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2019-01-15, 22:10

Rabbits and Dogs


I was wondering if anyone had any experience of living with rabbits and dogs. Were they allowed to roam free together? Would you trust to leave them in a room together alone? What was the bonding process like? Or do you have any strong opinions about why they shouldn't interact?

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All the best, Leia

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2019-01-15, 22:23

Maybe not the same, but I had a ferret and my flatmate had two malamutes. One of them was very fine with Mamba the ferret. I trusted him but the other one would have eaten her. Mamba also lived with a German Shepard and two Pomeranians and they all got along really well 😊 I would say it really depends on the dog and its upbringing.

2019-01-16, 12:53

Depends on the dog I would say. Pure hunting breeds and sight hounds I would be more guarded against leaving unattended with a rabbit (heard of a greyhound accidentality killing a smaller dog who he lived with for years on pure instinct, he was sleeping and the smaller doge for some reason just ran by in front of him and he just grabbed it :( ).

I've had dogs living with me and my free running rabbits and free flying doves (when I had them). Some I have trusted 200% and had no problems leaving them together alone but some I kept an eye on and never left unattended.

Kenzie also go very well with our labrador Gletta (she is scared of him and don't dare to go by him when he lays in door openings :P https://www.instagram.com/p/BicF6pCg1u8/) and I had no problems with my anys dog or the dogs I have babysat at some points. Kenzie prefers dogs over other rabbits ;)



And a video of my angora Kenzie (it was in the beginning of him going blind) and Fjant my friends dog that lived with me at the time (he didn't like small children so he moved in with me during his last years). They did great together and Kenzie absolutely loved Fjant! (Fjant thought Kenzie was a bit annoying at times so I had to rescue him from Kenzie sometimes).

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2019-01-16, 13:00

With the bonding I always let Kenzie do the first move and hold the dogs back in the beginning. Because I had Fjant (and sometimes had Gletta) when Kenzie moved in as a baby he got used to dogs from the start (cats on the other hand didn't he meet when he still could see so he panics when he can smell a cat so him and cats don't go together).

Now he always is a bit nervous when meeting new dogs (or people for that matter) but it don't last to long after a proper introduction.

And if everything goes as planed I actually will have a new dog moving in this weekend and I really hope Kenzie will like him! He is an older dog and sadly his mum has gotten really sic because of allergies so they had to re home him and I got asked because it's my friends mother who bread him (so I have met the motherdog a lots of time and really like her).

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2019-01-17, 10:22

#3 Thank you for such a thorough answer. I have a little chihuahua at home, her and the lost rabbit I found at Christmas have been getting on great. I have heard some people are very against keeping them together so you have reassured me that I am not doing anything wrong.

It's lovely to hear you're taking on a dog in need, I hope the bonding process goes well for you. 

#1 I trust my little dog to not do any damage, she is lovely natured and is actually smaller than the rabbit.

All the best, Leia

Host of  Gluten-Free Living | News  | English Language Heart

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