how to introduce a new pet rabbit to you dog?

[Mrsz. Penny 16]

so we are getting a new pet rabbit and we have a wonderful dog so i was hopping on some tips, also if anyone had this type of situation happen to them, how di it go for you. me being a pet lover, want to save this bunny.

 

[Hi my name is: ANIMAL]

I have 4 rambunctious dogs and 2 rabbits one which has free reign of the house when I am home.

First you need to make sure your dogs has a strong grasp on the leave it command. This helps a ton to teach the dog that the rabbit is not his/her new toy.

Do slow introductions. Since you should leave the new bunny alone for a few days to get used to his/her surroundings you can make it so the dog can smell the rabbit and get used to the scent.

I used a carrier and would bring it into my living room with the rabbit and let my dogs smell around but never close enough to actually scare my rabbit.

Then I started letting the rabbit out to play while I had a firm handle on my dog with a leash and make them stay in a down position. If they didn't freak out when the rabbit came near they got a treat. I did this for however long it took for the dog to ignore the rabbit two of my dogs took a little under a week and one took a month and the other one has to stay in another part of the house when the rabbits are out playing.

Never yell or punish the dog for his/her curiosity it will only make things worse. You need to make the dog see that bunny being around means good things happen.

It may take awhile and it greatly depends on the personality of the dog. The dog I thought I would have the least trouble out of since she tends to mother every small animal she comes in contact with is the one who tries to eat my rabbits when she sees them no matter how much training we have done.

Here is also an article on introducing rabbits and dogs
http://www.wisconsinhrs.org/Articles/Bunnies%20and%20Dogs.htm