Rabbits are torturing my dogs

[sparks19]

AHHHHHHHHHH

A little rabbit was so kind (and stupid) as to make a nest under our back porch. The dogs KNOW it's there. Belle is determined to dig through the wood to get to it. She's a bit obsessive when it comes to this rabbit.

They like to chase squirrels and Beezer will even give a little chase when there are birds around but with the rabbits... it's different. they are DETERMINED to rid the world of this critter lol

The bad news is they are not quiet enough, not sneaky enough and not smart enough to get it lol. TRUST me they have tried and this rabbit just keeps outsmarting them.... sometimes just by the hair on it's tail.

they ALMOST got it the other day in the morning. they went out and there it was in the yard and they were ON IT. the rabbit ran to the back of the yard and jumped over a log and smacked right into the fence. TRAPPED or so we though. Belle went one way and beezer went the other... if we had a third dog (NO not happening in this house lol) to bring up the rear they may have very well caught it this time but the rabbit turned and slipped right between them and hightailed it back under the porch.

I wouldn't care too much but Belle gets obsessive and drives me completely batty. She's a hound dog... it's to be expected but OMG. right now she's at the back fence pacing and barking because the rabbit WAS on the other side. it's long gone now but that doesn't matter to Belle.

when she comes in she's going to pace in front of the door and whine for hours pining away for mrs bunny.

Any ideas for how to discourage bunny from making a nest here next year?

[jenv101]

Bunnies don't have very big brains unfortunately. They keep coming back to our yard too even though Riley uses the babies as squeaky toys. Can't help ya but I can totally relate lol!

[jess2416]

Originally Posted by sparks19

Any ideas for how to discourage bunny from making a nest here next year?

Get more dogs

j/k I have no real suggestions, but I feel your pain... Chloe is like that with squirrels lol

[Psyfalcon]

A rabbit had a nest right where the dog could reach in and touch the babies. This was the same yard that had the hound I posted a few pictures of, looks like a beagle greyhound cross. Why would any sane rabbit use that yard for a nest, even if they were willing to outrun the dogs for the grass?

[sparks19]

yeah they got a taste last year and caught a little baby. I'd really like to NOT have a repeat of that lol because I'm the one that has to go out and clean it up when Brians at work and they won't actually eat it. they just like the way it squeaks until it doesn't squeak anymore and then they have no use for it so they just leave it.

I'm sure the rabbit chose our yard because we have a very tasty and convenient garden but really is it worth it? lol dumb bunny

[sparks19]

Originally Posted by jess2416

Get more dogs

j/k I have no real suggestions, but I feel your pain... Chloe is like that with squirrels lol

You must have missed the part where I said they may have caught it if we had a third dog to bring up the rear and then added NOOOOOOOOOO not in this house



there is barely room for the 5 of us in this house as it is LOL if we added a third I'd surely go crazier than I already am

but then it might be worth it if it would rid my yard of the bunnies... but I'm not confident that would be the case lol

[jess2416]

LOL Nope I didnt miss that part

I posted "Get more dogs" BECAUSE of that part...


hehehehe

[Teal]

If you were closer, I'd let you borrow my tried and true hunting team - one saluki, one APBT. They'd rid your yard of rabbits REAL quick! But, since you aren't...

It looks like your dogs need to become better hunters lol

[sparks19]

Originally Posted by jess2416

LOL Nope I didnt miss that part

I posted "Get more dogs" BECAUSE of that part...


hehehehe

That's what I figured smarty pants

Originally Posted by Teal

If you were closer, I'd let you borrow my tried and true hunting team - one saluki, one APBT. They'd rid your yard of rabbits REAL quick! But, since you aren't...

It looks like your dogs need to become better hunters lol

Yeah that's the truth lol they need major improvement in their hunting skills. I don't know how they figure they will ever catch anything when they tear off out the door SCREAMING their heads off lol. I keep telling them they have to be sneaky but I don't think they posess that ability

I mean I get it... Belle is a bluetick coonhound. her "job" is to get things up a tree and bark for the hunter not actually catch it herself but she forgets that rabbits don't climb trees and need a different skill set to catch them lol

[Snark]

Is there any way to put wire around the bottom of porch to keep Mrs. Bunny out? You're lucky it's just a bunny - my mother once had a skunk take up residence under her front porch (and yes, eventually there was a dog/skunk meeting...)

At least your dogs chase the bunny. Mine seem to have an agreement with the one that likes to chow down in our garden. The dogs, who have no problem taking on raccoons, possums, squirrels, deer, skunks (sigh), moles and snakes, lay on the porch and watch the bunny hop around the yard.

What gets me is that they'll chase bunnies on my neighbor's property when we walk over there. I don't know what our rabbit paid them but it must have been a pretty hefty sum...