# Rabbits & dogs



## daisyboo (May 19, 2009)

Does anyone on here have dogs and rabbits together, in the same house?

I have 2 house rabbits but am thinking of getting a rescue dog. I dont know if this is a good idea as I dont want to put my rabbits at risk.

I am looking at small breeds like **** zu, lasa or cavalier. Would a dog be happy being in the house with the rabbits or would it want to eat them??

They would be seperated (rabbits in spare bedroom upstairs, dog downstairs) but would a dog try and get to them?

Any advise welcome


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## hazyreality (Jan 11, 2009)

It will very much depend on the dog. Terriers are more likely to try to get to them. Also with the individual personality of the dog 
If the rescue state it has lived with cats before I would be more likely to give it a try. Out of those, I would say a cav would be best generally, but as I say, depends on the dog 
My GSD never had any urge to try and get to the bunnies. We had a westie over and she wanted to kill them.


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## kate_7590 (Feb 28, 2009)

I would say alot of dogs wont be used to rabbits so it would be difficult, however as HR says it really does depend on the dog.

I have 4 Border Collies, who you would assume wouldnt be good with small furries but I have 5 rabbits who are loose in the garden all day, 2 of which often come into the house if the door is open and none of the dogs are bothered by the rabbits and vice versa. Same with the 9 guinea pigs.


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

I don't have him anymore but used to have a GSD x Collie with rabbits. He was used to them from beng puppy though so was taught very young how to behave with them. Rabbits and dog got on great, to the point one of the rabbits used to chase my dog playing with him. One of the rabbits he'd grown up with in a way, we already had the rabbit when the dog came to us and when that rabbit died the dog kept looking for her, looking in all her hiding places and coming to tell us she was missing. Then I got Rosie who I still have and she got on well with the dog as well, they became close friends till I moved out of my mums. I took Rosie and her then partner with me but had to leave my dog with my mum because I wasn't allowed to take him where I moved to. My dog pined and seemed to become ill through losing his friends. He was getting old and had arthritis but it seemed to become worse when I moved out with the rabbits. It was only a year after I moved out that he was pts as the medicine for his arthritis stopped working.

It does depend on the individual dog though and how they are socialised, a puppy would be better than an adult for getting used to rabbits so they learn how to behave around them. I'd avoid the terrier breeds around rabbits though as its in their breed to chase rabbits and also collies would need careful training to stop them trying to herd the bunnies (this is something my dog would do on occasion).


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## HoneyFern (Aug 27, 2009)

A dog can happily live safely with buns but you would have to be very careful at first, keeping them separate and training the dog not to chase.

I have outdoor buns but my staff cross can be trusted with them (supervised) whilst my terrier cross is a bit too full on for them.


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## gem88 (Jun 2, 2012)

if the dog has the right tempremant i would have thought its ok. my buns live outside and although my dogs will play with the rabbits through the fence of the run i would never allow them properly together purely because i have springers and they're natural tendency would be to pick the buns up. 
i know people with cats or dogs as well as indoor bunnies that get on fine but it really does come down to the dog xx


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## Louiseandfriends (Aug 21, 2011)

I really strongly don't advise it from personal experience. Last year, dog got into my rabbit enclosure, crushed Buddy's chest, damaged Buddy's jaw and killed his wifebun, Bella. Buddy then spent 6 months going back and forth to the vets every week and had to have regular dental operations. He was terrified of everything and everyone. He now lives without incisors and he's quite happily back on his feet living with a new partner and he's become nice and friendly again. 

RIP Bella. :crying: <3 xxx 

The vets also don't advise rabbits and dogs together as dogs can scare rabbit to the point of heart attack and death. 

Others feel differently. However, I'd personally NEVER EVER risk such a thing. Not after Buddy.


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

it depends on the dog, my old boys, Joe (GSD) and snoopy (staffy x) were brilliant with the rabbits, they werent bothered by them and would help me find them when they were free ranging in the garden and needed to go back into their hutches

mishka (alaskan malamute) however would eat them as soon as look at them given the chance


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## cgroome (Feb 21, 2011)

My mum has 3 lhasas and they are the dopiest, most laid back dogs ever. I haven't every put them with my rabbits (I don't live with my mum) but I suspect the dogs would have a sniff and then run in the opposite direction... But don't take my word for it, it may just be that Mum's have a particularly laid back temperament.


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

I have a lurcher and would not contemplate it. I can guarantee he would kill it. (He has caught and killed squirrels and rabbits outside and would probably do the same to a cat if he got the chance.) This is probably down to both nature and nurture in his case as I believe he is an ex-worker.

I know of many people whose dogs (lurchers included) who do live happily with rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens, cats, etc. 

