a little panicked

Rabbits Online Forum

Help Support Rabbits Online Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

JessicaRabbit

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2004
Messages
233
Reaction score
0
Location
Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
So, some circumstances came our way and we nowhave an adorable beagle puppy. We introduced Lucy (the pup) toJess...and things DID NOT go well.

So, now we are a little beside ourselves because I just get sickthinking of the possiblity of not being able to keep her. So we werethinking that perhaps we could get Jess a pal to hang with her since wewill have to move her from the main room into one of the bedrooms. Cananyone give us any suggestions as to how we can reintroduce the bun& dog? The dog was really well behaved, Jess just absolutelyfreaked out. We feel so horrible and need some help
 
I think whichever way you go it is going to be alot of change for her to digest at one time. Even bonding her toanother bun is initially going to be stressful.

Hmmm ... I think I better leave this to one of our experts here. :(

Poor little Jess! Give her a hug from Sherman and me when she finally calms down.
 
many dogs are bred to hunt rabbits. pretty muchevery dog is inherently attracted to hunting rabbits. So, yes I amaware of my dog's characteristics, and to be honest your post didn'treally help my situation at all and just made me feel like a biggerjerk. Thanks.

but you obviously have both beagles and bunnies...how do you manage?
 
I think the best idea here is to take things at aslow pace. If Jessica has been "The " pet in the house, sheis bound to be jealous and a little miffed that someone else is in herterritory.I also would not rush in togetting her a bunny pal. Since the dog is apuppy, I would try to work with them for a while and see howthings go. Just let Jessica know that she is still " The "pet for right now and hopefully things will calm down for her intime.Hope this works out well for all ofyou. :dude: Beckie
 

No need to panic, JessicaRabbit.

2bunmom told you the same things I would've said. Sometimes it workswith bunnies and dogs/cats, sometimes it doesn't. Jessica will be fineas long as she's got you. Having a companion might be nice if she'sgoing to be separated from the mainstream of the traffic flow in thehouse, but I'd hold off first on that. Since the dog didn't care muchabout the rabbit and it's still a puppy, done slowly who knows that itwouldn't work. There have been pictures I've seen of all differenttypes of beastly dogs and the rabbit controls them like kittens.
I think you did a wonderful job of picking up on her stress right awayand removing her from it. As 2bunmom said, if you go slowly, it mighthappen, but of course, you know it might not. Time will tell.

For now, you might become a bit of a juggler. The dog may have to beput in a room so that Jessica can romp her area, and then switch.

You didn't do any damage to Jessica. She absolutely loves you andthere's nothing you can do to change that because your love for her isso overflowing. She just got scared and needed her space fromeverything and everyone. You saved her from being harmed and I think itwas very astute of you to pick up on things as they were happeningbefore it was too late.

Jessica just didn't know who this invader was. It looked different,sounded different, and acted different than she's ever been used to.

As BunnyMommy pointed out, there are some wonderful sites on the webabout introducing other pets to your rabbit. You might have some luckif you try some of the steps they walk you through.

As they say in "Rabbits for Dummies", "Put your dog on a leash, allowthe dog to approach the cage slowly, in a quiet manner, if the dogstarts to act up, correct him/her by saying "NO!" and quickly jerk thlease Do this consistently. When the dog approaches the rabbit quietly,even for a moment, praise him/her with pats and verbal cheers. Yourrabbit will probably be scared the first time she sees you dog and hidein her nest box. If the dog is calm and nonthreatening, the rabbit willprobably become braver, even curious. You'll know the if the rabbit iscurious if it comes out of her nestbox with the dog in the same room.If the dog remains calm around the rabbit during this time, you mayhave reached a truce. Don't assume that because your dog seemsuninterested in the rabbit that they can be let loose together safely.Your dog can never be trusted with the rabbit. Some dog's, no matterhow hard the owners try, instincts are simply too strong to avoidchasing the rabbit."

At that time, you might think about getting a buddy for Jess, but see how things go first.

Keep us posted. Kiss that white diamond for me!

-Carolyn
 
JessicaRabbit wrote:
many dogs are bred to hunt rabbits. pretty much every dog isinherently attracted to hunting rabbits. So, yes I am aware of my dog'scharacteristics, and to be honest your post didn't really help mysituation at all and just made me feel like a bigger jerk. Thanks.

but you obviously have both beagles and bunnies...how do you manage?


Don't feel bad JessicaRabbit! It's not always like that. I mean mysisters golden retriever is obviously meant to hunt and is likely toattack the rabbit by nature, but she was fine with Mocha, and only theyplayed together. It looked quite funny, a little 5 lbs bunny and a big3 year oldgolden retriever.

Spice is terrified of dogs also, I have one suggestion but it might notwork well depending on how scared the bunny is and it is a slow processto do. If you have something like a baby gate that you could set up ina doorway and have the bunny on one side, the dog on the other and youlet them stay like that for a bit (with your supervision of course).Your rabbit may become curious and come over to sniff the dog throughthe baby gate. It's just a suggestion though!

Laura, Moch, & Spice
 
I agree it's fair enough beagles are bred forhunting rabbits - but yours hasn't been, shes only a baby so I wouldn'tworry about that(she will be more interested in playing). Itis understandable that your Jess will be frightened at first. Takeeveryones advice and introduce slowly like the door idea m&smonsaid and the leash idea by carolyn - I would say as the dog is a babyit is easier introducinglike that than if the dog was fullgrown and you introduced a baby rabbit! The onlything Iwouldsay is the pup might be a bitplayfulwithJess - I'm sure that they will get used to each other intime, my mum has two labradors and a dwarf rabbit and they are finetogether! Its a matter of Jess getting used to the idea. Good luck withthem :)and don't feel like a Jerk, your certainly not!
 
Please just take it slow. I also have hunting dogsthat do great with my buns. A domisticated bun is a family member andthe cottontails are wild. My dogs chase the cottontails out of the yardand the house buns chase the dogs. Some animals never bond but it is aslow process. Do not give up hope. That article is good advice we usethat at Petsmart. You must like dear jessica know she is the queen ofthe house no matter what. A puppy is very playful and wired so thiswill change too. Also the pup is new to the house. Take your time OKand if you need more ideas let me know

Corky
 
They really know the difference. We have a 50lbspringer who cries when 5 lbs BUnty hops on him and boxes his nose. Shealso chases him away from the sofa.
 
I had the same promblem with my X-Pom, Rockey. Hewould bound striaght to the Buns cage and start barking. I would tellhim no! Jerk his lease back and tap his nose. After a few weeks hestopped. I hope that this helps ;)
 

BunnyMommy,

A friend of mine who's 6 year old rabbit named Scooter, whom I callScooterpie, chases her dog until it's totally worn out. Scooter hasFull Control.

-Carolyn
 
This is absolutely AMAZING! :D

I tell you, people who aren't bunny lovers don't know what they're missing! lol!
 
funny. Flospy doesn't chase to many things. Iguess becuase he has nothing to chase. WhenI go to the store today I amgoing to by him some more toys. Maybe a ball for him to chase around
 
aww...good luck with them!batman is a natural with dogs-the first time he met sidney (my yorkiethat lives with mom), he chased her around untill she gave up, then hesat on her back and tortured her.:p
 

Latest posts

Back
Top