Do any of you have a dog?

[Jix]

Hi there, we have 2 rabbits and 2 guinea pigs (housed separately) that we adore. Our children are now 8 and 11 and we're Thinking about getting a dog one day.. maybe! But my most pressing worry is getting a dog that won't terrorise our super furries! I guess terriers are out of the question.. and labs too? I'd love to know if any of you have dogs and how they get on with your other pets. Would you advise to get a puppy that can be trained or does it not make any difference? Many thanks!

I have a dog but no little furries... he's a softy who probably wouldn't hurt a fly. Its his character rather than any training or breed (our last one would have been a disaster, I'm sure)

I'd have thought your best bet would be to try a rescue and see if they have any needing rehoming who are known to be furry-tolerant.

I've been looking at re-homing sites for ages and they usually say if a dog is ok with children or cats, but never seem to mention guinea pigs or rabbits!

I think this is one of those things that depends on the personality of the dog (and those of the furries) and what the dog is used to. We always had guineas in our family, at least 2 pairs at any one time, they were housed in hutches in the shed and had grazing time in a run on the grass during the summer. We got a labrador pup when I was 11, we had at least six guineas at the time. To be honest we never had any problems, we could bring the guineas indoors for cuddles and the lab would sniff at them a bit and wag his tail, and we have several pics of a guinea in the run nose to nose with lab outside the run wagging his tail! He never terrorised them, in fact if anything the guineas used to make the lab jump when they popcorned and bounced around the run. One guinea in particular used to delight in scaring him (daft dog).

The only real issue we had was that whenever we moved the empty runs around to fresh, the lab would go bonkers eating up all the guinea poo which was a bit gross (although it saved sweeping up said poo ).

So based on our experience I'd say a pup that effectively grows up around small furries would be best (or a rescue dog that has lived with them previously). Obviously you would need to take sensible precautions i.e. I would never let rabbits or guineas free-range whilst a dog was in the garden no matter how well trained they were, it wouldn't be fair on either. But I think if your rabbits/guineas have safe hutches and runs, a dog can definitely be trained not to terrorise them. Interestingly if we ever saw wild rabbits whilst out and about on walks, the lab would go bonkers and chase them. But he very quickly seemed to learn that our guineas were 'different', if that makes sense.

sorry second para should read to fresh grass

Thanks Dietcoke .. Very helpful .. And reassuring! Anyone else got any experience of different breeds? Maybe terriers and super furries living happily side by side??

My friend has 3 dogs, 2 terriers and 1 lurcher, she also has 2 guineas, 3 free range ducks and 4 free range chickens and a cat! They all live happily together and all has free access to the garden at all times. If anything the chickens terrorise the dogs! The dogs will chase when out and about it they happen to stumble across rabbits, hares, deers etc! It is very strange but lovely to watch,. I have 3 dogs and 3 chickens and they live in harmony as long as the they never meet without wire or a glass door between them

A friend of my parents has free range GPs and a collie from working stock.

The dog 'herds' the GPs to bed, the free range chickens in for the night.