What are good dog breeds for rabbits?

[SDShorty]

That's good advice about an older dog, I keep thinking a younger dog, like a puppy, would be best because I could train them to get a long with my rabbits, but I can see also how an older dog would be more tame.

My husband REALLY wants a Husky or a German Shepherd, so it gives me hope to know that I really need to look for temperament of the individual dog, not necessarily the breed. This search won't really happen for another few months, but I'll be doing research until then

 

[ARobinson]

Having worked as a behaviorist and trainer, I can say that it isn't necessarily the breed, but more of the temperament of the dog in question, as well as how you go about introducing the animals to one another. Keep in mind that dogs are predators and rabbits are prey, and that is something we have to accept and cannot reverse... Now, that having been said, it is possible to find a dog that will tolerate and not try to harm your little ones.

I've got four German Shepherds, and my husband has an English Bulldog. None of our dogs have ever attempted to harm my rabbits - then again, I have never given them the opportunity, nor put them in the situation, where they could. My dogs stay out of my rabbitry, they patrol around it, but never bother the rabbits. As for my inside pet rabbits, they will walk by and sniff, but don't mind them. Still, I would NEVER leave a rabbit and a dog together, even for an instant. That is all it would take.

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Annie :bunny19

 

[Tangerine]

The only dog I want is a Papillon. If I got one it would be a puppy. My bunny is 5 months old now, but I would probably wait until she’s a year at least (I’m just not ready for a dog yet). Does anyone know if they would be likely to get along well? Thanks!

 

[ElleRich]

I have 2 Chihuahuas (Paco & Hugo). Paco loves our rabbit, he will go over to her at like her head between her ears for a good 5 minutes. The rabbit just sits there letting him do it. Then she will do a lap around the coffee table, with Paco running after her, then she stops, does a bunny hop and lays out on the rug watching Come Dine with Me. She's comical! Hugo on the other hand, he will not go near the rabbit, but the rabbit will go near him. He stands looking at her, and she does a grunt and head butts him - and he runs off. Neither of my dogs would hurt our bunny. The bunny rules the roost, we have 3 cats also - all of which will move for the rabbit to lay where she wants to lay. Sometimes she hops over to them and nibbles their tails, then when they've moved she lays where they've been laid. She extremely clever, and comical! It doesn't matter what breed of dog you get, as long as you introduce them both to each other gradually, and make lots of fuss over which ever pet you had first (so they don't feel like they're being left out/ replaced) then you should be absolutely fine. I had a massive Staffy dog once, which I rescued which had never lived with any other animals - he looked vicious as anything. When I met my partner they had a kitten. The Staffy was introduced to the kitten, and the kitten stared him out. I did expect the dog to go for the kitten, but he didn't... you just need to be prepared to separate them and look for the signs that one is going to attack the other. The kitten grew up owning the dog - which was funny, the poor dog (bless him) he used to get slapped in the face by the cat, and the dog would just sit there soft as muck looking around like *whats just happened!*. If you search for Hugo Puppy Dog on Insta, you will see all our pets. All get along really well, but all know when the other has had enough if one invades another's space.

 

[KritterKam]

We have Collies and a Pit Bull - all have been wonderful with our bunnies!