Rabbits and Dogs

Have you ever taught of rabbits and dogs living harmoniously? Let's talk about that.

Everyone loves those cute photos of animals laying together. If you have a rabbit and a dog, you may dream that your pets would be best friends like that. Well, it is possible. This article will give you some tips on how to help your rabbit and dog get along.

It probably won't be a smooth, fast or easy, process, but if you start early and put in the effort your pets can live in your house together quite peacefully.

Rabbits aren't very aggressive, animals so as you can guess the dog is usually the biggest factor. Whether the dog is the new pet or the old pet, some dogs just naturally want to chase and sometimes hurt small animals. If you already have a rabbit and are getting a dog, get a breed of dog that is less likely to chase and torment your rabbit. It's quite difficult to change the personality of a dog and they will always have their instincts. However, if the rabbit is the new pet, you will have to put a lot of time into making your pets get along.

The first step is to safely introduce them. Since you don't know how pets will react when in a situation for the first time, you will want the rabbit in a cage and the dog on its leash, possibly with a muzzle. You may have to do this quite a few times.

Show the rabbit affection in front of the dog so that it knows you like the rabbit and that the rabbit is allowed to be in the home. However, some dogs are protective of their owners and become jealous so try to find a balance. You want the dog to understand that it needs to accept the rabbit, but you don't want to make it jealous or it definitely won't like the rabbit.

Anytime your dog doesn't bark, growl, or chase the rabbit, praise it. Dogs respond well to praise. If the dog makes any attempts to chase or harm the rabbit, scold your dog, tell them "No!" or "Be gentle."

The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your veterinarian or other health care professional. You should not use the information on this site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment.