Is It Possible To Keep A Greyhound With A Rabbit?

[Guest KatieAlice]

Hi guys! I'm really hoping to adopt a greyhound this summer, but in my bedroom I have a pet rabbit in a puppy exercise pen (36" high) as a cage. While I'm upstairs I usually let him out to run around (he's litterbox trained) so I'm wondering if it's possible to have a greyhound live peacefully with a rabbit in the house? A lot of people have said no, but I've seen quite a few videos on Youtube of greyhounds not even looking at the bunny jumping around them!

 

Also, are they alright with small dogs? My sister nearly always has her chihuahua-toy poodle home.

Edited June 11, 2014 by KatieAlice

[winnie]

It just depends on the dog. One of the people that dog sits our hounds has cats, chinchillas, a hedgehog and birds. She also has two greyhounds. Our hounds Celeste and Bonny do fine with her menagerie. We don't send Darcy and Beatrix to her house though.

[Guest roweboy]

I think it greatly depends on the individual dog. Even if the dog you get appears to be completely safe, it's in everyone's best safety interest to keep gates up and dog muzzled until you're certain beyond doubt that there's no worry. However, when you are gone and the dog is left alone, the dynamics may change so be extra vigilant that there is separation. My grey lives with 4 cats and one of those is a fluffy white and grey kitten who can be insane when he's playing. It has taken the cats over 3 months to fully come out of hiding and hang out with us (although the kitten was out two days after the dog's arrival). Our dog was interested in the cats but not overly fixated or aggressive. It's taken time for everyone to figure it all out. Good luck! You'll find the right hound for your situation

[Guest fenix916]

Our hound had a long and successful racing career. A bunny ran past us on our walk yesterday and froze in front of us before running off.....the dog didn't even notice. So yea, it varies.

Edited June 11, 2014 by fenix916

[EddiesMom15]

It depends on the dog.

 

Our Missy Pea, who has since gone to the bridge, had a problem with her storm meds a few years ago. Vet clinic kept her overnight. During the night, Pea chewed out her IV line and broke out of her kennel. When the staff came in the next morning, Pea greeted them in the lobby. Also in the lobby was the clinic rabbit, Bun-Bun, happy and healthy.

 

The staff was very apologetic about Pea's escape. I asked about Bun-Bun, and they looked at me with confusion. Then I told them what a good racer Pea had been, and they understood why I asked about the bunny!

[Guest Scouts_mom]

Sure you can! But have your adoption group direct you to a dog with a low prey drive (nothing to do with how well they raced) and work very hard on training during the first few months you have the dog in your house. A rabbit is really no different than a cat and greys and cats live together all the time (I have 2 of each),

[RaineysMom]

you can litterbox train a RABBIT? never knew!

[RedHead]

Yes, it is possible, but it depends on the dog like the others said. I do think you have to think about a back-up plan in case you feel you can never fully trust your greyhound with rabbits though.

 

I have 4 rabbits with a relatively high prey greyhound. I am still easily able to manage because they have their own room (I keep the door shut when I am not around). When they free range on the upper level I just baby gate the stairs off so Teague can't come upstairs. He can be with them when they are in their pens, he basically totally ignores them because he sees them every day (the novelty has worn off). I can also carry the buns around in my arms and he takes no notice. If they are free range on the ground though, I don't fully trust him, and don't think I ever will. Just remember that with greyhounds, small triggers (such as a sudden movement) can trigger a prey drive, even when you think they are fine. So...don't let your guard down.

 

 

you can litterbox train a RABBIT? never knew!

 

YES! In fact it is quite easy, all of the 8 rabbits I have had (that were spayed and/or neutered) litter trained right away. That's one reason why I love them so much, they can free range and be more like cats.

[Feisty49]

My Annie was once startled by a rabbit in our backyard and ever since, has been afraid of the "wild" rabbits outside. I suspect if I had one in the house, Annie would be hiding more than the rabbit.

[GreyTzu]

Yes. Greyhounds in America and reputable Amercian greyhound trainers, DO NOT train with live lures.

[krissy]

My two greyhounds live with my 3 rabbits. Summit could care less as he is virtually no prey. Kili is low-moderate prey, but really her problem is wanting to play with the rabbits like they're dogs. I have videos of them on my YouTube and on my blog. I'm on my iPhone so can't link it up for you.

 

Obviously you can never leave them unsupervised together. You may also have to consider moving bunny to a large cage instead of the exercise pen. Summit I could trust with a bunny in an ex/pen, but anything higher prey I think a solid cage is best for "just in case".

[Hubcitypam]

Krissy has posted very cute pictures of her greyhounds with rabbits. I placed a greyhound that became best friends with his ferret. Just have to supervise and not leave unattended.

As far as no live rabbits as lures that is iffy at best. Yes, it is illegal but who's going to farms in Podunk OK to make sure they aren't using live lures? The AGC doesn't have enough manpower. It used to crack me up that long after using live lures was banned there were ads every Greyhound Review touting artificial lures as "the winning alternative"...umm alternative to what?

[GeorgeofNE]

Sure, why not.

 

Beware though; most dogs consider rabbit crap the canine equivalent of popcorn!

[PatricksMom]

It depends. Patrick coexisted with our rabbits--okay, he was scared of them, left them completely alone. Leo, I don't think will ever be safe around small critters. It's best to be very upfront with your adoption group about your family and what you're looking for in a hound.

Edited June 13, 2014 by PatricksMom

[kronckew]

found this googleing. there were others.

 

 

here's my favourite tho, it's been posted here before. female greyhound that adopts any rescued animal, dog, cat, bunny, deer, owl, parrots, cockatoos, hedgehogs, fox, guinia pigs, badger cub, etc. her record is amazing: LINKY

 

sadly jasmine passed over the rainbow bridge in 2011: more at the rescue website, with video slideshow: LINKY

Edited June 13, 2014 by kronckew

[kikibean]

I've got a rabbit, chinchilla, birds and 4 greyhounds. The small animals are in a bedroom and I keep the door closed when I'm not home. I trusted my first greyhounds with the small pets, especially Mimi. This current group I don't except for Molly who is almost 14. They all have been more interested in the chinchilla than the rabbit. I guess because she moves faster and bounces around her cage. The rabbit is a big, lazy, white new zealand with a head tilt who doesn't move around a whole lot.

 

I had a guinea pig and birds in the same room where the dogs spent all their time when I first got greyhounds. The original trio of Mimi, Molly & Rocky were completely disinterested in anything small and furry.

 

So, it can be done. You just need the right dog and you need to supervise for quite some time.

[GreytHoundPoet]

Yes, but it depends on the dog and the amount of prey drive, training, and consistency. I know open field coursing dogs and hunting dogs who live with small prey animals, but their owners are vigilant about observing behavior, creating and maintaining necessary boundaries, etc. They know how to work with the dogs and are very good about it.

 

I briefly had a rabbit crash here on her way to a new home and it survived, despite me having all non-cat safe dogs, but this was prior to my insanely intelligent problem-solving Spanish breeds who could have figured out how to open the room, open the cage and eat the rabbit in the time it took me to go to the bathroom. Actually, the Ibizans are good about live-to-hand so they probably would have brought the rabbit to me, alive. My Greyhounds are much more mellow about stuff like that, even my crazy prey drive girl. If she can't see it she does not care. The others would probably have to see it move. I kept Anya Good-Bunny in her cage and took her outside on a leash away from the dogs or only let her hop around in the house when the dogs were put up. She wasn't with us long enough for them to get bored of her but I imagine it would have happened.

Edited June 13, 2014 by GreytHoundPoet