Getting a new puppy – predicament

[Nicolle]

I have had my bunny now for around 4 months and he has settled in nicely. He has a hutch in my kitchen where he is locked in at night and if I am out of the house. Apart from these times he has free reign of the downstairs and if anyone is upstairs he can go up too. The problem is I would love a puppy. I know people have introduced pups with success and I have researched this on all sites and looked up previous threads in this forum but to me the key thing is introduce gradually.

Here’s my problem though. If I were to have a pup he would need to be kept in the kitchen where my bun is when I am out and this is the room with access to back garden so pup would need access to this room. I would keep him in a crate when I am out and night time at the other end of the room (it’s reasonable big), but I don’t want my rabbit to be scared to death.

My bun is fine around me and my dad and if strangers are around he will be wary but go up and sniff them and let them stroke him (if he deems them worthy). I don’t know how he would react around another animal. Is it too much of a risk to get a pup? I’m thinking cocker spaniel….

I was thinking to maybe out an x-pen around the hutch so the pup can’t get too close? I would leave pup in the crate when I let bun out?

Please give me your opinions/advice!

[Mocha]

Hello!

– Firstly, you’re interested in getting a puppy. Generally, dogs and rabbits don’t USUALLY get along, and you’re thinking about getting high-strung energetic A PUPPY (I don’t mean that in a rude way ). I would get an already adult dog from the shelter. You’ll already know their temperament, so you won’t have to worry about the dog getting older and trying to eat your rabbit. Your puppy pay be good with your rabbit as a puppy, but her attitude could totally change when she’s an adult. You’ll also be saving a dog’s life rather than just buying one from a breeder, and the dog will already be spayed/neutered and microchipped.

– I don’t have a dog…. yet (working on that), so hopefully someone on here with a dog can tell you more about that. But I do know a lot about rabbits.

– Rabbits can get scared VERY easily, and can easily get a heart-attack and die quickly.

– You can NEVER leave a dog and rabbit in the same room together, even if they’re seperated by an x-pen, when you’re not supervising them. The dog could also make one playful swipe of the paw or bite of the mouth, and you’re rabbit can be easily injured and even die. A dog could easily jump over or knock down an x-pen.

– Do you have any other room in your house where your possible dog could stay? I would get a dog, because my rabbits have their own secure room of my house that the dog would never be aloud in. Dogs are “wild” animals and have insticts to hunt down small animals such as rabbits (some dogs are very friendly, i’m not saying this about all dogs, but I’m sure you would want to gurantee the safety of your rabbit before adding more animals to your family)

I don’t want to discourage you, but until your rabbit is guranteed to be safe, I wouldn’t get a dog.

[Nicolle]

Since posting the initial post I really looked into it and am getting another rabbit for him. He’s getting neutered on Friday so might have two happy bunnies by summer!

[Mocha]

Oh cool!!!

Girls and boys work out best with each other! Sometimes at rabbit rescues, they let you bring your rabbit in to have “bunny-dates” to make sure the rabbits get along before you just bring one home.

[Nicolle]

Yes, my bet told me not to even bother going to rescues who won’t let me bring him along. Hopefully I can start him dating after Christmas sometime.

[Author]

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