Dog is the common use term that refers to members of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris. The term is sometimes used to refer to a wider range of species: it can be used to refer to any mammal belonging to the family Canidae, which includes wolves, foxes, jackals, and coyotes; it can be used to refer to the subfamily of Caninae, or the genus Canis, also often called the "true dogs".[7] Some members of the family have "dog" in their common names, such as the Raccoon Dog and the African Wild Dog. A few animals have "dog" in their common names but are not canids, such as the prairie dog and the dog fish.

The English word dog comes from Middle English dogge, from Old English docga, a "powerful dog breed".[8] The term may derive from Proto-Germanic *dukkōn, represented in Old English finger-docce ("finger-muscle").[9] The word also shows the familiar petname diminutive -ga also seen in frogga "frog", picga "pig", stagga "stag", wicga "beetle, worm", among others.[10] Due to the archaic structure of the word, the term dog may ultimately derive from the earliest layer of Proto-Indo-European vocabulary, reflecting the role of the dog as the earliest domesticated animal.[11]

Dog ousted traditional English hound by the 16th century, before which time it had the meaning of "dog" rather than modern "hunting dog", as in other Germanic languages – it is cognate to German Hund, Dutch hond, common Scandinavian hund, and Icelandic hundur. Hound itself is derived from the Proto-Indo-European *kwon- "dog", found in Welsh ci (plural cwn), Latin canis, Greek kýōn, Lithuanian šuõ, just to name a few.[12]

In breeding circles, a male canine is referred to as a dog, while a female is called a bitch. A group of offspring is a litter. The father of a litter is called the sire, and the mother is called the dam. Offspring are generally called pups or puppies until they are about a year old. The process of birth is whelping.[13]

Rabbits are very social animals. House rabbits become part of the family, just as cats, dogs, and birds do, and often get along well with these other animals. It is not uncommon to see a house rabbit grooming the cat or dog or another rabbit. Socialization takes time, especially between two rabbits, where the process is called bonding. Until two rabbits are bonded, they tend to be territorial and can be a danger to each other.

A rabbit needs at least four hours per day of out-of-cage time in a safe environment (see house proofing below). The strong muscles in its back legs will weaken if it is not given opportunities to run, jump, and play. When a rabbit plays, it will often do a binky, which is a happy dance where it will jump into the air, turn around, and take off running. This is the equivalent of a dog's tail wagging or a cat pouncing in a play like manner. When calm and being petted on the head or cheeks, it may gently grind his teeth with contentment, which is the equivalent of a cat purring and is a sign that the rabbit feels comfortable and happy with its environment. Rabbits enjoy gentle, quiet attention from their human counterparts, although most do not like to be cuddled, which takes them too far from their natural comfort zone as prey animals. A house rabbit typically learns its name and comes when called. Other tricks include begging and jumping hurdles. Many rabbits enjoy watching TV or computer screens, especially when bright, active scenes like cartoons are on.[citation needed]

Rabbits are emotional, intelligent animals that require mental, as well as physical, stimulation and interaction and providing them with both is crucial to their development and well being - something that needs to be considered by anyone before deciding on a rabbit as a companion animal.

House rabbit organizations warn that a rabbit does not make a good pet for small children because they do not know how to stay quiet, calm, and gentle around the rabbit. As prey animals, rabbits are alert, timid creatures that startle easily. They have fragile bones, especially in their backs, that require support on the belly and bottom when picked up. Children nine years old and older usually have the maturity required to care for a rabbit.

It is recommended that dogs and cats generally not be left alone with rabbits as their predatory instincts (or overenthusiastic play) can lead to the dog or cat attacking the rabbit spontaneously. Many owners have found, however, that after careful introduction their dog or cat does get along well with their rabbit.[1][2] Guinea pigs are notably good companions for house rabbits.[

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