One of our puppies is going to a home with rabbits so we spent some time today introducing her to our rabbit. English Shepherds are normally very good with other animals, but they always must be introduced to new animals so that they know that the animal is part of their pack. Special care must be taken with chickens, rabbits and other small animals because their quick, unpredictable movements excite the herding instincts of the dog. They can learn what to herd and what not to herd with some patience and training, as well as to not use their teeth on smaller animals.
The first step toward introducing a rabbit to a dog is really just to let it get used to the smell and movement of the animal. All of our puppies have met Bunny through her cage, smelled her and nosed her through the cage. None of them showed any particular interest beyond curiousity so I knew we were ready for the next step. If a dog is intent on the rabbit or tries to break through the cage, it is not safe to go on to the next step. Instead, work with your puppy on "watch me" or some other command to get their attention. Work as close to the rabbit cage as possible while keeping the puppy's attention on you until you can reliably call the puppy's attention to you even while right next to the rabbit.
Since Layla only sniffed curiously through the cage, today I sat with Bunny in my lap to hold her still and protect her while Layla smelled her all over. I allowed her to sniff, lick and nudge the rabbit. She did not try to use her teeth, but if she had, I would have gently pulled her away by the scruff of her neck while saying, "Easy." This video is after I let the rabbit out of my lap and got the camera while my daughter supervised the two of them. You will see her pull Layla back when she gets the rabbit too excited. It would be good to accompany that with a gentle command, such as "easy."
After a few minutes, Layla began to lose interest in the rabbit and began to explore her new area.At least for a little while before she becomes a teensy bit insulted that Bunny ignores all her invitations to play. Layla is off to a pretty good start. With continued, supervised time together, the puppy will learn that even rabbits are to be protected rather than chased.
Next week, I will show how we introduce chickens to a new puppy, starting from the beginning. Let me know if you have any questions and I will do my best to answer them.
If you have any questions about the litter, their parents or are interested in a puppy, please contact us (the link will take you to a contact page on my personal blog).
