We recently found a stray Staff Bull Terrier in our neighbours garden. "Buster" (as we later found out he was called) was looking a bit the worse for wear so we took him in, fed and watered him. We informed the local police and Buster was collected a couple of days later by very relieved owners. The whole family fell in love with Buster and we are now considering adding a Staff puppy or Rescue dog to the family.

BUT

We also have Thumper a 3 year old male rabbit with attitude. Are we looking at problems with this combination?

Kev and Angharad

Hmmm - love the idea of "Thugs Bunny" terrorising a Staffie! :-) :-)

Is the rabbit a house rabbit????????

If not I cant see a problem!
I dont know much about staffys but I do know my lab was very very (far too) interested in a freinds rabbits which were in a run so it might be better to keep them separated completely.
Dont let thedog in the garden when the rabbits out and vice versa

Indeed - staffies have a very high prey drive and can kill in seconds few... no matter how tough your bunny, it stands no chance!

rabbits can die of fright extremely easily....as a child my rabbit had a heart attack when a dog looked in its cage, and the vet said this is common. So you need to ensure that the dog cant even go near the cage.

We have a lab and a rabbit. We don't let them out at the same time. I don't know what Thistle would do if she got the rabbit but I don't want to find out. She does go and look at the rabbit in her hutch and the rabbit runs into her bed and 'thumps'. I've known rabbits die of heart attacks, but I think ours is immortal. She's been on her last legs for ages, but talk about a creaky gate. The latest problem is that a big chunk of fur/skin has fallen off each ear leaving a bare, but healthy patch underneath. I have come to the conclusion it's sunburn :-( she's a white rabbit and she spent hours sunbathing. Anyway now I only let her out when it's cloudy or dusk, but I hate to see rabbits stuck in a hutch all the time. JMHO but I think a staffie would kill your rabbit if it got hold of it, attitude or no attitude!!!
Jane

I had a black Rabbit called Matilda the Hun. Check the pictures on cleo and solos group on MSN and you will see the rabbit my cat and APBT all sitting together. Its on page 2 of the Murphys photos titled Judes pals. I have never had a problem getting my dogs all bullys of one type or another to accept other pets in the house. Rabbits cats hamsters rats and the odd injured animal birds hedgehogs etc. They also get on fine with all farm animals. So go for it. If you teach the dog that the rabbit is part of the pack from a young age it will be okay. Never leave them alone together though as the pecking order will take place when you are not there.

All the best Mick. Ps.. Staffys are very sociable dogs that love life and other creatures.

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HI MIck,

Just thought i'd ambush you for a minute and ask your advice on something. I have 2 staffords (cleo and solo) and one cat (kuga). Cleo came first, then Kuga 2 years later (get on fine thought the cat bullies her a bit, but used to sleep in the same bed etc), then solo comes along another 2 years later. He and the cat used to get on like a house on fire - playing, wrestling, adn gener\lly best of frinds. Solo has developed a very high prey drive and now chases the cat everywhere - but only if she runs - but kuga ha never hissed, sapy or tried to scratch either of the dogs - she does bite them though. Solo has no evil intentions, but is just tryingt o play - but being quite a big lad now poor kuga is a little put out to say the least. Either he chases her, bounces on her, or follows her with his nose up her bum!

Any tips on how to stop him bugging her?

Alex

Hi Alex

Tell him off sternly every time he runs after the cat. The cat cant be feeling too threatened or it would be hissing and spitting. The youngest bully needs to realise that its your pack and all are protected by your superiority. As he gets older he will probably calm down and the cat wont seem quite so interesting. I have noticed that even dogs with a very high prey drive can accept that the animals in your pack must not be attacked, although any other animals outside the pack could be fair game. Persevere with " SOLO NO " every time he chases the cat. Then good boy when he obeys.

I now have my two new bullys at 17 month old (Murphy) and 10 month old (Maggie). I got another two cats when I got Murphy so I could socialise them. They dont realy bother with each other at all now. They all sleep in the one basket in front of the fire.

Regards Mick

HI Mick,

Thanks for the advice. To be honest i think that Kuga thinks she is a dog as i have never herad gher hiss at anything - but she bites ears with great accuracy! Also, think solo is jealous of her freedom, that she can come and go out the garden all the time - and is constantly trying to smell her feet!

Will carry on with correction, and hope that they settle down!

Alex

My bunny loves my boys(Cockers) and they love him. I don't let them out together though coz they would squash him and I'd never trust for instinct not to take over with them as they do chase bunnies in the fields if they get the chance.:(. My bunny is bullet proof - nothing fazes him at all - he runs in front of the hoover and teases the dogs sommat rotten:D

Pam n the boys

hi,
i have guinea pigs and my dogs sit and make noises back at them in there hutch..
My dobe pup loves to try and pull the grass and dandelion leaves through the wire mesh when the guineas are nibbling..
My mum breeds guineas and did have one rabbit and her yorkie loved to follow it around the garden.

should be fine as long as both are not out at same time..

Pam

I remember seeing one of those silly items at the end of the local news reports a few years ago.

A large rabbit terrorising a Rottweiller - it would chase it, ambush it, creep up if the dog was sleeping. I did wonder just how much the dog would take before it put paid to the rabbit but apparently this particular bunny had been ruling the roost for years (was probably much bigger than the Rott when it was a pup)

Christine