It depends if you think it's worth the effort and risk. I personally, would not take the risk and could not be bothered with the hassle involved in keeping them apart, especially if the rabbit lived indoors. I would be devastated if I left a door open or something and the dog got the rabbit. 

Not being mean, but how old are the rabbits? If they are getting on, why not wait?


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

What about the opposite problem, the dog scared of the rabbits! One of my dogs is afraid of the rabbits, she won't even go past the cage if their out. My other dog likes them and helps me herd them back in their cage if I can't catch them. It jut depends on the dog.


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## daisyboo (May 19, 2009)

boo is 4 and not sure about ivy as she is a rescue, maybe a bit older than boo.

i dont really want to get a puppy and would like a rescue older dog. trouble is with a rescue you dont really know there temperament until you get them home etc.


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## simplysardonic (Sep 1, 2009)

We have 2 house rabbits & 3 dogs, our dogs are very laid back with the bunnies, & the bunnies aren't bothered by the dogs. 

I'd never leave them in the same room unsupervised, although careless children have left doors open occasionally, & I've come into the living room to find sleeping dogs with bunnies hopping around them. 

We also had a little albino dwarf rabbit (George) years ago, who used to chase the dog & cats round the garden.


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## Flamingoes (Dec 8, 2012)

I think it's one of those things that is completely unique to the animals involved.

As I said the other day, my boy and my rabbit are the best of friends, groom each other etc, but if I had another dog I'd have to completely re-evaluate it.


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## Guest (Jan 7, 2013)

As others have said it can work but it depends on the rabbits and the dog involved.

I know I could never bring a dog into my house while some of my present rabbits are still here because they become extremely stressed at just the smell of a dog. If I have touched a dog outside I need to make sure I change my clothes and wash my hands before I see my rabbits otherwise they become very stressed.

If you have a friend with a calm dog it might be an idea to bring them to your house (without actually meeting the rabbits) so you can judge if your buns will cope with one in the house


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## evanique (Nov 5, 2012)

My boxer and lop eared rabbit get on really well. He's moderately interested in her but is not boisterous. She's not afraid of the boxer at all but I would never let Evie wander around unsupervised with the dog around. She does however live next to the dogs bed in her cage 
My boxer is particularly placid but the breed is usually very excitable and prone boisterous play - a bit risky with rabbits. My dog was 7 when we got the rabbit and she stared out in an outdoor hutch before we brought her inside. She was a rescue rabbit so I'm not sure f she was brought u around dogs but she has never shown any fear of him either :drool:
I would stay away from any type of hunting breed and look for a particularly placid dog. Smaller is not always better and many larger dogs are surprisingly gentle and laid back. Ask advice from your pet rescue as they should have an idea of the dogs temperament.


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## daisyboo (May 19, 2009)

B3rnie said:


> As others have said it can work but it depends on the rabbits and the dog involved.
> 
> I know I could never bring a dog into my house while some of my present rabbits are still here because they become extremely stressed at just the smell of a dog. If I have touched a dog outside I need to make sure I change my clothes and wash my hands before I see my rabbits otherwise they become very stressed.
> 
> If you have a friend with a calm dog it might be an idea to bring them to your house (without actually meeting the rabbits) so you can judge if your buns will cope with one in the house


yes thats a good idea a friend has a pug so i might see if she will bring him round.


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

daisyboo said:


> boo is 4 and not sure about ivy as she is a rescue, maybe a bit older than boo.
> 
> i dont really want to get a puppy and would like a rescue older dog. trouble is with a rescue you dont really know there temperament until you get them home etc.


Greyhound and lurcher rescues often have their dogs assessed in foster homes and some of these have cats and other furries, so they are able to test their compatibility properly in a home environment. Find your local rescue and have a word with them. Lurcherlink and Greyhound Gap are a couple who have websites.


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

B3rnie said:


> As others have said it can work but it depends on the rabbits and the dog involved.
> 
> I know I could never bring a dog into my house while some of my present rabbits are still here because they become extremely stressed at just the smell of a dog. If I have touched a dog outside I need to make sure I change my clothes and wash my hands before I see my rabbits otherwise they become very stressed.
> 
> If you have a friend with a calm dog it might be an idea to bring them to your house (without actually meeting the rabbits) so you can judge if your buns will cope with one in the house


Wow Bernie, that seems an extreme reaction, if they stress out just from you petting a dog! Are they rescues that have been chased by dogs before you bought them home? Just wondering, because my first rabbit was fine until a dog caught him, then he wasn't the same afterwards. Yet the ones I had after and the 3 I have now are fine. Their not nuts on them running near them, but their not at all bothered any other way.

