any of you own a dog that gets along with your bunny?

[MagneticLove]

i recently got a puppy and i want my bunbun and pup to get along

but i feel like there isonlya10% chance they ever will :cry2 because my puppy is a doberman he might always be too rough

just wondering if any of you guys have a doggie that gets along with your bunnies?

 

[Saudade]

This is a toughie, especially since I don't know the temperament of your dog, Dobermans are a bit too rough and a bit too aggressive to pair with a rabbit, that being said I've seen it done so many times.
It's a really hard thing to tell, but as a puppy I would not introduce the two as rabbits can get scared way too easily and will develop predator stress, especially since the pup is likely to be hyperactive.

 

[irishbunny]

Yup my dog gets on great with the rabbits and all my other animals, they can be trained but I believe it's mostly in the dogs nature. I personally would introduce them when it's a puppy because if it's taught young then you have a much better chance then if you only introduced them when it is an adult, by then your dog would be alot bigger and it would be very dangerous. Dogs should never be left in the same room alone as your rabbit though, no matter how much you trust them their instincts can just take over.

To begin with I would put your puppy on a leash and bring it to the cage, if she barks and gets excited pull her back look her in the face and say 'NO' firmly, keep doing this until she doesn't bark then say 'good girl/boy' in a ''happy'' voice, pet her and give her a treat. Once she is used to this try doing it with the rabbit out of it's cage, rabbit still on a leash until that is perfected. Then you can try with the dog off the leash, but only when you are 100% sure your dog is not excited by the rabbit! Stay close by so you can grab your dog if it goes for the rabbit.

Your dog may never get it and you might never be able to trust them together, but if you start young you have a better chance at it working

ETA: If your rabbit is very frightened e.g. trembling, white of the eyes is visible, stop! Your rabbit will get used to it though when she knows the dog can't get at her.

 

[Mrs. PBJ]

Well said gracie

Storm and phoenix gt on great but phoenix is a real lade back dog in general. I had a chi that I could not let him and storm out at the same time. He hada very high prey drive. He wanted to play but he played way to rough for his or storms own good it comes down to your dog and rabbit.

The dog may wnt to play and not hurt the rabbit but the dog may play to rough. Or the dog may go for the unthinkable. you have to trust your dog and rabbit and know what is best

 

[amber55]

I have to keep my dogs far away from my bun because they are both golden retrievers and they hunt rabbits. And boy do it HATE that they sniff out where ever he has been looking for him god i get so mad!

 

[undergunfire]

Morgan is a free range bun in the animal room and Sammy likes to push the gate to the door open in there. He just walks around eating rat food crumbs and bunny poo....he never really bothers Morgan. He does, however, like to drink from his water bowl :grumpy:.

When Morgan quickly darts off to another part of the room is when Sammy thinks it is time to play. Morgan has learned to just sit pretty still when Sammy ventures in there. Sam knows that the animal room is off limits, but he doesn't listen that well...but knowing it is off limits makes Sam really cautious in there because he knows I will know he went in there....it is like he waits for me to come yelling.

Now, when I bring Brody out to play in Sam's "territory" (the hallway, living room, dining, and kitchen) is when Sammy gets really antsy and will mess with Brody and chase him. I now have to lock Sammy up in his kennel when Brody plays.

Sam is a 2 year old Doxie/Min Pin, by the way....so he can't really trample the bunnies or anything, like a Dobie could. Dobies are very rompy and have heavy paws...so I would play it safe and keep youre bun away from the dog. Maybe as the dog ages, they will be able to have more contact.

 

[LionsRawr]

Well being a toothy puppy I wouldn't advise it right now. Atleast not off leash meetings. I think on leash things should be fine because you can correct him quickly if he does any mouthing.

Both of my dogs (Cocker Spaniel and Lab) get along great with my rabbits.

 

[bobismyturtle]

My dog is a collie/heeler mix, and we got him when he was 2. He wants to be rough with the bunny. But he never attacks it or anything. They do touch noses through the cage bars though. But that is as close as it gets. You probably have a better shot at it though because it is a puppy.

