Dog attack 4 times in 12 days heelp

[Crystal]

My rabbit is the coolest rabbit and way too cute he’s actually like my son just in a rabbit form he was a lover and he would jump in the air all day long then we moved into a sleep out and this dog has tried to attack my bunny 3 times than the 4th time b
My rabbit got so terrified he turned half feral.. I know 4 times in the 12 days we have lived here he’s been attacked but it was all accidents except now My rabbit is constantly trying to escape out the windows and the doors also he pees everywhere and he wouldn’t let us touch him for 4 days straight now he’s ripped up couches curtains and everything he can destroy he will .. He’s terrified of pretty much anything even us.. Sometimes he will let us pat him than all of the sudden just gap it and freak out at us .. I have made him a hidy hole with hay in a very big box and he’s not really touching it he just wants to gap it .. Before this he was the best rabbit I have ever had in my life and now he doesn’t even know who I am… I really need some help getting my bunny back..

He’s been given hay cardboard old towels blankets boxes grass lettuce salads fruits .. We also take him for a walk but then he tries to hide again and gap it .. We have tried every single thing and I do not want my baby boy out down !!!! He’s not even a year old yet

[Crystal]

We can’t help the situation as we had to leave our home and move into a room and there is a dog at the residence and it is a very gorgeous dog but rabbit instincts kick in and the dog can’t stop trying to get to my rabbit we have figured out the dog now but I seriously need help getting my rabbit back otherwise he will just go backwards and go feral and he has to be put down and only 13 days ago he was an amazing loveable binky Bunny .. Now he scares himself .. How do I help this because its getting worse and I’m loving him more than ever now

[Azerane]

I’m very sorry to hear that a dog has been trying to attack your rabbit. That’s very scary and I can see why your bunny is struggling.

I’m afraid I don’t know what a sleep out is, or how it means that a dog now has access to try and attack your rabbit. Your rabbit obviously lives inside with you, how is the dog getting access to try and attack him? Is the dog in the sleep out as well? Do you interact with the dog and then interact with your rabbit? If you are interacting with the dog as well, the smell of the dog on your could be making your rabbit scared of you.

Does your bunny have places to hide? Cardboard boxes with holes cut in them? Cat tunnels and other similar things than can offer a feeling of safety where he can escape to when he is scared? To try and calm him there is a product that can be used called Rescue Remedy for Pets which is a natural based product, a few drops in their water and it helps to calm them down and be less stressed. If he is so scared that he is trying to escape all the time I would be worried that he may get very sick from stress or have a heart attack from fear, which can happen with rabbits.

Is there any way you could make his area more secure from the dog, more secure xpen or cage and perhaps even block the sides of the pen with something like a sheet so that the dog can’t see your rabbit and your rabbit can’t see the dog. I would be very concerned about your rabbits safety if so many attacks have happened in such a short space of time and you really need to make sure that your bun is very secure and safe just in case. Can you do anything about the dog having access to where your rabbit is?

[Azerane]

Sorry your second post was still in pending when I posted my response.

If you can’t do anything about the dog, I think it is best if you keep your bunny confined for a time. If he doesn’t have a secure cage, get a large secure dog crate, put it in a quiet corner of the room, give him a hiding box, litter tray and hay, water etc, and then drape a sheet or blanket over the top of the cage, cover all of it if you need to, but covering all but one end should be enough. This will help to make him feel more safe and secure so hopefully he can calm down. I will again recommend the rescue remedy to help calm him down. Having him in an enclosed safe area like this should help him to feel safe, rather than racing around the whole room and panicking in an effort to escape. Being in the cage should help calm him down, you can talk to him quietly through the bars and feed treats etc while using a hands off approach which will also help him feel more secure and not like he is being attacked. Fence the cage off behind some furniture if you have to to keep the dog away.

If you can’t keep the dog away, for the welfare of your rabbit you may need to consider rehoming him. I know that you didn’t intend for this to happen, but if he cannot be guaranteed to be kept safe from a dog attack, then it’s not safe to keep him at your home. Better a new safe home than a terrifying death from a dog.

[Mikey]

Your rabbit is acting like he is fighting for his life. The dog is literally terrifying him. You are aware that rabbits can die very easily from stress? Youll either need to move, find a way to completely remove the dog from your rabbits sight, or rehome your rabbit. 