OP, it might be an idea to get a toy breed dog, as their not bred to hunt and chase. I certainly wouldn't get a terrier or hound, I do dog grooming from home, and when people come through the garden, the terriers go crazy at the sight of the rabbits! To a certain degree it does depend on the individual dog, but instinct will play a part somewhere, and the higher that instinct is, the less chance you have of controlling it.


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## Guest (Jan 8, 2013)

Wobbles said:


> Wow Bernie, that seems an extreme reaction, if they stress out just from you petting a dog! Are they rescues that have been chased by dogs before you bought them home? Just wondering, because my first rabbit was fine until a dog caught him, then he wasn't the same afterwards. Yet the ones I had after and the 3 I have now are fine. Their not nuts on them running near them, but their not at all bothered any other way.


Yeah I know, tbh it shocked me at how my buns react. It is only my two nethies that react badly to a dogs smell but I have had a friends dog inside (before I realised the stress it causes my lot) and all I got was thumping from the lops and mild stress signs so they would have probably got used to the dog, however my nethies were a mess. Poor Zooty will make herself as small as possible in the farthest corner just shaking like mad and my Rebo isn't much better  It actually made me cry when I saw the state they were getting into :thumbdown:

Now my nethies do originally come from [email protected] so the only thing I can think of to explain their reaction is down to having people bring dogs into the shop whilst they were there.
This is one of the reasons I don't like people taking dogs into pet shops that sell small animals, it just isn't fair on the small fluffs at all.

So yeah just thought I would mention that the buns might stress because that will obviously have a impact on whether the op can have a dog


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## daisyboo (May 19, 2009)

im looking in to toys dogs like llasha's shih tzu's and cavaliers. i have read up on these breeds and they seem a good match for us and would be more inclined to get on with the rabbits.

i have been around dogs alot and then with the rabbits and neither of them were bothered by the smell. i am going to get my friends pug round to see their reaction to him first.

the dog and rabbits wouldnt really mix together in the same space. but i dont want either the dog or rabbits to be stressed at the smell of each other in the house.


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## SammyJo (Oct 22, 2012)

Molly is fine with our rabbits, she likes to wash them, they like to cuddle up to her and sleep on her etc however I would never leave her alone with them, just in case. 

Frankie would just have them for lunch given the chance. 

All dogs differ I think


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

B3rnie said:


> Yeah I know, tbh it shocked me at how my buns react. It is only my two nethies that react badly to a dogs smell but I have had a friends dog inside (before I realised the stress it causes my lot) and all I got was thumping from the lops and mild stress signs so they would have probably got used to the dog, however my nethies were a mess. Poor Zooty will make herself as small as possible in the farthest corner just shaking like mad and my Rebo isn't much better  It actually made me cry when I saw the state they were getting into :thumbdown:
> 
> Now my nethies do originally come from [email protected] so the only thing I can think of to explain their reaction is down to having people bring dogs into the shop whilst they were there.
> This is one of the reasons I don't like people taking dogs into pet shops that sell small animals, it just isn't fair on the small fluffs at all.
> ...


That is pretty bad, maybe someone walked their dog past the pen and it leapt up or barked at them? The [email protected] I've been in, most people don't take the dogs around the small animals, I've only seen one do so, and it made all the guinea pigs squeak. I'm assuming the staff would tell you to move if your dog was badly upsetting the rodents though.

And I'm amazed (and rather envious!) that you got nethie's from [email protected] My brother bought a rabbit from there that was a "nethie", and he grew about double the size. He was about as much a neth as my pet shop "won't grow big" dwarf was:thumbdown:.



daisyboo said:


> im looking in to toys dogs like llasha's shih tzu's and cavaliers. i have read up on these breeds and they seem a good match for us and would be more inclined to get on with the rabbits.
> 
> i have been around dogs alot and then with the rabbits and neither of them were bothered by the smell. i am going to get my friends pug round to see their reaction to him first.
> 
> the dog and rabbits wouldnt really mix together in the same space. but i dont want either the dog or rabbits to be stressed at the smell of each other in the house.


All those breeds should be good if bought up properly, especially cavs, which have an easy gentle nature and get along with most things.


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## Guest (Jan 8, 2013)

Wobbles said:


> That is pretty bad, maybe someone walked their dog past the pen and it leapt up or barked at them? The [email protected] I've been in, most people don't take the dogs around the small animals, I've only seen one do so, and it made all the guinea pigs squeak. I'm assuming the staff would tell you to move if your dog was badly upsetting the rodents though.
> 
> And I'm amazed (and rather envious!) that you got nethie's from [email protected] My brother bought a rabbit from there that was a "nethie", and he grew about double the size. He was about as much a neth as my pet shop "won't grow big" dwarf was:thumbdown:.


