How To Save Baby Bunnies from Dogs

The Easter season often means encountering the irresistible sight of wild baby bunnies emerging from their nests. But our delighted discovery can quickly turn tragic if pet dogs unleash their lethal predatory instincts on these tiny helpless rabbits. As a dog owner and bunny lover, you face an ethical dilemma – how to save the adorable kits hopping through your yard from ending up your pooch’s lunch. This definitive guide will equip you to protect vulnerable nests and deprogram your dog’s chase reflex through practical humane strategies. Arm yourself with knowledge and take action to enable baby bunnies and dogs to peacefully coexist this spring. Read on to learn the secrets to saving bunnies!

Why Do Dogs Kill Baby Rabbits?

Dogs have a strong natural instinct to chase small animals like rabbits. This comes from their evolutionary history as hunters. In the wild, dogs and their wolf ancestors would hunt rabbits and other small mammals as a key source of food. Though our domestic dogs no longer need to hunt to survive, this instinct remains deeply ingrained in their genetic makeup.

When a dog encounters a baby bunny, commonly known as a kit, its instincts take over and it immediately begins a chase. To the dog, the tiny bunny looks exactly like prey despite being a baby animal. The dog's predatory drive kicks in, triggering a chase response. Adrenaline rushes through the dog's body to give it the energy needed to run down its prey.

Once the dog catches the kit, it grasps it in its mouth and delivers a killing bite. This bite aims to snap the bunny's vulnerable neck to finish it off swiftly. Though it may seem cruel, the dog isn't killing for fun or malice. It simply does not understand that the kit is a helpless baby animal rather than an adult rabbit to prey upon. The dog is just following its natural instincts honed through thousands of years of evolution as a predator of small mammals.

Additionally, dogs are drawn to the way baby rabbits move. Newborn rabbits wiggle and squirm in an erratic manner that triggers a dog's chase drive. The dog's eyes key in on the rapid unpredictable movements, perceiving them as enticing. Dogs love to chase anything that moves quickly in an irregular way. So a tiny newborn bunny stimulates a dog's predatory system and activates its chase instincts.

Dogs also rely heavily on their sense of smell. Baby rabbits have an appealing scent that dogs pick up on quite easily. The smell grabs the dog's attention, focusing it on the kit. Itassociates that smell with something fun to chase. So the baby bunny's natural odor further fuels the dog's desire to give pursuit.

While adult rabbits can evade dogs more effectively due to their speed and agility, kits are virtually defenseless. They cannot hop away or reach the speed needed to escape. So when a dog decides to chase them, the outcome is almost always fatal. The kit is overpowered instantly and killed without much effort from the dog. So a dog's innate drive to chase coupled with a kit's inability to flee make baby bunnies easy targets for dogs. Their instincts lead them to kill despite the rabbits being helpless babies versus prey they would actually eat.

Why Do Dogs Like to Chase Bunnies?

Dogs enjoy chasing bunnies for several reasons based in their biology and evolutionary origins as hunters. At a genetic level, dogs are programmed to derive pleasure from chasing prey. The act of running down an animal like a rabbit triggers the release of feel-good chemicals in the dog's brain. Adrenaline, dopamine and serotonin flood their system, creating a thrilling physical and mental high. So chasing bunnies becomes a deeply rewarding experience for dogs.

The erratic fleeing motions of a running rabbit appeal strongly to a dog's prey drive. Their instinct is to chase anything that exhibits quick 'prey-like' movements. A running rabbit sets this instinct into full gear. The dog's excitement spike and they zero in compulsively on the running target. They are programmed to find such stimuli arousing and captivating based on their inborn chase instincts.

Dogs also love chasing rabbits due to their natural love of speed. Dogs were bred to run down fast moving prey over long distances at high speeds. Most dogs find it inherently fun and satisfying to run very fast. Chasing a speedy rabbit allows them to go into a full gallop and reach their top speeds. So they enjoy chasing bunnies because it represents a chance to run flat-out which dogs find thrilling. It provides an output for their inborn need for speed which feels good physically and mentally.

