# Dog and Bunny?



## infinityankle (Aug 6, 2012)

I own a 3 year old pit bull who is really quite laid back and calm. I also just bought a new mini rex junior buck who is about 5 months old.. I was wondering if there was a way to get them more acquainted? I think my dog is doing okay with the new bunny, but is also really curious. Im not sure how the rabbit is taking it, he has been getting more and more courage lately, such as climbing on my dog, but whenever the dog gives him attention back the bunny shies away and starts shaking. Any advice?


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## JjGoesBounce (Aug 6, 2012)

How I introduced my bunnies to my dog was I held my rabbit in my arms and pet our dog. Then tell the dog to lie down and Stay. Then gently put the rabbit down next to our dog and let them sniff. Any behaviour from the dog that could frighten the rabbit was not allowed. 
Now the dog can come up to the rabbits hutch whenever he wants since the rabbits have the choice to sniff or run away.
Never leave the dog and rabbit alone, no matter how calm your dog is. Always have someone watching them. It only takes once.

Wishing you the best of luck!
Jj


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## Nelsons_Mom (Aug 6, 2012)

Let him see the rabbit in the cage for several days first. Once he shows NO REACTION, then you can have him leashed across the room while a friend sits with the rabbit in a lap (leashed as well is even better). 
Continue to get closer as long as there is no sign of excitement.

Even with a lot of training, they should both never be together alone


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## Nancy McClelland (Aug 6, 2012)

:yeahthat:--both posts. We have 2 dogs and they never see our bunnies and vice versa. Don't really want to chnce, plus, our small dog is the Great Dane.


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## GinChinSing (Aug 14, 2012)

I'm new, but I wanted to add what I know about introducing dogs and cats to "play thing" type animals. This includes all small furries, reptiles, and birds basically.

First, really know your predator animals. I mean REALLY know. Does your dog like to chase squirrels or leaves or paper that the wind tosses up? If so, be aware that a rabbit or any other animal could get the same response. It helps to really know your prey critter too. If you know that your rabbit is the lazy strolling-through-the-park kind of rabbit, then it will probably be easier to have a dog or cat around them. If your rabbit likes to run around and popcorn and try to defy gravity, then a reactive dog (a dog who likes to chase) will be harder to teach.

As said, never leave your dog or cat alone with the prey animals because if something is going to happen, it will be when you aren't right there to stop complete disaster. Make sure to teach your dog or cat to listen no matter how excited they are. This could take a while depending on how hard-headed the dog can be. Cats take forever to train. Trust me, I have three.

Lastly, always remember two things: you need to work on getting the dog and rabbit to be okay around each other as often as you can. At least once a day. Take things slow. And two, it's always much easier to train a puppy to accept non-dog animals as "dogs". Adult dogs will do it but you'll get that "you're telling me this weird looking thing is a dog and not food?" look.

My dog, a little 17 pound cocker spaniel/poodle mix, or cockapoo if you will, grew up with guinea pigs. I had the pigs before I got her at 8 weeks. She sometimes has an identity crisis but I know I can leave her with small furries without too much trouble. She does like to chew on them a little in a motherly sort of way. She helped me dry off my new rabbits today. Though, she is mad at me because the funny looking "guinea pigs" don't make funny noises like the regular guinea pigs.


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## Elliot (Aug 16, 2012)

I OWN all that live in my home. My dog knows it and respects it. It's all about your attitude.


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## ldoerr (Aug 16, 2012)

I will never attempt to introduce my dog to my rabbits. My dog has killed my pet rabbits before. She has also killed and eaten my pet chickens (hence why we can not have chickens anymore. They make great pets). I think that you half to know your animals VERY well.


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## Bunnymom,K (Aug 16, 2012)

It may just take your bunny a little while to feel safe when the dog tries to interact. Rabbits are true prey animals with very little natural defense and some just seem to understand this better than others. When your dog tries to interact the rabbit might be suddenly realizing that he's been noticed and is becoming frightened. 
Give them time and close supervision. 