 

[hartleybun]

my buns have gotten my choc labs wrapped around their rexy paws. the elder choc was very maternal from the start and her daughter was raised and socialised with the buns from day one. supervision, patience, training and supervision are the keys imho. also, know thy dog:biggrin2: had brandy not been very maternal from day one i wouldnt have gotten rabbits but would have continued with rats. buns met pups the day they were born and i took it from there.

i dogsit for a jack russel who isnt allowed anywhere near the buns, and for a golden retreiver raised with chickens and buns who doesnt bother them at all.

good luckray:

 

[MagneticLove]

i guess it all depends on my dog
we are taking him to obedience classes so maybe there will be a day when pharaoh will respect piksi

its funny though because anytime pharaoh is around piksis cage she runs on the top level and starts sniffing him
she is more curious with him than he is with her

thanks everyone for giving me an insight on how your doggys are with your bunnys!
im going to take things slow. i am VERY over protective of piksi. my bf always gets mad but i tell him that bunnys are like babys they are really fragile hehe :biggrin2:

 

[Flashy]

Remember that it will also depend on your bun. If your bun is terrified then it's not fair to pursue it.

So go by both animals

 

[missyscove]

My brother filmed this video of Timmy and Missy, my Golden Retriever.
Our dogs grew up with a cat. They completely ignore the rabbits.

[flash=425,344]http://www.youtube.com/v/Vj5t1yUrj0Y&hl=en&fs=1[/flash]

 

[tomorrow264]

My 3 great danes are good with my bunnies but theyre 8, 4, and 1.5years old and are fairly mellow.

 

[CKGS]

Dobermans can actually get along with many animals. I know a breeder (ex) who has her dobies, cats, a rabbit, and 5 ferrets who all live in the same home. She has 5 dobies and they all get along fine with the other animals. It will mostly depend on how you handle the introductions. As a pup, any dog can be too excitable to be let loose near a smaller animal. The leash idea would be great.
Good luck with your new babies.

 

[Elf Mommy]

tomorrow264 wrote:

My 3 great danes are good with my bunnies but theyre 8, 4, and 1.5years old and are fairly mellow.

You have THREE great danes???!!!????

Pictures? leaseplease:<---green with envy!



My boxer is afraid of Poe and was afraid of Elf, too. He's very tolerant, and I believe most boxers are known for that kind of personality.

Poe also met my Aunt's doxie, and they did all right. Poe just wanted to mark his space too much when they were together. LOL

 

[Haley]

My puppy, Cooper, loves our bunnies.A lot of it does have to do with how you raise them. We started early with Cooper and now he thinks they are all buddies. He actually often prefers to lay on the floor wih Max and Basil rather thanbe in bed with me. He has learned to be very gentle around them.

When he was a baby we told our vet we were going to try to acclimate him to the bunnies and he gave us some tips. Whenever your puppy acts overly excited or interested in the bunnies you need to make a loud sharp noise- like clapping your hands while saying NO or something like that. Do it everytime he comes near them acting overly interested. If youre not confident he wont go after them try them in a run or pen while he is watching them. And whenever he is calm around them reward him with pets and treats. It didnt take Cooper long to realize they were part of the family and he had to be gentle around them.

I caught him licking Basil last night on the forehead and then he leaned over and nudged Basil's hurt (arthritic) leg gently as if to tell him it would be ok.

Good luck with your bonding!

 

[missyscove]

Haley, clearly Goldens & Dutches are the perfect combo.

 

[tomorrow264]

Elf Mommy wrote:

tomorrow264 wrote:

My 3 great danes are good with my bunnies but theyre 8, 4, and 1.5years old and are fairly mellow.

You have THREE great danes???!!!????

Pictures? leaseplease:<---green with envy!

This is Lucy my 4 year old female with Dottie.

This is my 8 year old male Dante that we got from the humane society last summer.

This is the baby Linus, he's 1.5 years old.

I'm still trying to getthe hang of posting pics

 

[missyscove]

Dottie & Dante go together splendidly!

 

[SunnyCait]

Three of our four dogs get along fine with the rabbits. The two that are BEST with them is our lab/pit mix, Cooper, and our golden/border collie mix, Karly.

Cooper and Breakfast

Karly and MJ, when MJ was just a little tiny bunn bunn!

Edit: I should add, our one dog, Brutus, is NOT allowed NEAR the rabbits. He's some sort of pointer mix and while he doesn't try anything, he is TOO intense when they are around and I just would never risk it. It's all about the individual dog.