3/7/07 Mid-week bunny fix

Peeper lives in the spare bedroom behind a gate. She chews and tugs at the gate incessantly so once in a while I let her roam around the house. I’d be happier without a gate to climb over, but I worry about a fight between her and the Flemmies who live on the porch.

Dora, who passed away, used to live here in the spare bedroom, but we never needed a gate because she wouldn’t set foot outside of *her* room. The Flemmies don’t need a gate either because they hardly ever venture off the sunporch. But Peeper is a roamer. It’s strange to me how rabbits can be so much the same in some ways, yet so different in others.

On this particular day, Buddy had been sound asleep on his bed in the middle of the living room when Peeper came bounding across it and stopped to check him out. He woke up and ambled off to the kitchen window. Buddy gets nervous around the bunnies, probably because he’s afraid of doing the wrong thing and getting yelled at. Really, I don’t know why they make him nervous; he’s always been gentle and only gets yelled at for running full-steam onto the porch to bark at the mailman. That sends the bunnies to scattering in all directions and somebunny usually knocks something over in the process which just startles them worse and then Buddy gets yelled at for setting all the chaos in motion.

I snapped the photo just as Buddy had finished yawning and turned to look balefully back at Peeper and I pursuing him.

16 thoughts on “3/7/07 Mid-week bunny fix”

  1. Laura, this account cracked me up! I had images of bunnies scattering everywhere and poor Buddy standing still and wondering, “what’s up”???

    Your descriptions are too funny. Life with a senior dog and bunnies must be a giggle every day.

  2. What is it with dogs and the mailman? My dog is old and having major health issues that we won’t get into, but he finds the energy to go after the mailman. Most of the time he doesn’t wake up when I come home for lunch, but he knows when the mailman is walking across the street. SHEESH!

  3. Yes, isn’t it interesting how different bunnies can be?

    Tidbit is an explorer too, and simply won’t tolerate being caged. She’ll throw what we call a “Tid-fit,” stomping and throwing things around until we let her out. She would go everywhere if we let her, and she’s always waiting for a door to open so she can sneak on through.

    Explorerbuns, unite!

  4. Our dog would pursue the only rabbit we ever had and terrorize it. I guess if we had persisted, he may have become used to the rabbit. Your rabbits have a good home.
    Ruth

  5. Awww–sweet story. And poor Buddy, looking and feeling guilty before he does anything. So like a dog–George Carlin used to have a routine about dogs and cats. He said a dog knocks over something and says “I did it! I did it!” A cat says–“who me?”
    My dog is SOOO fascinated by our neighbor’s bunny (which is outside in his hutch during warm weather). I suspect our dog thinks that bunny is just like the wild bunnies, and THEREFORE very chaseable–which, of course, it is not.

  6. My daughter would like a bunny very much but we a) just got a new pet and don’t need to go overboard and b) have a rat terrier who lives to chase small furry critters which an eye towards killing them. Luckily, she got that it might be a recipe for disaster. Cesar Millan aside, I always said that I wouldn’t have a bird for a pet when I had dogs who wanted to catch birds and I feel the same way about rodents and lagomorphs now that we have a dog who is genetically geared towards chasing them down.

    Glad Buddy isn’t so inclined! I love his baleful expression . . . helped by the yellow glint!

  7. I love this picture “Quit following me!” and your account of Buddy, the mailman and the flemmies! LOL!! Our old dog Gidget gets in a lather when she hears the UPS truck. Out of a sound sleep her ears perk up (the truck is still a few blocks away) and by the time it’s in our circle she’s throwing herself at the door like a lunatic!

  8. Poor Buddy…feeling guilty when he hasn’t even done anything yet.
    Nellie get in a tizzy when Fed-Ex or UPS pulls in, but it’s only because they always have treats for her. Spoiled brat dog.

  9. Oh what a great photo – and the b&w is just perfect.

    I think that’s why my dogs do so well with the bunnies too, they know they aren’t allowed to fuss at them so they let the bunnies quite literally walk all over them.

    Peepers is so pretty. I have never been so lucky as to have a bun that didn’t need a gate when we weren’t around. I have ones that don’t like to traverse uncarpeted floors but they will if they are in a mood. LOL.

  10. Mary: It’s a regular circus sometimes – not really! The bunnies keep things interesting.

    Dave: Buddy is the same way – I have to touch him to wake him up when I come in! Some guard dog he is!

    I read somewhere the idea that barking at the mailmain is a reinforced thing with dogs – each day they bark and succedd in chasing away the mailman – so they keep doing it!

    Bunnygirl: Thanks for the Tidbit story – I wonder about the trouble she’s gotten herself into that way!

    Jayne: He looks very persecuted, doesn’t he?

    Ruth: We were lucky, I guess, that Buddy is gentle and was older when I first got the bunnies. He used to terrorize the lovebirds I was babysitting!

    KGMom: Buddy WILL chase the outdoor bunnies, but not with much gusto – he prefers the squirrels.

    Liza: Yea – a dog is a better choice with kids – more interactive.

    Lynne: Ha! Amazing how they’ll wake up to bark or for a treat.

    Susan: lol! No one is brave enough to give treats to Buddy.

    FC: Yea – he is!

    Laurie: Thanks!

    Michelle: The frenchies get into mischief too?

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