Dogs with low prey drive?

[SeeShmemilyPlay]

We already have a lab/rottie/Heinz 57 mutt that does great with the rabbits, but we’re pretty sure that was just a fluke. The boyfriend said yes to a puppy once we’re settled into the new house, so I’m looking at dog breeds that are traditionally low prey drive. I know some people’s beagles and pitties do great with their buns, but I think I got super lucky with my first dog and am smarter now and don’t want to take any risks with a strong natural instinct kicking in. What are some dog breeds that are meant to be bred with low prey drive? Thanks!

[Sr. Melangell]

Caviler King Charles Spaniel, the one with 3 colours, male.
Anything smaller than the bunny.

[Asriel and Bombur]

There are quite a few people on here who have dogs, and not just low prey ones. There are people who have german shepards, golden retrievers, and pomeranians. I think the important thing, more than breed, is just to always be monitoring them when they’re out together and training the dog to be easy with the bunny. There’s a thread on here somewhere for that. But I think the biggest thing is honestly just personality, as its like that for bunny-bunny relationships as well. Dogs and cats in general are predators, so in general that instinct could come out at any time with any breed.

Especially because you’re looking at puppies, and puppies and bunnies really take a lot of time to ease into things because puppies are hyper and can scare buns easily, I think the majority of your problem is just going to be proper training with the pup and constant monitoring of them together 

[Bam]

I think it depends primarily on the type of releationship you have with your dog. Some dogs will be more difficult than others, for example sight dogs (lurchers), sleighing dogs and the dog breeds that are traditionally bred for hunting rabbits and hares, such as the Dachshund. There are exceptions to this though, we have one member who had a bun and a lurcher mix and and it worked just fine, and we have another lovely member who has a mini Dachshund and 2 buns.

I have a German Shepherd and she’s always been very interested in outdoors wild rabbits – she was actually the one that found my first bun Bam, who had been abandonned in the woods. She’s a very smart dog and has had no problem understanding that indoors rabbits are off limits and considered family members. She cant hunt wild rabbits either of course, but I sometimes have to remind her of that (NO, we dont chase rabbits in this family) when we encounter wild rabbits. She knows that’s a definite no, but she was wilder in her younger years and had to be kept on a leash near wildlife. It took about three years before she could be walked off leash in nature. Pups and young dogs are a lot like children and young teens – they dont have full impulse control. So they must be monitored and they must be taught what they can do and cant.

It is really important to do obedience training with your dog, regardless of type of dog. And by obedience training I dont mean cadaverous discipline or anything like that – it’s more about creating a good relationship with your dog so he/she understands the benefits of being a “good dog”. Dogs that
learn to behave around other people and animals get much better, freer lives because there’s way less likelihood that other people react negatively to them.

I’m not so sure your first dog was a lucky fluke. First of all, labrador crosses tend to have a good deal of will to please and they are smart dogs. Rotties are also smart, working dogs. I think it’s a great advantage that you have dog experience.

Here is a great post by member UroborusElite, about how to introduce a rabbit and dog: https://binkybunny.com/FORUM/tabid/54/aft/164067/Default.aspx#573141

[Sr. Melangell]

Bam, this is Olly Rabbit, you are right about Labradors, Mummy’s Blind Support worker has one (He is blind) and the dog does not come close to me, the dog does come in and to say hello to me at my bars then goes to lay down on a blanket in the hallway and I watch him sleep, but there was one time he wanted to play, he sniffed me through my playpen bars, but Mummy told him no and he went back to lay down, I think if they were bad dogs they wouldn’t be guide dogs or hearing dogs, but maybe this dog has had extra training to visit people and pets in their home, but mummy says it depends on how they are brought up, she has seen some chase butterflies in parks and birds, Mummy had a German Shepard and he was OK with pets, BUT if they were not part of the family he would chase them.

[Azerane]

In addition to all mentioned, if you get a dog from a breeder make sure you do plenty of research about the breeder and their dogs. Even within a specific breed there will be slightly different behavioural traits within different breeder’s dogs. Border collies for example, there are lots of people that breed high drive dogs for herding, agility and dog sports etc, and there are others that breed away from the high herding drive and they have more placid temperaments, a good breeder will be able to select a pup from the litter that has a lower drive than others. That being said that’s not always practical because often all pups are reserved before birth and you don’t always get to pick out a specific one based on temperament, it’s usually decided earlier than that.

If you adopt, speak a lot with the foster carer if there is one, or at least with the people at the rescue who care for the dog.

[Sr. Melangell]

Yes Azerane, with all dogs which are tame they can attack at any moment sometimes over the slightest thing, so they all need to be kept an eye on, I knew a dog years ago that got on well with animals and children, I was told that their pet cat had gone into the kitchen for a snack, but went to the dog bowl, like some cats do, the dog ran in growling and pushed the cat away and the dog ate its food quickly, then turned round and attacked the cat badly, it survived, but this IS what can happen with any dog and a cat, or even a dog and bunny.

[Pinkbun]

hi TuckerDucker!

An age old question again ! trust me you could get any breed off dog you wanted in my opinion. its about how you socialise and bring up your dog when you get it. for example i have a lab too he’s such a moron! but he was introduced to the rabbits when he was a pup and he actually gets on well with them. he even plays with them! he does a great job of protecting them from cats for me! so i dont think its just a fluke. my uncle even had a rotwieler that would rather have a hug and lick than be a guard dog. he was so fun her name was Jesse. i agree that the sight hounds eg the grey hounds, whippets etc maybe harder to train out of this. but if you do it at a younge age it will give better results.

yes your boyfirend says dogs have instincts but socialise your dog! it will learn that your rabbits are part of your ‘Pack’. trust me it will work. domestication of dogs has really taken out all of theyre natural instincts when you think about it. for example dogs really on us humans for everything now. its very sad when you think about it.the only time you see dogs gain theyre natural instincts back is when they have been abondoned on streets and they form packs with others (packs are essential to dogs) and they work with each other in order to find food (theres tons of stray dogs in rio they steal alot of food from shops!. surprisingly they dont often kill themselves they steal, so they still rely on people). sry im rambling AGAIN!! im just intrested in this stuff!

just socialise your dog with the rabbits and youll be fine. once this is done theyll be no issues! as the dog will accept the rabbits as park of the pack.

NB. make sure you use a strong flea spot like advocate on yr dog and use zeno 450 on the rabbits! and wash your hands after touching your dog before touching rabbits and vice versa! you dont wanna get walking dandruff (rabbit lice but can hitchhike on dogs). i went crazy trying to get rid of them! they hurt trust me.

sry i ramble to much. i hope i helped

[Author]

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