# Dogs and Hedgehogs



## tracie (Jun 16, 2010)

I just moved into my sister-in-laws house, and she has two big dogs, a golden retriever and a boxer. I was worried about my hedgehogs near them, so we have them caged up in our room with the door closed. The funny thing is, after holding the hedgehogs or playing with them, we'll go near the dogs, and they don't smell a thing. I've carried a couple of them around the house and the dogs ignore them. Has anyone else had this kind of experience? Does anyone know why they don't care about hedgehog smell? I just thought it was kinda weird.


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

Maybe those dogs just don't have a high prey drive?

Some dogs/cats will not care about the presence of the hedgehog, while others will be very curious... so it really depends on the personality of the dogs ^-^


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## tracie (Jun 16, 2010)

Well, one of the dogs caught a bird the other day... Maybe they're bird and rodent dogs... or maybe not even rodents.


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

:shock: :lol:

Well then... haha XD
Maybe they just don't notice the smell really and since the hedgies haven't really "moved" in their presence they probably just think it's a part of your scent or that you've been some place very strange.

My cat didn't even notice my hedgehog at first. She showed a bit of interest in the funny smell coming from my fingers, but didn't really care... and then my hedgie started walking around and he was like  but he only sits and observes. He once tried to poke him and then discovered that they are very prickly, so ever since then he has kept his distance :lol:


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## MeAmandaTee (Aug 9, 2010)

im worrying about my dog getting at my hedgie when i move, im living in a house that doesnt allow dogs so we had to have someone watch him for a couple months till we find a house to buy, my dog hasnt ever met orbie and he is soooooo hyper so im worried about it, i guess i'll have to wait and see i hope that he doesnt even notice him like what ur talking about


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## illsley (Jul 16, 2010)

I actually had a similar thing happen with my dog...I carried my hedgie around and had him sit on my lap with me for weeks without my dog noticing a thing. It wasn't until I actually introduced them to each other that Ray (my dog) actually seemed to be able to smell when Smee was around. Now every time I bring the hedgie out he follows me around and watches with quiet curiosity  I still have no idea why he didn't notice him before though. 

Hopefully someone else will have more insight, but just thought I'd mention that I noticed a similar thing


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## gpmo (Jul 12, 2010)

Our pug is in love with Darwin! When it is time for Darwin to get up and have play time she is always right by his enclosure waiting for him to come out. She is very good with him and just follows him around and occasionally sniffs him. Darwin doesn't seem to care that she likes him at all  The puglet has been around lots of small/baby mammals and has always been very gentle and attentive. So in my experience the dog/hedgehog dynamic is just fine


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## EryBee (May 23, 2010)

My parent's dogs, with the exception of one, are just fine around my hedgie when he comes to visit. Then again, they are small dachshunds, and not large golden retrievers and boxers


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

Dachshunds were bred for hunting, golden retrievers for retrieving, so dachshunds would actually have a higher prey drive ^-^


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## tracie (Jun 16, 2010)

MeAmandaTee said:


> im worrying about my dog getting at my hedgie when i move, im living in a house that doesnt allow dogs so we had to have someone watch him for a couple months till we find a house to buy, my dog hasnt ever met orbie and he is soooooo hyper so im worried about it, i guess i'll have to wait and see i hope that he doesnt even notice him like what ur talking about


Try holding your hedgehog and having the dog smell your hands first to see if he notices.


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## E-Che & Tonja (Jun 30, 2010)

My dog Peter is also in love with my hedgehogs. Peter is blind and the first meeting he had with E-Che tough him that he is spiky and to be respected :lol: he got a face full of spikes when he went for him lol and since that time he has NEVER tried for him or Tonja but he loves "looking" in the cages and listening to them rummage around, but his favorite thing is sitting on the couch and letting them run on him and burrow into his fur :lol:


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## hedgielover (Oct 30, 2008)

My brother's retriever is afraid of my hedgehog. Quigley will even chase the dog around the house when we go to visit. You have to very carefully supervise any contact between dogs and hedgehogs (especially large dogs) just in case the dog decides to pounce, play or accidentally steps on the hedgehogs.


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## MeAmandaTee (Aug 9, 2010)

im worried more about my dog being to playfull and maybe thinking tht orbie is a new toy for him lol. anyone know if a c&c cage would be sturdy enough to keep my dog away from orbie?


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## tie-dye hedgie (Dec 19, 2009)

If a dog is determined enough, it can break a C&C cage, so the best thing that you could do is to put Orbie in a room and keep the door shut, that way your dog cannot get in at all. Even if your dog isn't going to break the cage, he can and probably will stress out Orbie a lot just being around him. 
Edit: spelling


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## MeAmandaTee (Aug 9, 2010)

well i plan to keep him in a different room but just in case, i just want to make sure that it'll last long enough for me to rescue orbie. i dont think he'll even notice him during the day it would be him going after orbies food that im worried about lol


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