[lunchbox]

Another setback in my plot to get a basset...we've just acquired a fourth rabbit, a cute fuzzy little Holland lop who has taken over the whole house (this one is house trained; the other three stay in cages outside). Since bassets were originally bred to hunt rabbits (somehow I just can't picture a basset actually catching one), I suspect there would be some difficulties arising from having bassets and rabbits in the same house, and this bunny will live outside over my kids' dead bodies! (Then again, the basset will live inside over my wife's dead body!)

Any success and/or horror stories about having bassets and rabbits in the same house?


Bryan

http://www.bryanwfields.com
Lunchbox and the Aliens available Sept 19--preorder at Amazon.com

 

[Lina]

:lol: Sorry, I just can't stop thinking about the idea of having a basset lives together with rabbits under a same roof. That will be chaos, I'm afraid!
Well supposed, if you have the basset from puppy, then you can train him/her not to chase the rabbits.
Or if you adopt a basset, make sure you tell the rescuer about these rabbits and you need a really mellow basset.

Or you can foster a basset first. Then you aren't commit to have one. You can take care of this foster until the rescue group find him/her a forever home. Meanwhile, you can see if it will work out or not.

My old neighbor used to have one, Thumper. She had a long floppy ear. She could clap her hind legs together. What a funny furry ball.
Winston chased her so many times (despite all the scolding) BUT he never chases her. Thank goodness!

 

[Mikey T]

I know of a couple bassets living peacefully with rabbits alot has to do with how they were introduced. In this case a puppy may be the best bet because if aquire at or about 8 weeks of age it will have a natural tendency to bond with the rabbit. Also imporant is the rabbits reaction. If something runs a dogs natural reaction is to chase, If it does not run things general go much smoother.

This does not mean I am advocating such an arangement but it has work out for some other. It is imporant to remember dogs are predators and rabbits are prey. No matter how well socialize they are together this is alway a risk something bad will happen, eventhough that risk is small.

 

[trouble maker fred]

If you get a puppy he should be fine just be careful cause the puppy will want to play with the bunny a little too hard for the bunny to handle but basically i think its just like having a dog and a cat at least thats how ours were. the bunny just stayed away from our hounds

 

[Kimberly]

I've had a rabbit pretty much all my life. Our current one, Clover stays in a cage, unlike our dearly departed Flopsy who was litter box trained and had the run of the house. Clover comes out regularly though. Initially Noonie was very curious. Now he's indifferent. And Buddy is the same way. Neither has ever displayed any agressiveness towards her. More than once she's hopped on Noonie while he's trying to nap and he merely gets up and moves. So yes, I think it's possible, but you need too keep a close eye on them in the beginning. Good luck.

 

[lunchbox]

I'd prefer to start with a puppy--in that case I'd probably be more concerned that the rabbit would hurt the puppy and not the other way around. They have very sharp claws and can really kick--one of our smallest rabbits was sitting in my lap one time and got annoyed over something. She kicked my thigh so hard it left a bruise! We have an eleven-pound male that could probably make Basset burgers.

Then again, maybe a basset puppy might think a lop was another basset...

Bryan



http://www.bryanwfields.com
Lunchbox and the Aliens available Sept.19--Preorder from Amazon.com

 

[Aruuuu]

We had rabbits for years, and Charlie never bothered them. My cocker would bark and chase bunnies, but the basset didn't :wink: .

 

[Valerie and George]

I had two bunnies in very secure cages in the garage, and our two dogs (not bassets, mutts) broke through the LOCKED door to get in there and killed them both. I wouldn't dream of trying to have bunnies and dogs together again. I thought the bunnies would be safe inside the garage and inside their cages.

 

[Roxysmom]

We have one old fat cat, one bunny and now Roxy (our basset) and so far they all three get alone very well. Of course I would never leave Roxy alone with the bunny out but in her cage Roxy is being very good. Not sure if it helped that the bunny was here first? I am thinking it did.