My rabbits and dogs.

[craneman54]

Saturday I picked up 2 Californian does and a NZ buck. When I was putting them in my outdoor cages my labs went wild. They cannot get into or break the cages, but they make the rabbits very nervous trying their best to get to the rabbits. I then went and put up an electric fence to keep the dogs at least at a distance.

This afternoon I took the calmest doe out the cage so I could give her a good look to see if she is ready to breed (she is 8 moths old). When I took her from the cage one of the dogs started barking like crazy and scared the doe causing her to do all she could to get back in her cage. I wound up getting clawed up from her and she fell out of my hands. Luckily I was able to pick her right up and get her in her cage.

Now I need to put some mesh fencing up instead of the electric fence so that if this happens again I wont lose a rabbit to the dogs. Kind of like a rabbit yard. What would be the best size wire fencing to use that a rabbit can't get out of if it gets to the ground.

The area is only 20' long by 14' wide so it wont take alot of material as I already have the post in place.

Thanks for any and all help.

 

[SA Farm]

Sounds like you need to desensitize your labs. If I can get my ex-rabbit hunting beagle to be okay with the rabbits, you can do it! (He only bays at them when I move the wire cages around and they got used to him being nearby quite quickly.)
I would also give your rabbits some time to settle in/get used to the dogs before breeding. Definitely old enough, but you don't want her to abort or kill her kits because your dogs are freaking her out...

 

[craneman54]

Sounds like you need to desensitize your labs. If I can get my ex-rabbit hunting beagle to be okay with the rabbits, you can do it! (He only bays at them when I move the wire cages around and they got used to him being nearby quite quickly.)
I would also give your rabbits some time to settle in/get used to the dogs before breeding. Definitely old enough, but you don't want her to abort or kill her kits because your dogs are freaking her out...

I was thinking the same thing about doing harm to the does should they get pregnant now. I will not bred them till things settle down with the rabbits and dogs.

I hear what you are saying. My Golden lab would be a bit easier to do that with. The chocolate lab no so much. He is very hyper. He only has two speeds,full speed and turbo charge. In the past 8 months that I have had him he has run down and caught 3 squirrels in the open part of the yard. This lab was trained some to hunt before I got him. Getting that out of him will be very hard. He will even take the hit of a contain and train radio collar to get where he wants to go.(usually that means getting close to me)

 

[SA Farm]

Well, sounds like you'll need a nice, sturdy fence then...

 

[craneman54]

Well, sounds like you'll need a nice, sturdy fence then...

Yea I am thinking put rabbit fencing 3 or 4' from the ground and move the electric fence above that. This dog will jump right into a 4 wheel drive truck bed from the side when standing next to the truck.

 

[David]

im having the same problem with my neighbors dog he will lay in the sun with my ducks no issue with the chickens or the guinea pigs but now that my rabbits are up instead of on the ground he wants to kill them
are you'res up high or low to the ground ?

 

[craneman54]

im having the same problem with my neighbors dog he will lay in the sun with my ducks no issue with the chickens or the guinea pigs but now that my rabbits are up instead of on the ground he wants to kill them
are you'res up high or low to the ground ?

Mine are about 3' off the ground. I made a 4' chicken wire fence around the hutches so they cant get to the bunnies.

 

[Baymule]

Bear in mind that dogs and raccoons can tear right through chicken wire. I would recommend chain link, hardware cloth, sturdy farm fencing, or horse wire 2"x4". You could be on the lookout for a used chain link dog kennel to put the rabbit cages in. Then be sure to skirt the enclosure with at least 2' of strong wire laid flat on the ground all around the enclosure to prevent dogs from digging in. With a dog kennel, you could then cover the top of it, providing further shelter for your rabbits.