Bunnies and Dog Companions?

[lagomorphs]

I am looking into a new friend/ companion for mysmall Netherland Dwarf bunny. To date he is notneutered, but so far he has been completely unagressive,territorial or sprays. All he likes to do is kiss/groom meand my husband.

Not sure yet for a range of unrelated reasons, but I am thinking about a dog as a friend if not another bunny.

I would assume it would be best to start with a puppy if I did this as well as a small dog?

Any experiences and insights are most appreciated.

Are theredog breeds to definitely keep apart from rabbits?

Of course, I know it can vary from individual animal to animal, but Iwould gather generally some breeds are more likely a problem as well assize?

 

[undergunfire]

I reccommend another bunny. You can't trust adog with a rabbit fully and I think there is nothing more special thana rabbit to rabbit bond.



- Amy (Mallory, Morgan, and Madilyn-Mae):hearts

 

[HoneyPot]

I don't know of a lot of members who trust their dogs 100% around their buns and many still supervise.

Unless you know the dog well, I would say try to find another bunny foryou rcurrent bunny to bond to. Getting a dog with theintention of bonding it to your bunny is not really a great idea.



__________
Nadia

 

[ec]

I agree with others regarding this notbeing a good idea - rabbits are prey animals, and dogs have a reflexreaction to them, which can (and often does) end up very badly for somepet bunnies. I hope you will reconsider this idea.

Far better that you should take extra time and bond with your rabbitthan to compromise his/her safety. It really is worth the effort!

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

I agree with what was said about a dog as a friend.

But I really wanted to comment on the part where you said that he isunaggressive and not territorialwith you guys. That does notmean he will be the same with another rabbit. One of my bucks is thecalmest, sweetest, friendliest bunnies you will meet but up untilrecently (he's 4 years old) I have never found another rabbit he wouldget along with. He would turn in the blink of an eye and charge at thefence trying to get at the other rabbit. :shock:He evenattacked me a few times simply for smelling like another rabbit butonly if he could see the other rabbit at the same time. It was reallyunexpected behaviour from him the first time I brought another rabbithome because of his temperament and attitude with humans was sofriendly and laid back. You may be shocked by his reaction to otherrabbits compared to humans or other kinds of animals.

If you really want him to have a friend, get him neutered and get aspayeddoe. Even if you got 2 neutered bucks, there is noguarantee they will get along and this is the hardest and least likelypairing to work out. Now 2 un-neutered males (or even one un-neuteredmale and one neutered male) is even harder and to be 100% honest, I'venever heard of or met anyone in my life who has a pair like this thatget along after a year of age (it's easy to bond a baby and an adult ina lot of cases but it rarely stays like that once the baby get hormonaland territorial).

Anyways, good luck in your searches and bonding endeavours!

 

[JadeIcing]

Getting a dog for you I would agree with. Itrust my dog a hundre100% percent with my buns but no waywould I have brought her home if she was a friend for them.She plays with them and I mean they trully play.

With a dog yea puppy you have to train, which could be good if the dogwas for you. I would never do it with the intentions of the rabbit anddog being friends.

My grandma and I have sister dogs from the same litter andone from a previous litter. My dog is amazing I also trainedher non-stop since day one. Yes I am very strict. My grandmas dogs onthe other hand are yappy (cept with me. no idea why.), and dont taketraining well. Those two I would not trust alone with them.As I said one is from the same litter.

Another thing my un-neutred male can not be left around her aloneanymore. He tries to mount her non-stop and upsets her. She will hidefrom him.

 

[lagomorphs]

Thanks for the responses. I thinkhowever, that my inquiry somehow got misinterpreted here, perhapspartially due to my leaving out details regardingmy specificsituation,as well as the use of such wordsas'friend, friendshpand companion'. Also there seemsto be anassumption or implication that 'time' is a factorhere (which it is not) and thatsupervision would be left out?

So to clarify; dogs and rabbits could never havearelationship similar towhat 2 rabbits potentiallycan have. They are different species and have differentneeds. However, there are many people (maybe not on thisforum) who do have dogs and rabbits that live in the same house andalsohave a 'friendship' .I was hoping to hear alittle about this as I'research' this consideration!

 

[HoneyPot]

Hey there - hmm, there are a lot of memebers onhere that have both dogs and rabbits as pets in the same house,although no one that I know of considered getting their dogs to keeptheir bunnies company. I think that's why everyone assumedyou were getting the puppy as a friend to the bunny and advisingagainst it.

As far as bunnies and dogs existing in the same house... hopefullysomeone can give you some advice. I know terriers and otherdogs bred for hunting and retrieving are usually a bad idea...

I am looking into a new friend/ companion for my small Netherland Dwarf bunny....

Not sure yet for a range of unrelated reasons, but I am thinking about a dog as a friend if not another bunny.