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rabbits and dogs

22 11:19:27

Question
my wife and i have a incredible dwarf hotot named hoku whom we adore.  We also had a corgi sheltie  mix dog named sara whom we had to put to sleep after a wonderful 16 year life.  We are looking at other dogs and have the chance to adopt a jack russel terrier mix.  We are concerned because we have heard these two animals (terriers and bunnies) dont get along too well.  Our last dog got along with our rabbit very very well, so we are concerned and dont want to do anything to endanger our precious little bunny.  What do you think?

Answer
Dear Rob,

I am sorry about the loss of your beloved Sara.  I'm sure Hoku misses her, too.  But in answer to your question...

Of all the breeds of dogs I would NEVER put with a rabbit, a Jack Russell (even a mix) is at the top of the list.  They are natural hunters, very hyperactive, fast, and dangerous to small animals.  It would take only a second for a fatal accident to happen, especially if this is a young, healthy dog.

Any new dog will have to be introduced very carefullly to Hoku, and you can find some tips here:

http://www.rabbit.org/journal/1/dogs.html

Generally, herding or retriever-type dogs mix better with "prey" animals than those which have been bred for hunting (e.g., terriers, daschunds, beagles, etc.).  The latter are pretty risky, and I would not take a chance with Hoku's safety.

I hope some of this helps.  Good luck,

Dana