agressive male rabbit

Question
I recently got my male lion head a companion.  they are separated for one more week, he was recently neutered.  since her arrival the male has become aggressive towards my two small dogs which he has been living with harmoniously for six months. He has actually attacked the dogs.  will he relax once his hormones dissipate?

Answer
Hi Shirley,

there's a couple things that may be going on.

One: your male and your dogs get along because they are both pack animals and understand group hierarchy.  However, you have thrown a female into the mix, and the rabbit want to fight off any other rivals for the girl bunny.

Two: your male views the female as a strange rabbit that is encroaching on his territory, and he is taking out his agression towards her onto the two animals he actually can get a hold of.  He's had six months of a house that is his (w/ the 2 dogs) ,but no other rabbit.

From your short note, I gather you have not done any bonding steps yet.  This will have to be done before there is any hope that the two rabbits will get along.

Also, you shold wait to start bonding 4-5 weeks after his surgery, not 1 week.  It takes that long for the hormones left in his system to be used up.  Don't try bonding the two rabbits before this, you will most likely end up with fighting and possibly injured rabbits.

Once his hormones go down, he should be more relaxed, but you will have to determine if he is reacting because he is defending the female as his own, or if he is taking out his aggression on the dogs he feels towards the strange rabbit.  It could also be that both are true.  The bonding process you need to go through should cut down his aggression in general.  

Keep in mind that your two rabbits may not bond.  Rabbits pick their friends.  One just may not like the other.  In this case you'll have to keep them separated.

Visit the House Rabbit Society web site for great bonding articles.  (www.rabbbit.org)

Lee