Additionally, chasing rabbits allows dogs to practice important canine motor skills. Hunting prey teaches dogs critical survival abilities like tracking, pacing themselves over distances, and making agile lateral cuts and rapid accelerations/decelerations while in pursuit. Chasing bunnies keeps these athletic skills sharp. As natural hunters, dogs have an instinctual drive to hone the physical abilities connected to their ancient roles as predators.

Mentally, chasing rabbits satisfies a dog's intelligence and problem solving instincts. Hunting requires strategy, puzzle-solving and quick predictive thinking to outsmart speedy prey. Dogs find this combination of physical and mental exercise very rewarding due to their ancestral genetic programming as hunters. Outsmarting and catching a rabbit provides a gratifying cognitive challenge.

Finally, dogs chase rabbits simply because it comes naturally. After thousands of years of evolution as predators of small mammals like rabbits, the chase drive is deeply ingrained in their DNA. For dogs, chasing bunnies is a fun, exciting and deeply instinctual activity baked into their biology and reflecting their ancestry as hunters.

How to Prevent Dogs from Eating Baby Rabbits?

Desensitize

Desensitizing your dog to the sight and smell of baby rabbits is an effective way to curb their desire to chase and harm them. The goal is to condition your dog to remain calm and indifferent when they encounter kits. This involves controlled, gradual exposure that changes your dog's instinctive response over time. Some ways to desensitize include:

Start indoors showing your dog photos and videos of baby rabbits. Reward calm responses with treats and praise. Avoid reprimanding any reactions to prevent associating rabbits with negativity.
Take your dog on leash walks repeatedly past areas where you know feral rabbits have nests and kits. Reward your dog for ignoring the smells and sights. Do this consistently until they learn to disassociate kits with excitement and remain relaxed.
Acclimate your dog slowly to the scent of rabbits. Let them sniff blankets where orphaned kits were housed at rescue centers. Give praise and treats for lack of interest in the scent.
Place an enclosure with young domestic rabbits on your property. Monitor your dog's reactions while preventing chasing. Reward calm investigative behaviors.
Muzzle-train your dog and let them cautiously sniff actual kits while on leash under close supervision. Lavish treats and affection for gentle responses.

With time and consistency, your dog can be conditioned to see kits as neither prey nor playthings. This reduces the likelihood of dangerous chasing behavior directed towards baby bunnies.

Prevent Chasing

Never allow your dog off-leash in areas inhabited by rabbits. Dogs with high prey drives may still try to chase, so preventing the opportunity is key.
Leash your dog when outside and interrupt/redirect any fixation or lunging towards rabbits with firm commands. Reward obedience.
Accompany your dog into your yard on-leash before releasing them to prevent surprising rabbits and initiating chases. Scan for bunnies and return dog inside if spotted.
Use secure physical barriers like coyote rollers and fencing to deter access to areas near wild rabbit warrens. Restrict your dog's unsupervised ranging.
Keep cats indoors to prevent them flushing rabbits and initiating chases. Dogs often join in on cat-rabbit chases. Preventing this removes a major source of stimulus.
Place balloons, wind chimes, or other noise deterrents near rabbit nests to scare them off before your dog notices and gives chase. Remove triggers before chasing starts.
Use a sling-style leash attachment on walks to maintain total control of your dog's head and line of sight. Keep them focused on you to avoid noticing rabbits.

Distraction

Carry toys on walks to redirect your dog's drive to chase rabbits onto appropriate outlets like fetch or tug-of-war games. Channel the energy into engaging play with you.
Use high-value treats during walks to maintain focus on you. Use stuffed Kongs and puzzle toys at home to divert chasing fixation onto mental stimulation.
Enroll in canine sporting classes like agility or flyball to provide an athletic outlet for chase drive. These activities will help satisfy your dog's needs in more appropriate ways.
Provide chew toys and foods that satisfy oral fixation like frozen carrots or bully sticks. The desire to physically 'catch' a rabbit may stem partially from your dog's natural need to chew.
Play stimulating games before letting your dog into the yard where rabbits may be present. A Canine Obedience 101 class can teach you many games to wear your dog out first.

