcome.
A neighbour had a big chech shepherd dog, and her rabbits cuddlled up to him and used him as a source of shade.

So, it's not like that prey-predator thing is what it's about, but how the dogs instincts are. What I did doesn't work with every dog, and my rabbits can tell the difference - when people with dogs pass by the front gate they sometimes ignore the dog, but at other dogs they go into hiding, they are pretty good at judging the dogs, the way how they move, react, look, something about their stance etc.

I wouldn't trust my rabbits with a dog that has a hunting drive, not the necessary instinctive social skills, or is interested in them the wrong way, hard to describe, it's a stomach decision. I wouldn't trust my rabbits with some people either.

I think it helped that the dogs had to enter my, and the rabbits terretory, made it easier to set rules. Also, my rabbits are pretty big.
 

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Rabbits can only be bonded with Rabbits. They need to be able to communicate with each other to fulfil the definition of being bonded. Rabbits don’t ’speak’ dog and dogs don’t ’speak’ Rabbit.
It is possible to keep both Rabbits and dogs as Pets. But they should not be housed together eg a free range House Rabbit when there is a dog who also has free roam.

I have 3 indoor Rabbits and a dog. The Rabbits are in very large secure enclosures, my dog cannot get into their space. My dog has been brought up surrounded by Rabbits since he was 8 weeks of age. He has been taught what is acceptable behaviour and he now ignores the Rabbits. They ignore him too.
 
I had a labrador and a collie for many years. Labrador could touch noses through the weld mesh with the rabbits but as soon as they saw the collie they were off so yes rabbits can possibly distinguish the safer dogs buuut I would never ever want to risk the two species having access to each other.
 
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