Lolli and a puppy?

[Michelle&Lolli]

I don’t know if I’m posting this in the right spot, so feel free to move it!  lol

My aunt announced on facebook Tuesday that her yorkie girl Dolly and yorkie mix Snickers have had puppies.  I don’t think this was anything planned and, for the record, I DO NOT condone this.  lol   But it happened.  The puppies are free and my dad has miraculously decided to let me get one.  

I know how to bond to 2 RABBITS. But I’m not sure about a rabbit and dog.  And it’s not so much bonding as it’s more about getting them used to one another. I figure trying to get Lolli and the puppy used to one another is a similar process.  Or at least, that’s what I’m going to do.  I am keeping them totally separate until the dog gets older and learns some manners..ie trained.  Then it will be a very slow, VERY SUPERVISED, introduction.  I know yorkie’s are a terrier breed and they go after small animals.  I have met both parents and they are young.  I believe both weren’t quite a year old around Christmas.  Dolly is very docile and is a cuddler and loves to be held and on your lap.  Snickers, well, he’s still a bit rambunctious which could either be just him or the fact that he’s still young.  lol  But I figure since Dolly is calm, some of that is bound to be passed on.  Hopefully.  Snickers listens well, he’s more active and loves to play.  He’s also younger than Dolly by a couple of months.  

Here’s my game plan: 

The dog will be crate trained.  So at first, since she’ll be away from home and will cry, she will be sleeping in my room.  I was thinking after a couple of weeks (and first vet visit), I would move her crate to Lolli’s room so they can start getting used to each other.  Lolli will always be in her pen while the puppy’s out and vice versa for Lolli’s free time.  Do you think moving her to Lolli’s room is a good idea?  Or needed?   At what point should I move the puppy to Lolli’s room?  Should I just kind of let them discover each other?  

Does anyone have any tips or are there articles anywhere on this?  lol   Other than keeping them apart and slowly introducing and supervising interactions, I am not sure what else to do or needs to be done.   I would love for them to bond and be ok around one another.  But I am also apprehensive and cautious about it all.  Both could do damage to each other.  At any rate, they won’t be able to physically meet (outside the pen) for quite a while.  

[Sam and Lady's Human]

I’d introduce them while its a puppy, watch it so it doesn’t play/nibble as puppies do, but really a yorkie wont be much bigger than a bunny and the acclimation shouldn’t be too bad. I have my buns “bonded” with a lazy beagle, and beagles are obviously prey driven as a breed, I think a yorkie wouldn’t be a problem. I introduced for a couple weeks while my bunnies were in the kitchen in xpens, and once their permanent home was set up, I sat with my dog and let the bunnies run around. After a few sniffs on all parts, all was well

[NewBunnyOwner123]

I am not too sure about letting the puppy play with it. They have the sharpest teeth and all they want to do is play and chew and chew and chew and play.
I have a dachshund mix and a husky mix and for the 4 yrs (Abbie) and 8 years (bear) of their life have NEVER been around a rabbit before (except in the field if they saw a wild rabbit they’d chase) but when I got Sally and Harley they quickly learned that those rabbits are a part of the family and they tolerate them. And I have two “hunting” type dogs. I’m the pack leader and what I say goes.
With that puppy he won’t acknowledge those boundaries until he has aged some and calms down a little bit. He won’t really tolerate the rabbit and respect the rabbits space. He will just want to jump right in and play! And the bunny might not like those sharp teeth or the puppy jumping all over him like that lol
Like I said Abbie and Bear love chasing squirrels and wild rabbits when out walking on the land but when it comes to Harley and Sally, they all lay on the floor together. Harley actually snuggled up next to Abbie and fell asleep on the couch with her a few hours ago. (Which was the first time Abbie didn’t get up from Harley cuddling with her lol)
Let the puppy mature or calm down a little. Abbie is still a crazy hyper dog but she is trained and actually listens to me now…something that yorkie won’t know yet until you establish who’s boss.

I’d still never allow the dogs and rabbits together alone for safety reasons. No matter how perfect they seem to coexist. So if you get a dog, don’t count on having a totally free range bunny btw, I LOVE yorkies! I grew up with a mix… One of the best dogs I’ve ever had

[NewBunnyOwner123]

If you want the dog and bunny to be used to each other maybe put the enclosure where you and the dog will be so the dog can still see and smell the rabbit everyday. But I wouldn’t let them “play” cuz that’s all puppies wanna do and he might accidentally hurt the rabbit.

[LBJ10]

In this case, I would use your best judgement. Both above have valid points. Getting a puppy used to the rabbit while they are young is a good idea, but puppies will be puppies. I would wait until you have the puppy and see what their personality is like. Then you can decide when would be an appropriate time to introduce them.

[Michelle&Lolli]

Thanks. I definitely have decided they won’t be allowed near each other without one being safely confined until the puppy is older and has been trained. But I think I will either put the dog kennel or allow the puppy in lolli’s room so they can start getting to used to one another. I’m concerned about both being ok, but more so Lolli. I am ok with them never really getting along if that’s how it ends up being. But BOTH of them need to learn to respect each other, if that makes sense. lol

BTW – I could NOT believe the advice that is out there on the web about this. I did read a couple that were definitely house rabbit ones. But then I read a few from like yahoo answers. Holy cow. Talk about what not to do. lol

Also, Lolli will always be safely in her pen and when she’s out for her free time, the puppy will be upstairs or in her kennel. And I am probably worrying too much about this. lol

[BinkyBunny]

I don’t have personal experience with dogs and rabbits, but here are a couple of articles that offer advice on introducing dogs and rabbits. 

 http://www.rabbit.org/journal/1/dogs.html

http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/dogs.shtml

http://dogmeetsbunny.blogspot.com

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