With plenty of distraction, dogs are less likely to even notice or care about chasing baby bunnies. Fulfilling your dog's needs properly directs their energy away from harmful fixation on rabbits.

How to Protect a Bunny Nest from Dogs

Erect temporary fencing or a wire cage with mesh size less than 1 inch around the nest to block access. Place it at a distance to avoid disturbing mom's visits.
Use thorny bramble prunings from blackberry or rose bushes to densely surround the nest for a natural deterrent. Wear gloves when handling. Monitor to prevent the thorns from growing into the nest.
Sprinkle flour in a wide ring around the nest. The flour will show tracks of any approaching animals so you can identify risks. Check it daily.
Set up a wildlife camera nearby to monitor any visitors to the nest while mom is away. Review the footage to determine if intervention is needed.
Place smelly repellents like fox urine granules around the nest perimeter. The strong scent puts off dogs and masks kits' scent. Reapply after rain.
Allow grass around the nest to grow taller to better camouflage it. Tall vegetation will make it harder for dogs to spot. Maintain some open sight lines for the mother.
Set up a Scarecrow motion-activated sprinkler nearby. When triggered, it will spray a startling jet of water towards approaching dogs to condition them to avoid the area.
Make loud disruptive sounds if you catch a dog approaching like an airhorn or banging metal pots. Startle them away and they will associate that area with unpleasant noise.
Apply a ring of non-toxic animal repellent like Plant Skydd around the nest. The odor is unpleasant and will teach dogs to avoid.

Protecting bunny nests requires diligence and creativity. Take proactive steps to deter dogs from finding, disturbing or damaging bunny nests in your yard. Monitor your efforts to see what works best for your property.

Dogs Breeds Most Likely to Attack Baby Rabbits

Cairn Terrier

Originally bred to hunt vermin and small game in the Scottish Highlands, the feisty Cairn Terrier retains a strong prey drive. These compact little dogs can be relentless in tracking down quarry like rabbits. Though generally friendly family companions, their working terrier roots make them likely to target baby bunnies if given access.

Lurcher

Lurchers are a crossbreed of sight hounds like Greyhounds and various working dog types like Collies and Terriers. They combine their parent breeds’ fierce prey drives and tenacity which spells trouble for vulnerable baby bunnies. Lurchers were bred to hunt rabbits and will readily do so if an opportunity arises. Their speed and athleticism means little hope of escape for kits.

Beagle

Bred as rabbit-hunting hounds, Beagles are infamous for their strong urge to chase smaller animals. It is wise to never trust a Beagle off leash where wild rabbits are known to live. Their superior sense of smell allows them to easily sniff out hidden nests. And they will imprint on kitten scents and pursue them relentlessly.

Siberian Husky

Huskies teem with energy and have powerful predatory instincts toward small furry creatures including rabbits. Their background as sled dogs made them self-reliant hunters. Plus they are intelligent and crafty in their ability to find clever ways to reach nesting sites. Once a baby bunny is spotted, they are difficult to deter from attack.

Miniature Dachshund

Despite their small size, Miniature Dachshunds retain impressive predatory skills focused on hunting dens to flush out burrowing prey. Rabbits are a frequent target of this breed. If allowed loose outdoors, they will efficiently find and decimate baby bunny nests in their territory despite their cute appearance. Tenacity runs deep in Dachshunds when on the bunny's scent.

Knowing a dog's background and breed tendencies is key to anticipating their likelihood of seeking out and destroying baby bunny nests. Some breeds have especially strong genetic programming to hunt rabbits. Being aware allows you to take preventative measures to protect any vulnerable wild bunnies living nearby.

References:

https://rabbitbreeders.us/questions-and-answers/how-to-save-baby-bunnies-from-dogs/
https://www.onlinerabbitcare.com/questions-and-answers/how-to-save-baby-bunnies-from-dogs/