People are often mistaken in thinking that a dog and a rabbit can never be friends, just as a dog and a cat can never become friends; however, both opinions are erroneous. This article is dedicated to the friendship of a dog and a rabbit.
Discussions on how to introduce a rabbit to your dog are fair to say that some people think that animals like dogs have a strong predatory instinct, and a rabbit that acts as prey in nature cannot coexist peacefully. Reality is nothing more because through proper education, and both can become great friends. Of course, must follow some principles from the moment of submission; And to do that, you have to follow some exact steps.
Some steps for a dog and a rabbit friendship:
- Find a neutral place to introduce them to each other. It should be a place that does not give any of the animals a sense of “own territory.” Examples of such places could be bathrooms, bedrooms, kitchens, or garage.
- Place the rabbit in a cage, box, basket, or crate. Let him get used to it for a while, and then bring the dog.
- “Watch them both.” If the rabbit shirks, speak soothingly while stroking both; it is essential not to give them more attention than the other at this stage. Suppose they ignore or sniff each other through the bars. You can continue to do the same for the next few days, especially if the animals seem agitated or agitated. Decide when to take the next step. If you’re unsure, open the cage/box/container door a little and let the dog stick his nose in. Decide further according to the reaction of both animals.
- Take an assistant. Ask him to hold one of the animals. It is best for someone who has a strong bond with one of the animals to keep that particular animal.
- Bring them closer to each other. If any pet is worried, step back and calm him down. If they are both calm and benevolent, praise them both excessively. Keep repeating steps 5 and 6 until both pets get used to each other. Once again, judge by the situation.
- Take the dog by the leash and let the rabbit walk around. If the dog wants, let him follow the rabbit. If the dog seems aggressive, stop it, tell it to sit, and praise it. If she remains calm, praise her again. Repeat for a few more days until both are calm.
- Have your helper hold the rabbit/dog and take the dog by the leash again. Let the dog walk up to the rabbit and let them sniff each other if both remain calm, praise and reward them. Repeat the same for the next few days until both are calm.
- As in the previous paragraphs, ask the helper to hold the rabbit/dog again and bring them close to each other. When they are both calm, let them go, only holding them slightly overhead with your hands if something unforeseen happens. If both are calm, give them complete freedom, stand by in case something goes wrong. Keep this session short.
- Practice regularly. Continue repeating the previous step a couple of times a day for a week or so, each time increasing the duration of these sessions. When both are calm and friendly with each other, you’ve done it. However, it’s still not a good idea to leave them alone together unsupervised.
Advice:
If one of the two animals leaves the house for a while (for example, to the vet), it’s good to repeat the steps above to be on the safe side. Watch certain breeds more closely, as they may have been initially bred to hunt large rodents.
