Will my dog attack a hamster?

Question

i have a small dog and im hoping to get a hamster christmas shes floppy as wudnt kill a fly ,, but im worried that if i let my hamster out like on my bed she mite attack

Answer 1

If your dog has never been around hamsters as pets before then you should keep the hamster in a cage and introduce them to each other very slowly and carefully. Hamsters can look like prey to a dog and it can catch it, shake it and kill it in a few seconds so you want to be very careful.

Many small dogs like terriers are ratters with a strong prey drive and can be dangerous when not introduced, as young puppies, to rodents or even kittens.

Your dog needs to understand that hamsters are pets and not lunch and, unless you are completely sure she understands that, I would be very careful.

Answer 2

It's very likely - I had a very sweet sheltie when I was a kid who ate two hamsters of mine; the first when it escaped from a cage, and the second she actually knocked the cage off of the table onto the floor. :(

Dogs are predators and so will often try to chase and kill small things that move. Is your dog a terrier or terrier mix? These breeds were bred for the specific job of hunting and catching small animals. If your dog likes to chase squirrels, she may try to chase and eat the hamster.

To be safe, keep the hamster in a secure cage where the dog can't get to it. You can supervise the dog around the cage and see how she acts - if she shows no interest, then you may not have to worry. Some dogs are fine with small animals that are their "family", but usually only from extensive training and being raised with them from puppyhood.

You can definitely have both hamsters and dogs, just keep the cage where the dog cannot get to it if you are not in the room, and lock the dog behind a baby gate or out of the room when you have the hamster loose. We did this for many years (after we learned our lessons from the first hamsters that got eaten), and our dog and our hamsters were happy!

Answer 3

It is really dependent on the nature of your dog.

Some dogs will not go near a rodent, others will attack them.

Have you ever had a mouse or chipmunk in your house that your dog saw. How did she react? How does she react to squirrels and things outside? My moms dogs will catch mice and try and catch chipmunks as well, in fact he did catch one and killed it, so I probably would not trust my hamster around him.

However dogs are really smart too, you can train them to accept the fact that your hamster is something you care about and therefore paws (or should I say teeth off). Even after you trained the dog I would not leave the dog alone with the Hamster just in case.

I taught one of our old family dogs to accept that a Ferret I was babysitting for 3 weeks was not to be eaten and they got a long fine. In fact she saved the ferret from a neighbours dog who got loose when were outside.

So really I would say your hamster should be fine as long as you train your dog, put the cage somewhere high where it can not be reached or knocked over, and never leave your hamster and dog alone together, unattended.

Answer 4

I have a hammy and two dogs. One of my dogs are freakishly scared of him and the other one is addicted to watching him 24/7. You should keep your dog out of the room and close the door so your dog cant come in. Also, hamsters have very bad eyesight and will jump off very high spots so you should make sure that the hammy doesnt get close to the edges.

Hope you get the hammy for christmas!

Answer 5

Well at first they might not be ok with it but Sooner or later they will be ok with a new a Animal in teh house trust me i have 1 dog,3 birds, 2 guinie pigs, 1 chicken (lives with teh people next door), and 1 fish they should be fine but if things do go bad keep them away from each other at all costs

Answer 6

It really depends on the individual dog(or cat). I have 3 dogs and one would maybe OK with a hamster or gerbil..... he is small and used to play with one of the chinchillas. I have a corgi that I would never trust(tempt) to be near the small animals.
BUT, better safe then sorry... Best not to try!

Answer 7

My dog is usually lazy, but i have to keep him out of the room when my hamster's playing in his ball or on the floor, because my dog is so nosy, he tries to sniff and play chase with him, or tries to roll him round.

Answer 8

It depends on the temprement of your dog, we have guinea pigs and a lab and he is more afraid of them!

Answer 9

your hammy should be fine if u watch both of them closely and try to keep ur doggy away from ur hammy. If ur dog did hurt ur hammy she probally would do it just to play but accidentally hurt her/him.


Hope ya get one for christmas(i hope i get one then too) Good luck,hope i helped!!!!!

Answer 10

mine never has a problem with any of them. (i have four) in fact she licks them and treats them as her own puppies.