I'm thinking about getting a rabbit - will my yorkie be a problem?
 

Hello!! I've had my little honey mickey for 8 years now. He has grown up to be a fine young yorkie. He definitely has a different personality than most dogs, in my opinion. He has always been afraid of all dogs – even the ones his size, if not smaller. I've never seen him chase any small animals. However in my basement we had a mice problem once. He'd bark while laying down in the direction he saw or heard a mouse running. He couldn't chase after them though because they'd be up on the kitchen counters. The point of my rambling is – I don't see him as one to be triggered by small animals, even though it's in his genes. (P.S. I'm going to attach a picture of him just because. He is so very small!!)

I am thinking about getting a rabbit to keep for myself. I've done tons and tons of research on them so far. I know that rabbits are prey, not the predators, and are naturally anxious about the bigger animals around them. I have also researched other people's experiences with rabbits and yorkies. No one has had a definite answer as to whether it's a good idea or not. I am not quite sure which breed of rabbit I'd like yet, maybe a lop, or a rex. There are also other breeds I've seen listed that are said to be good with dogs.

So, does anyone have any stories about a yorkie and rabbit mix? Given my dogs personality, I really hope it's not a problem. If it is, I have to do everything I can to keep my rabbit away from my dog. But, being realistic... is it a good idea, or not? Thanks for the input :)

Depends on the dog for sure. If you know him well enough to think it won't be a problem, it likely won't. I still wouldn't trust him off leash around one though.

Jackson has veryyy high prey drive. He has killed a rabbit in front of me before. Yikes!

My little sister has guinea pigs and hamsters and he would 100% kill them if got the chance. We keep them in totally separate rooms.

Oddly enough, the guinea pigs don't seem too intimidated by him. I think they know they are safe in their cage and also have hiding spaces of course but they have actually come up to the cage to sniff the dogs (I'm typically holding Jackson back or he's on a leash) even when he is in full stalker mode (tense body, hard stare, etc).

I wouldn't choose to own the two different types of animals together on my own. But we make do and it's easy to separate. As long as they out of his sight, they are out of mind.

Out of sight, out of mind. Got it!

Once I do end up bringing the rabbit home, I told my mom she can hold Mickey back while I keep a grasp on the rabbit – we'll see how he does then. If the meet doesn't go as pleasant as hoped, I guess that's alright. I hope it won't be too much of a problem.

Thank you for sharing! Definitely gave me the idea of keeping Mickey on a tight leash when the rabbit will be around, even if I am carrying it.

I don't even think I could get a hamster with my boy yorkie he has a high prey drive. Keep in mind yorkies were breed to catch and kill rats.

I had a sweet girl that had a high prey drive, yet she loved my niece's ferret. My niece took her ferret with her where ever she went, when she would come to my house she would go in my bedroom with my one girl let the ferret out on my bed and my dog would play with it, I had two other yorkies at that time that would have killed it if they had the chance. I would say it depends on the nature of the dog. I would also like to add, this very same yorkie would have killed the dwarf parrots I had at this time, lol, go figure.