> First, really know your predator animals. I mean REALLY know. Does your dog like to chase squirrels or leaves or paper that the wind tosses up? If so, be aware that a rabbit or any other animal could get the same response. It helps to really know your prey critter too.



I think this is crucial to having a peaceful multi species home. 



> I OWN all that live in my home. My dog knows it and respects it. It's all about your attitude.


Own or lead? I think it has far more to do with knowing/understanding your animals and training than it does attitude.


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## fastlanestridin (Aug 24, 2012)

My dog always got excited when she saw our rats(this was before we got my bunny) and she would lay in front on the cage wagging her tail so we opened the door and they got bold and came right out and tugged on the fur on her paw(she's a black standard poodle). It scared the living daylights out of her so she would give them tons of space. When we got my bunny(he lived in a outdoor enclosure for a while) everymorning she would run straght at his cage when she got let out and the first few times he would run and hide but eventually he just stoped being scard and would sit there like he was saying 'dude you do this everyday I have caught onto it and you don't scare me anymore'. Now he lives in my room and the dog comes in whenever she wants and lays down on his mat with him and he will lay down beside her. They get along great. And my guinea pig is absolutly in love with my dog! Ahaha when she come to his open topped c and c cage he just goes crazy popcorning around lol


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## Rescuemom (Aug 26, 2012)

Bunnymom,K wrote:


> > I OWN all that live in my home. My dog knows it and respects it. It's all about your attitude.
> 
> 
> Own or lead? I think it has far more to do with knowing/understanding your animals and training than it does attitude.



I have to agree and disagree. I do not agree that it takes attitude or a certain type of 'dominance' or being 'leader' or 'alpha' over all your pets. I've had to rehabilitate so many dogs because of people training them with this mindset that it's heartbreaking. I hate the use of the words 'dominance' and 'alpha' for this reason. I'm all about positive reinforcement. That said, it REALLY strongly depends on your dogs/rabbits.

A dog raised from a puppy with a bunny/bunnies that has virtually no prey drive is far different than introducing an adult dog to a bunny later on, particularly if you don't know what type of drive your dog has. It definitely comes down to training, particularly desensitizing and counter conditioning when it comes to rabbits - training the dog not to chase, bother or harass the rabbits while they hop around or while they're in their presence, but rather, to lay down, sit, or walk away. Coming to sit with you is the best reaction to teach. It's basically teaching a wanted behavior in place of an unwanted behavior. Teaching the dog that coming to you is more rewarding than chasing the bunny.

I've desensitized my Beagle to my bunny, but I'm taking it extremely slowly and NEVER, EVER, will ANY of my pets ever be loose together under any circumstances. I would rather not risk it at all, because it really does only take ONE time. I've had a cat suddenly attack my dog, out of nowhere, when my dog wasn't even in the same room as him, and this was a cat that was raised with him for several years. I've also had dogs suddenly go after smaller animals that they never had before. It takes ONE moment, it takes ONE thing that you may not even notice, for things to turn around in an instant. In the case of dogs or cats, REALLY, REALLLLLYYY knowing canine and feline behavior REALLY helps. Knowing signs of stress helps too - and these can be as simple as lip licking, whale eyes, crumpled whisker beds, etc.


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## infinityankle (Sep 25, 2012)

The method that i chose to go with was slowly introducing them. I let my rabbit roam freely through the living room while my dog was told to sit next to me. As it turned out, my dog wasnt the least bit interested in him. He layed down and let my rabbit do his thing, after a couple of days of doing this my rabbit got the courage to 'play' on my dog. Ralph, my dog, looked at him and plopped his head back down. Now my rabbit and dog play whenever they want. But ralph is a very laid back dog and my rabbit is very sweet and adventurous, so i would say its all about the personalities and behaviors of the animals. Thank you so much everyone for your advice. Best of luck to anyone else attempting to assimilate dog and bunny.


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