“I seriously need help getting my rabbit back otherwise he will just go backwards and go feral and he has to be put down “

Do NOT put your rabbit down because of your mistake. Killing your rabbit because hes terrified, because youve allowed him to be attacked extremely often is not acceptable.

[12345ABCDE]

Posted By Crystal on 6/08/2017 9:02 PM

We can’t help the situation as we had to leave our home and move into a room and there is a dog at the residence and it is a very gorgeous dog but rabbit instincts kick in and the dog can’t stop trying to get to my rabbit we have figured out the dog now but I seriously need help getting my rabbit back otherwise he will just go backwards and go feral and he has to be put down and only 13 days ago he was an amazing loveable binky Bunny .. Now he scares himself .. How do I help this because its getting worse and I’m loving him more than ever now

I’m confused by the bolded part?

Honestly if your bun isn’t safe, you should re home him. Do not have him euthanized. 

[Bam]

Are there no-kill shelters/rescues where you live? It might be the best thing for him if you surrendered him to a shelter. If you can’t keep the dog away from him, I fear the outcome will be very bad.

I’m sorry you’ve had to leave your home.

[vanessa]

I keep my dogs and rabbits separate. They don’t get to have physical contact, not even rabbit-in-a-cage in the same room as the dog. Never ever are they in the same room. They don’t get visual contact either. Obviously they can smell eachother – but there is no way my dogs can attack, try to attack, or otherwise scare my rabbits. Otherwise my rabbits would be dead.

I don’t understand whose dog it is and how it has access to your rabbit, or what you mean by “you’ve figured out the dog”, but you can’t continue to have that sort of access for the dog/rabbit. You need to separate them, or give up one of them. Please don’t put the rabbit down. It sounds like the rabbit is indeed fighting for it’s life – as mentioned already. It will take time, and NO DOG, for the rabbit to feel safe again. You ask how to get your rabbit back to it’s normal self – the answer is – no dog, and time.

[Starla]

You need to separate your bun and the dog. Put the bun in a quiet room, maybe in a xpen so your bun won’t pee everywhere or tear up any more furniture. Give the bun time to adjust. Sit in the same room as the bun and if your bun does go in a x pen slowly get closer to it until you can sit inside of it with your bun. Don’t try to touch your bun or anything. Let the bun become comfortable with you again. This process is very similar with bonding two rabbits. I may take some time. Offer treats when he shows good behavior. It seems your bun just lost trust with every living thing. If your bun is like your son, putting him down (which NO) or giving him to a no-kill shelter would be a regretful choice. If you love him that much, you will have to make the adjustments.
If this dog isn’t yours and a sleep put means a sleep over, then don’t bring the bun to a sleepover! If no one as at your home to take care of him then stay home and have your friends come over.

[Mikey]

Crystal, what did you mean by sleep out? Where I live, a sleep out is like a small homeless shelter type of place. Is that what you meant, or something else?

[Bam]

A sleep out does make me too think of some type of outdoors dwelling. Or a veranda with walls. 

[Crystal]

A sleep out is a room outside in the backyard that you live in other than living in the house and the dog would accidentally get in the backyard as it is a big dog but we fixed that problem and now we just trying to bring our bunny back to his little self thankyou everyone though good points !!

[Azerane]

I’m glad you have been able to prevent the dog from coming in. Hopefully your bunny will settle down once he realises he is safe again. This may take some time for him to realise that it’s not going to happen again.

[Mikey]

Good you were able to find a way to stop the dog officially Now time and trust bonding will help bring your little bun back. You can help build trust by talking in a soft voice around him and sitting/laying on the floor often, but not reaching for him very often. Offer to hand feed him greens, treats, ect every once in a while

[vanessa]

Is the rabbit inside with u or outside?

[Boston's Mama]

If bun is outside he would need moved in , I’m assuming he is outside since the dog was able to get to him?

He needs quiet , safety and patience to heal emotionally from the attacks
He will take time to retrust and feel safe. His stability and security has been tested not once , not twice but 4 times.

I’m glad you have managed to stop the dog – but he may try harder and harder to get in there knowing the rabbit is there now. Have bunny securely inside. Completely safe.
Keep things calm – if you go out I would leave a tv or radio on incase the dog gets into the property and the sound of it scared your bunny ( who would still be safe inside i hope)
I agree with the others that it is critical you either find a way to 100% stop the dog and make buns environment safe from him and other predators – or a no kill rehome centre needs to be the option taken

[Author]

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