No idea really, it could be a bad experience, or it could just be bad breeding. All I do know is whilst they are here I can't allow dogs in my house 

The thing with [email protected] is that they have a list of breeds that they sell and when the store gets a delivery they all come mixed up so unless the staff the is selling them actually knows about the breeds they just guess.


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

Wobbles said:


> That is pretty bad, maybe someone walked their dog past the pen and it leapt up or barked at them? The [email protected] I've been in, most people don't take the dogs around the small animals, I've only seen one do so, and it made all the guinea pigs squeak. I'm assuming the staff would tell you to move if your dog was badly upsetting the rodents though.
> 
> And I'm amazed (and rather envious!) that you got nethie's from [email protected] My brother bought a rabbit from there that was a "nethie", and he grew about double the size. He was about as much a neth as my pet shop "won't grow big" dwarf was:thumbdown:.
> 
> All those breeds should be good if bought up properly, especially cavs, which have an easy gentle nature and get along with most things.


just because a nethie grows big doesnt mean its not a nethie 

when breeding ANY dwarf rabbit (Dd) you get 3 results
true dwarf (Dd)
false dwarf (dd)
and peanuts (DD) which always die

the way to avoid peanuts is to breed a true dwarf to a false dwarf, then you get 50% Dd and 50% dd as oposed to a Dd x Dd breeding where you get 50% Dd 25% dd and 25% DD

but yes, most rabbits from PAH are muts


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

Lil Miss said:


> just because a nethie grows big doesnt mean its not a nethie
> 
> when breeding ANY dwarf rabbit (Dd) you get 3 results
> *true dwarf (Dd)
> ...


WOW. I got lost in the bolded bit:lol: Could never breed properly, I'd never be able to do the genetics! My breeding knowledge goes about as far as "if I want a floppy eared rabbit, it needs floppy eared parents", and I've proberbly got that wrong and all!:laugh:

Er, by a true dwarf, is that one of those round ones with the huge eyes and tiny ears? And a false one, one whose ears are longer than they should be or not quite round shaped? Or is that too simple?


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

As a teen we had a great Dane and a Dutch bunny and they got on really well and would often sunbathe together. It really depends on the rabbits or the dog.

If you fill in an application at a rescue centre this is something g you can discus with them


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## Lopside (Mar 20, 2012)

Not that I am saying all collies get on with rabbits, i think it depends on the breeding, the dog & the handler, but my dog & my friends dogs all are absolutely fine with free ranging rabbits! But we are blessed with exceptionally lovely dogs :crazy:


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

Lopside! Your dog! S/he is absolutely GORGEOUS :001_wub: :001_wub: :001_wub: :001_wub: I adore collies, and yours is one of the most adorable ones I've ever seen. Lovely markings, a real poster pin up!


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## daisyboo (May 19, 2009)

wow lovely pics there!! did you have your dog from a puppy?


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## Lopside (Mar 20, 2012)

Yes I did. Which makes it easier I suppose. You just need to get to know your dog and read their body language. I also had a rescue collie who was 8 when I got her. She was great with bunnies too.


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## Guest (Jan 11, 2013)

I love Fergus pup, I WILL meet him one day


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## Lopside (Mar 20, 2012)

That you will


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## daisyboo (May 19, 2009)

great news my friend brought her 2 pugs round today and they bunnies were fine with them. they didnt freak out or get upset.


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## JordanRose (Mar 10, 2012)

B3rnie said:


> I love Fergus pup, I WILL meet him one day


Not to rub it in or anything, but I've had Fergus cuddles :001_tt2: He's a hunk! :001_tt1:


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## Guest (Jan 12, 2013)

JordanRose said:


> Not to rub it in or anything, but I've had Fergus cuddles :001_tt2: He's a hunk! :001_tt1:


You know you can go off people pretty quickly sometimes


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## Lopside (Mar 20, 2012)

JordanRose said:


> Not to rub it in or anything, but I've had Fergus cuddles :001_tt2: He's a hunk! :001_tt1:


And also the likelihood is you will get them again pretty soon!! Mwuahuahua! The north west really is the place to live!:tongue_smilie:


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## Lopside (Mar 20, 2012)

Maybe we should take photos next time Jordan Rose? Just to show Ber exactly HOW snuggly he is!! :001_wub:


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## JordanRose (Mar 10, 2012)

Lopside said:


> Maybe we should take photos next time Jordan Rose? Just to show Ber exactly HOW snuggly he is!! :001_wub:


Sounds like a plan! We're so hardcore :cornut:


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## Guest (Jan 13, 2013)

SO MEAN rrr:

I'm going to go have Bluey cuddles to ease my pain :ciappa:


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