Budgies are very social parrots whilst dogs are curious and social animals too. Both animals are open to social interaction with a variety of other animal and in turn can socialise with each other provided they’re introduced in calm environment. The speed at which they may bond will be dependant on their personalities too.

Not all dogs and birds can coexist in harmony taking into account a canine’s natural instincts. Therefore, even if budgies can live with dogs, even build a strong bond with them, it’s not always the best idea to put two together.

I’ll be digging into this subject in a bit more depth throughout the remainder of this post so continue reading if you want more information on this subject

Why Would A Budgie Like A Dog?

Budgies are always in need of attention. in fact most pet owners would advise you spend at least 3 hours with them daily and upwards of 4 – 5 hours a day if you want to build a strong bond.

If your dog gives your budgie attention and doesn’t succumb to their natural predatory instincts, it is possible for most budgies to eventually build a bond and start liking their canine roommate.

However, the relationship won’t immediately blossom without the right steps taken on your part to introduce them in a calm manner.

In the beginning budgies will show indifference to this new companion which would be down to the little avian not knowing anything about the new pet.

Even as puppies, dogs are much bigger than most budgies will ever be therefore, to some degree natural instinct will play a could be a major reason why they may avoid or dislike a canine.

Jealously is also another reason why a budgie or may not like a dog. This is down to the doggo getting more attention that itself therefore, it can develop some resentment acting out, squawking at the dog and so on. But, if the introduction between the two are healthy since, budgies will enjoy hanging with the doggo as they do with other birds.

When Should Your Budgie And Dog Be Apart?

Despite the possibility of these 2 almost opposites getting along, they are still animals and animals will inevitably fall in line with their natural instincts.

Canine are ultimately higher up on the food chain and as we know dogs love eating meat, which is why ideally you’ll always want to be nearby when the two are interacting to avoid incidents where your dog may try nibbling on the little parrot.

Budgies aren’t slow, are small as well as nimble so, it would be possible to escape the jaws of a dog but, if this behaviour is consistent, it can become a very dangerous environment for any budgie therefore, it’s highly advised you separate the two.

Signs that you should try picking up on before any biting takes affect should be regarding how the pooch reacts when the avian is in its cage.

Is the pooch constantly watching, crouching on the side looking for an opportunity to strike?

Is the doggo barking at your bird with its ears up?

Does your dog start drooling whenever its around your budgie?

If you notice any of the above behaviour it’s best to separate the both of them as the doggo could lose its composure and go in for a nibble, especially if the canine is yet to eat and struggling to keep their composure.

All of these small factors could result in negative repercussions if not looked into further, in which case you would need to retrain the pup in order to accommodate the presence of tiny birds like budgies.

Almost all dogs can be trained to the extent where they will listen to your commands however, specific breeds that are more docile and non-hunting based breeds will fare far better in honing in their natural instincts.

Either way once the doggo shows any of its predatory nature, it would be best to train them up first before allowing your pooch around your little parrot.

Training Budgies And Dogs To Get Along

A bulk of the training will be down to your dog as they are the easier of the two pets to train which should hopefully will help in developing a positive relationship.

Firstly you would want to find a space where the budgie and dog can interact without causing too much of a commotion. ideally you’d want this to be in a more open space.

Initially you should have your pooch on a leash and your budgie within the cage so they can get some what familiar with each others presence. Once they know who the other is you can take the budgie out of the cage with the doggo still on the leash.

Allow them to interact in increments and reward both pets with treats for good behaviour. Eventually you can take your dog off the leash and allow the two to be in the same environment, with someone else in the room watching the situation to prevent the dog from potentially nibbling on the budgie.

Even if later down the line you believe the doggo and budgie have an extremely strong bond, I’d strongly advise against the leaving the two alone as it’s still possible for the pooch to act out.

Can Budgies Be Around Other Pets?

Yes, budgies can be around other pets.

However, the same precautions will need to be made, docile and smaller herbivores like hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits and other birds like cockatiels won’t pose much of a threat as they can comfortably mingle with budgies.

Lovebirds and cats on the other hand cannot or rather should not be around budgies as their natural instincts would result in them trying to hunt the little parrot like prey.

Of course there is the odd exception to this rule and some cats be trained to be more docile but, most cats should not interact with budgies or any pet bird for that matter due to a high chance of them attempting to hunt the budgie.

Summary

All in all budgies can get along with dogs and potentially even like them as long as the dog is trained enough to coexist with without trying to nibble or hunt them.

That’s why patience is necessary if you want your dog and bird pair to genuinely like each other because it’s certainly far from the easiest tasks to work to build the bond between the two as your average pet owner.

References

https://www.omlet.co.uk/guide/budgies/budgies_in_the_home/other_pets/

https://wagwalking.com/sense/can-dogs-live-with-birds