Introducing Your Rabbit To Your Dog

The popular belief says rabbits and dogs cannot exist together. However, they can become good companions and cannot be separated. It is true that nature has made them predators and preys. Thus, their coexistence can be interpreted as a contradiction of such laws. However, they can indeed coexist.

The instinct of a dog is to hunt. A rabbit’s instinct is to flee. As such, it is hard to remove them. Therefore, the way you introduce them is important. Before you bring a rabbit when you already have a dog and vice versa, you should know they are predators and preys.

It could be longer than you wish for the introduction to be successful. There is no guarantee. They would be able to bond. It is significant to know whether your dog belongs to a breed that would pull this off. Some dog breeds are too predatory. Hence, these dogs never become cordial with animals that traditionally have been their prey.

They naturally attack and hunt small animals like rabbits. You need to understand that you have to give time for this relationship to develop. The first meeting is the most crucial. This is what would set the tone for the future relationship.

Preparing your dog

How well the introduction goes would depend on your dog’s nature. The main objective of introducing your dog to your rabbit is to make sure you contain their excitement at seeing one. If your dog is too excited, it will inhibit its ability to control its instincts.

That way, it would increasingly behave in a way that the rabbit would want to flee from there. It would make your dog happy while the bunny would be stressed.

Finding a neutral space 

Do you have two pets such as these from two different species? Are they yet to meet? In that case, the last thing you would want to do is let them roam the house or the backyard freely with each other for an undesirable company.

For this, you need to find an area not occupied by either of your two pets. It should ideally be an area where you can control their interaction. The benefit of such a step is that there would be less territorial behavior in these cases.

Read Also: 12 Cat Breeds That Gel The Best With Dogs 

Look for signs of stress in the rabbit

There are some signs of stress in rabbits, such as shaking, bobbing their heads, a hunkered-down or frozen position, and aggressive behavior towards your dog and you. Is your rabbit biting the bars of its cage or crate? Are they grooming excessively? Have their bathroom and eating habits changed?

Are there any sudden changes, especially in your dog’s presence? Are they circling the enclosure area constantly? If yes, your rabbit is stressed. You should immediately remove your dog and let your rabbit calm down.

Introducing them slowly 

You must never rush the process of introduction. Put your rabbit in a cage before letting your dog enter the room where the rabbit is. Be careful throughout the entire duration. First, let your dog explore the cage while not touching the rabbit.

This process will help the dog become habituated with the rabbit’s scent and see it regularly. Make sure you are calm throughout the process and move slowly. Encourage your dog to explore the cage in a friendly and non-dominant manner.

Keeping the sessions short 

Make sure the span of their first meeting is short. It need not be more than 10 minutes. Be sure when your dog spends more time during the first meeting with the rabbit, they would be enthusiastic.

It would cause your rabbit a great deal of anxiety. The latter could even become aggressive and lead to its stress levels piling up in the process.

Read Also: Some tips for moving in with dogs and cats

Practicing the routine 

You need to understand that your pets may not get along straight away. It would be better if you keep at it. Keep repeating this pattern. Follow the same till it becomes second nature for both of them. Soon enough, both the pets would grow habituated with each other. They would recognize their respective scents as well

Removing the rabbit from their enclosure 

Once you see both of them have become friendly with each other, you can always take away the enclosure. However, make sure your dog does not have total freedom of movement. Keep the dog leashed and maintain some control.

It is always better to let your rabbit approach your dog than the other way around. If the bunny still decides to run away, it means they are not yet comfortable with the prospect of seeing your dog.

Separating their feeding areas 

It is the most crucial factor. Keep the dog and the rabbit apart during mealtimes or any occasion when food is in the vicinity. Sharing space while eating can come with negative associations such as excitement and tension. It can be distracting, unpleasant, and invasive.

You should know that both animals do not eat the same things. So, if your dog ends up eating pellets meant for the rabbit, it could upset their digestive system and cause them pain in those areas. They would become nauseated, lose their appetite, vomit, drool, and be tired.

Conclusion 

If you want both of them to get along, you must be persistent and patient. Most important of all, you must be realistic. Never hope the animals would become the best of friends straight off the bat.

You have to allow their relationship to progress naturally. So that they can become friends. If you want both of the animals to be safe, you must never leave them alone with each other till the time they have become amicable.