What’s faster a dog or a rabbit? What to Know

Can a rabbit run faster than a dog?

Quite a few dogs can run faster than a hare, but if the object is to “catch”, a lot of those dogs won’t be successful. Hares and rabbits tend to not run in a straight line when pursued. They’ll often wait until the dog is quite close and then without seeming to slow down a bit…will go off in another direction.

How fast are dogs compared to humans? If we compare the average speed of a regular house dog, which is on average 15-20 mph, to the average speed of a human between the ages of 18-34, 13.62 km/h (8.46 mph), we can see that dogs are can generally run faster than people.

A rabbit can run at speeds of up to 35 mph (56 km/h). Some breeds of wild hare can run even faster – the jackrabbit can reach speeds of 45 mph (72 km/h). Domestic bunnies can run faster than humans – a human’s top speed (Usain Bolt while breaking the world 100m sprint record) is 27.78 mph (44.72 km/h).

Rabbits run anywhere between 25 and 45 mph (40 to 70 kph) while an average domestic cat can run at around 30 mph (48 kph). … Domestic rabbits (most similar to the wild cottontail rabbit) run at a similar speed to a cat at around 30 mph (48 kph).

Wild rabbits have an average speed of 35 to 45 mph. Domestic rabbits are slightly slower than their wild counterparts, lacking the practice in fight-or-flight. They clock in at speeds of 30 to 35 mph. Rabbits are sprinters, unable to maintain these speeds for very long.

Capable of going from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than three seconds, the cheetah is considered the fastest land animal, though it is able to maintain such speeds only for short distances. Lions are also quite fast when hunting prey, with a top speed of about 50 miles per hour.

How Much Faster Is A Dog Than A Rabbit?

Again, this depends on the breed and lifestyle of a dog and a rabbit. However, even if you put the fastest dog breed and fastest rabbit breed in a race, the dog will still beat the rabbit.

Let’s say you put the European rabbit and the Greyhound:

  • European rabbit: They can run 30-40mph
  • Greyhound: They can run 45-50mph
  • However, even if these two are the fastest breed of dog and rabbit, if their lifestyle is not healthy, they will not reach their potential speed. As you can see above, the fastest dog breed beats the fastest rabbit breed, which tells us that dogs are indeed faster than rabbits.

    Why Are Dogs Faster Than Rabbits?

    Like I have said above, not all dogs are faster than rabbits. Small dogs like chihuahua, Shih Tzu, Pomeranian, and other small dogs will have a hard time to outrun a rabbit. Dog breeds that are built for running like German Shepherd, Dalmatian, Vizsla, Doberman, and Rhodesian Ridgeback can outrun a rabbit easily.

    Let’s say we are comparing these dog breeds to rabbits. These dog breeds are faster than rabbits and they can rush through a yard faster than rabbits, catching prey and racing after intruders. Why are these dogs faster than rabbits? What makes them able to move at a faster speed?

  • Body shape: Dogs are shaped in a way that makes them powerful and fast runners. However, smaller dogs might not have a great acceleration due to their back legs.
  • Muscle: Dogs tend to have more muscles than rabbits. This allows dogs to continue running for longer.
  • Perseverance: Dogs have a much better level of perseverance than rabbits. Rabbits are more likely to give up the chase. You can see some videos on the internet of wolves chasing a rabbit where rabbits succumb to wolves.
  • These are the three characteristics that make dogs a better runner than rabbits. However, like I have said above, it really depends on the breed of the dog and lifestyle. If you have a dog built for running but obese, then there is no way your dog can outrun a rabbit. Dogs that are built for running and have a good lifestyle will surely outrun a rabbit.

    Dogs are clear winners when we examine domesticated animals. However, there are some differences in speed between domesticated and wild animals. Rabbits that live in the wild still have a pretty good chance to outrun a domesticated dog that is built for running. Lots of factors need to be considered but most of the time, dogs are faster than rabbits.

    Domesticated animals live in homes. They cuddle with their owners at night and eat from a bowl you give them. On the other hand, wild animals have to endure the cold and work hard to catch prey. They live to survive in the wild, and thus there is a variety in speeds.

    Rabbits are fast. However, not all rabbits are fast. Just like dogs, it depends on the breed of the rabbit and the lifestyle. Wild rabbits are faster compared to domesticated rabbits. The reason why is because wild rabbits are used to running because they always get chased by their predators.

    Domesticated rabbits are usually stuck inside the house and have no exercise. Lots of domesticated rabbits are obese or have poor lifestyle. If you put this kind of rabbit in a race against a healthy dog, the dog will outrun the rabbit.

    Dogs are faster than rabbits in the home. But, it still depends on the breed of the dog. Aside from that, it can also depend on the lifestyle of the dog. Sometimes, even if the dog is a breed that is built for running, there is still a chance of a rabbit to outrun them.

    This happens if the dog has a bad lifestyle and the rabbit lives in the wild, which is keen into running because they are used to being chased by faster predators like wolves.

    Here are the speeds for each variety of canine:

  • Domestic dogs: 40 mph
  • Wild dogs: 45 mph
  • There is a difference between them, but not too much. Wild dogs and domestic dogs are not too different in their speeds. Also, there is a huge difference when it comes to rabbits. Domesticated rabbits are much slower than wild rabbits. Wild rabbits are experienced runners because they always get chased by predators, which means they are able to train naturally. On the other hand, some domesticated rabbits don’t exercise their running ability at all.

    Greyhound Chasing Rabbit — Two Dogs Vs Rabbit ➤ Tiger Channel Tv

    Some love to dig. Others love to hunt. But there’s one activity that seems to unite the majority of pups – their love for running.

    Whether it’s chasing a ball, a frisbee, or even other dogs, many of our most-loved dog breeds love to run. And some of them love to run very, very quickly.

    In the past, some dog breeds were selectively bred to be working dogs and needed to have a high top speed to perform certain tasks. Some dogs inherently run fast, such as racing dogs and hunting dogs. Although many dogs are no longer used just for these tasks – and might be more commonly seen these days as pets – some of the breeds that you might see in your local dog park can surprise you with how fast they can run.

    In this article, we’ll take a look at 15 of the fastest dog breeds, their top speeds, their breed characteristics, and explain what makes them such efficient runners.

    Border Collies are an intelligent and highly trainable breed. They were originally bred for herding sheep, which required them to be agile and fast. Like many other working dogs, they love to run – at top speed, a Border Collie can run as fast as 30 miles per hour. They are very energetic dogs requiring plenty of daily exercise. Whether it is fetching a ball or herding livestock, providing a Border Collie with an active lifestyle is very important.

    Originally bred to be hunting and coursing dogs, Borzois would go after wolves, rabbits, and foxes. A large breed, Borzois can reach higher speeds than many other larger dogs. A very sensitive dog and considered one of the best family pets, a fully grown and healthy Borzoi can run as fast as 35 miles per hour.

    A very distinctive dog, Dalmatians are very alert, athletic, energetic, and active. They are a playful breed that loves the outdoors and has incredible endurance. Their muscular bodies enable them to run up to 37 miles per hour. Historically, they were used for protecting the borders of Dalmatia, and so needed to be very alert and fast. Their speed and alertness can occasionally be a downside as they tend to be clumsy.