Hi everyone.
First of all I’d like to say that this a topic I’m very concered about and I need to know other bunny-owner’s opinions. I’m 21 and living with my family, who decided they wanted to get a dog. I love dogs and was partially up for it. Then they decided they wanted a Vizsla which is a hunting dog.
If you just made a horrified face, that was my reaction too. But since I have no say in the matter and cannot change what has already been settled, I would like productive, constructive criticism please!
Despite many long talks with my mom about why having a hunting dog might be counterproductive when I have a bunny, the 45-day-old pup is arriving in a couple of weeks and I’m pulling my hair out about how I’m going to handle this situation.
Let me set the picture: my bun is a year old and lives inside my room. She has a free range of it except at night when she goes to her condo and stays. She doesn’t leave my room, since the door is always closed. My room is on the second story and right next to the hallway is an open space where you can see the staircase. And the ceramic floor and a huge open space makes me cringe if I picture my bunny slipping so it’s off limits. So Pamper only lives in my room, and plays in the garden or yard under my supervision, when the weather conditions allow it and when I can watch her.
Since the bedroom door is always closed, I figured at first I could (very carefully) introduce the bunny to something with the dog’s smell and viceversa. If that works okay, then maybe I could take the pup (on a leash of course) in my room and then maybe take a peek at Pamper’s condo (without Pamper in the room). Then I could do the same but with the bunny in the condo.
I’m not saying they will be best pals but I have to believe that it will be possible to ventilate the room with Pamper in the condo and not be worried that the door will be open. For the sake of my nerves, I’m trying to figure out how this could work. I was very scared at first because the prospects of having a hunting dog did not look good and it got me into many ugly arguments with my family. I’m trying to find a way we can all live peacefully and safely.
The pros are:
- Pamper doesn’t leave the room anyway. So if they didn’t get along I could just close the door and just be extra careful when coming in, but that’s not my first option.
- The dog is very young so it’s easier to train her and maybe she will get used to the bunny’s smell from the very beginning and not try to eat her.
- And the pup’s mother is the calmest dog I know. Never even barks. And very affectionate.
The cons are:
- Sometimes instincts are stronger. And I couldn’t blame the dog for pouncing on Pamper. I would like to do everything I can to avoid this, though.
So please, if you have any opinions, suggestions and personal experience with dogs (hunting dogs especially) and bunnies living in the same house, let me know.