Dog and rabbit friends?

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This topic has 5sd replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 8 months, 2 weeks ago by Oliver987.

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- 07/21/2023 at 6:48 PM
  Jupiter_Flemish Giant
  Participant
  17 posts
  I own a very big dog. She is a german shepherd and her back literally touches my hip! (Im 5´5) And my bunny weighs about 3 pounds. She treats him like it is her CHILD. I love how she is so gentle with him. She is only allowed in the house on weekends(because that’s when we bathe her), and even before we got the rabbit she would come into my room, but now she comes into my room and I let him out of his cage and she lays down and plays with him. Of course, I watch them carefully, because of how big she is, but they once both slept next to each other. I haven’t got any pictures, but maybe tomorrow I will. I love how she does this, and I just wanted to share!
- 07/22/2023 at 5:22 AM
  Bam
  Moderator
  16971 posts
  Dogs and rabbits can become friends, but it’s wise to watch them. Make sure the rabbit always have a safe place where it can hide if it wants to, and where the dog absolutely cant reach it, no matter what. A dog can still harm a rabbit just by barking and trying to get at it, but GSDs are normally not very barky dogs. Small dogs tend to be a lot more yappy.
  
  I had a GSD before. She never became friends with my buns, she wasn’t interested in them. They seemed a lot more interested in her, but she very rapidly understood that playing with them was out of the question. She stole their kale and other veg if she got the chance though 😄
- 07/23/2023 at 3:15 PM
  Jupiter_Flemish Giant
  Participant
  17 posts
  unfortunately I had to take my computer to repairs earlier today so I wasn’t able to get a photo, but she tried to start puppy-type playing with him and ended up almost hurting him. Luckily I was there and I think that she understood she has to be calm around them. My cousin is attempting to save up money for a small dog for me, simply because I asked for it before I ever thought about getting Jupiter. I know that if I get the dog (Some type of yorkie mix) then it will have to be trained. I did have to trim Jupiters nails earlier because Jupiter tried to climb on top of her and his nails must have hurt her. She is naturally fine with him climbing on her, but I guess the last time I trimmed his nails was too long ago. If anything else adorable happens between the two I will try to get a photo. My brother has started calling them a relationship.
- 07/23/2023 at 3:17 PM
  Wick & Fable
  Moderator
  5814 posts
  Based on what you’ve described, I would not put them together at all again. “Adorable” moments are obviously cute, but safety is the priority and the requirement, and it sounds like how she wants to interact is not safe. She may have good intentions, but they are different animals and how she wants to play is unsafe for a rabbit. There are many households that need to permanently separate their dogs and rabbits for safety.
  
  The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.
- 07/24/2023 at 4:33 AM
  Bam
  Moderator
  16971 posts
  I agree with Wick, the dog mustnt be allowed to play with the rabbit. A GSD is big and heavy. It can accidentally hurt the rabbit without meaning any harm. Dogs can also get excited when they play and see the rabbit as prey, much like when a dog plays with a stuffy toy. They’ll throw the toy into the air and catch it and shake it etc.
  
  This is a bit difficult, because you shouldn’t punish the dog either. If you use any sort of violence it could make the dog resent the rabbit and try to hurt it if it gets the chance. It’s safer to reward the dog for not engaging with the rabbit.
  
  My GSD had had a lot of obedience training before my first rabbit came into my home. I hadn’t planned on getting a rabbit, I found him as a stray. The first thing I did was to make sure my dog understood that the rabbit belonged to the human and was in no way a toy. This was easy bc my dog listened to my commands. This is achievable with a GSD, they are as a breed highly trainable, but it still takes training.
- 04/08/2024 at 10:59 AM
  Oliver987
  Participant
  1 posts
  Whether a dog and a rabbit can become friends depends on the individual animals’ temperaments, socialization, and training, as well as careful supervision and management by their owners.
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