HELP! Introduction and unwanted gifts
Also, PLEASE HELP our OES is house trained. However, when we are gone she soiles our beds. I have tried to come home every 2 or 3 hours to let her out but that does not seem to be the issue. She is very smart b/c she can open doors herself. Please, how can I stop this behavior? Please, I love both my pets dearly and want us all to live in peace! |
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| Do you have a crate for your sheepdog? If not, seriously consider getting one and confine him when you are not there to supervise your dog and rabbit. This will prevent the inappropriate soiling of the beds and teach your new dog when/where he should go. In addition, it will allow you to relax and not be concerned about your rabbit when you are out of the house.
As for the two getting along - give it some time. We had several cats before Baxter, our OES, came to live with us. He has two that are "his" cats now. And though, to our eyes, they are playing quite roughly, all enjoy it. It did take a little while before he realized that he had to adjust his playing method and make it a bit gentler with the cats though. As part of the process, we set up baby gates for two rooms that we made off limits to Baxter. We just cut holes in the lower parts of the gates so that the cats could go through when they were tired of playing with the dog....and the dog couldn't follow. Good luck |
| Most dogs will let you know they don't like being left alone by leaving you their message.
I agree with Jennifer_t, put pup in a crate when you are not around. Generally they will learn to wait until you get home to urinate, Unless they have some type of infection or a weak bladder sphincter, which shouldn't be an issue here, as the dog is urinating in a very specific place. The pup will still be growing and changing for a few more months, so give the bonding some time. Try not to make to big of deal about separating the bunny from the dog, as they do engage in sibling rivalry just as bad as children. If possible, crate the rabbit when you are out too and leave it where they can smell each other at first (just in the same room), then leave them where they can watch each other. Put bunny up first, then pup. You want him to see that they both are getting their liberty limited. Think about leaving the radio on. Give the dog and the bunny treats when they are together and never leave them unsupervised for a while. Try to distract and encourage, reprimand only when the OES shows aggression towards the rabbit or vice a versa. Dogs do understand fairness, it relates to their stature in the family. Take lots of photos and post a few. As with anything worthwhile, you will have some great times and bad. Just keep trying. And remember that dogs will act more the predator and rabbits tend to freeze or panic, so somehow the two will have to learn not to "spark" natural responses from each other. Call it conditioning or teaching a new behavior, either way you will have to train them both from different directions. You have probably already trained the rabbit out of most of its fear responses, so now just work on the dog. Do leave water for both of the animals, as well as plenty of good strong chew toys for the dog. Maybe even a well made ball and a stuffed animal. Give the pup the stuffed animal and see what she does with it while you are around. As long as she's not tearing it apart, go ahead an let her keep it with her during the day. ( Abbi loves her doll Angie gave her for Christmas. She is forever grooming it.) Also give them praise or treats when you put them in their crates. (You might also want to put a durable full-sized bath towel in the front of the crate, in case pup needs to go, she will mess the towel, which is easily washed.) Make sure they know you are not punishing them. Just don't make too big of a deal about it. I wouldn't leave the food bowl in there, as you should be around when the dog is eating, for socialization and to monitor for bloating or stomach torsion. I wouldn't let her in your bedroom on his own anymore. Not until she earns some trust. But do spend time with the two of them together and separately. Time is the best adjuster. The older the OES the more calm they get. |
| We also have a cat and Big Ben is usually put in his place when the cat isn't in the mood to deal with him - he just gets a quick swat to the nose and Ben backs down. (Of course we laugh that the big beast gets "beaten up" by the little cat.) Anyway, we also have a baby gate which gives the cat a safe place and at the same time keeps Big Ben away from the cat food & litter which we keep in the laundry room.
The crate idea is great BUT, as a warning, our cat would taunt our prior dog when he was in his crate. The cat knew the dog couldn't get to him and would just sit in front of the crate and stare. The dog would flip out, bark, cry, etc. We eventually got to the point where the dog didn't want any part of his crate, even with rewards. It all worked out and they became buddies but it was a tough time for a while. Never really had a problem with the cat taunting Big Ben but then again, maybe his hair was in his eyes and couldn't see the cat, haha! Another quick suggestion, not sure what type of door knobs you have or how she is opening doors. If you have actual knobs you could always buy the covers found in baby-proofing departments which prevent a child from twisting the knob. (Adults need to squeeze the cover and sometimes press a button to turn the knob.) |
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