Can Bearded Dragons play With Dogs? (Owners Guide)

A question that is popping up more and more often is “can Bearded Dragons play with dogs?”

Bearded Dragons are becoming increasingly popular pets in homes all around the world. As their popularity increases potential owners want to know if Bearded Dragons will be both safe and a good companion for an existing pet in the household. 

This is a question that I’ve researched deeply as well as using the experiences of many Bearded Dragon owners that have dogs to give you the best and most actionable answer possible.

So can Bearded Dragons play with dogs? It’s possible for Bearded Dragons to interact with dogs, however, this will depend on the dog breed and the personality of your Bearded Dragon. It will be much harder to initiate play between a Bearded Dragon and a dog but it could be possible with planning and persistence.

Read on to find out if there are any positives to Bearded Dragons and dogs playing together, if there are any dangers, how to make the situation safe and more.

Bearded Dragons And Dogs Playing Together (a Closer Look)

A lot of Potential Bearded Dragons owners will also love other animals such as dogs too so it’s only natural that you would want to know if Bearded Dragons and dogs can interact with each other without conflict and also play with each other.

There is honestly no black or white answer to this question. Some dog breeds will be naturally more placid and tolerant of other animals or reptiles such as Bearded Dragons, while others could be quite aggressive and naturally wired to be protective of their family space.

By the same token, 2 different dogs of the same breed could have very different personalities and while one could be very welcoming, the other could be grumpy, territorial or aggressive.

The same could be said for Bearded Dragons, as every individual has their own personality. Some Bearded Dragons can be very calm around larger animals that could easily be considered predators while others can get intimidated quickly and even suffer stress.

The only way you would know how a relationship was going to pan out between your Bearded Dragon and dog and if they could ever interact and play together is to actually let them interact.

If your dog and your Bearded Dragon along fine then you can try and initiate play between the pair, although this could be difficult and requires lots of patience and persistence.

If they don’t get along then it’s not the end of the world as your Bearded Dragon should be safe and sound in their tank and you can always get them out of the tank for a cuddle or to clean the tank when your dog isn’t present in the room.

If you want to know the best toys and activities for a Bearded Dragon I’ve shared them all in this post 

Are There Any Positives For Bearded Dragons & Dogs Playing Together?

Having your Bearded Dragon and dog interacting and playing together may seem cute and nice but are there actually any substantial positives to the whole situation?

Let’s take a look at why it could be a great idea to get your Bearded Dragon and dog to become friends with and play with each other.

Mental Stimulation

When 2 pets interact and play with each other, it’s a great source of mental stimulation for both of them.

Both Bearded Dragons and dogs can spend much of their time being idle and watching the world go by but when they are put in a position where they are face to face with a totally different species then their senses will become heightened.

Even though they will relax as they become more comfortable with each other over time, they will both always carry a certain amount of intrigue for each other as they will never truly understand each other’s behaviours or instincts.

This uncertainty will keep both your Bearded Dragon and dog curious and provide some much needed mental stimulation. 

Exercise

Another fantastic reason for Bearded Dragons and dogs to play with each other is for the exercise that it brings.

In truth, your dog probably won’t get too much benefit in the form of exercise but they will obviously go for walks to achieve this anyway.

Your Bearded Dragon, on the other hand, can hugely benefit from some time out of the tank. They can spend huge amounts of the day in the tank where they don’t really have the option to really move a great deal so time spent outside interacting and playing comes highly recommended.

Bonding

Allowing your Bearded Dragons and dog to interact and play is also very good for bonding between the 3 of you.

This is a fantastic opportunity for you and other family members to spend some quality time with your pets.

You can have some fun and truly get to know your pets as they get to know you too.

Bonding is very important and doing it through play is the easiest way to do it.

Are There Any Dangers When Bearded Dragons And Dogs Play Together?

When any 2 animals meet there is always a danger that something might happen. This danger is multiplied when 2 different species interact especially is they aren’t used to each other.

Let’s take a look at some things you need to consider when allowing your Bearded Dragons and dog to play together.

Biting

The most obvious danger and the one that springs to mind first is that your dog could become aggressive or even defensive and bite your Bearded Dragon.

As we mentioned at the top of this post, this will totally depend on the breed and personality of your dog, however, it’s always a possibility and something you should be wary of.

Even if your dog and Bearded Dragon are well accustomed and comfortable with each other, you should always treat the situation with respect and understand that a dog could severely harm a Bearded Dragon in the blink of an eye if a negative situation arises. 

Trampling

Something that you need to be aware of is that your dog could actually stand on and trample on your Bearded Dragon.

Although this is horrible to imagine, the reality is that some dogs could get spooked, hear a knock at the door or simply get giddy and without realising could stand on your Bearded Dragon.

Obviously, this will depend on the temperament of your dog but if this happens it could mean serious injury for your Bearded Dragon so it’s something that needs mentioning.

Intimidation

Another danger of Bearded Dragons and dogs interacting and playing together is that your dog could easily frighten your Dragon.

As you know, some dogs can get giddy and these sudden movements can lead to your Dragon being scared and intimidated very quickly.

Other situations such as load barks or growls can have the same effect. This can actually intimidate your Bearded Dragon for a long time as they can quite easily see your dog as a predator and something they need to hide from and not play with and behaviour like this can strengthen their belief.

Stress

If your Bearded Dragon gets intimidated, this can also spill over into other negative things such as stress.

Stress can be either short or long term and it can affect your Bearded Dragons health and appetite.

If you have a baby or juvenile Bearded Dragon this can be a little more worrying as the first 12 months of their life is when they do nearly all of their growing.

If you want to know more about how fast Bearded Dragons grow then check out this post where I share all you need to know as an owner.

Some Bearded Dragons don’t get intimidated or feel stress at all while others are the total opposite so this will totally depend on their individual personality.

How to Make Play Safe Between Bearded Dragons And Dogs

Although there are some dangers of having Bearded Dragons and dogs interact and play with each other, there are also some ways that you can make them both more comfortable with each other and the situation safer.

Let’s take a look at a practical step by step process for allowing your pets to become comfortable with each other and be safe when interacting and playing:

Step 1 – Let Your Dog See Your Bearded Dragon In the Tank First 

You should let your dog see, smell and check out your Bearded Dragon in the tank on a few different occasions before attempting to let them interact and play. This will allow them both the chance to become familiar with each other’s presence. 

Step 2 – Introduce The Pets While Holding Your Bearded Dragon

You should introduce the pets to each other while you are holding your Bearded Dragon. This should give you enough time and security to protect the Bearded Dragon if your dog becomes aggressive in any way. It’s also a good idea to stroke your Dragon so your dog can see there isn’t anything to worry about.

Step 3 – Introduce While Not Holding

Once you are confident that your dog isn’t going to bite your Dragon and your Dragon isn’t going to feel scared or intimidated then it finally time to introduce them properly without holding. You should be close to your Bearded Dragon at all times even when the situation looks comfortable and never leave both pets unattended.

Step 4 – Never leave the pets Unattended

Although I touched on this in the last step, you should never leave your Bearded Dragon and your dog unattended. It only takes one random situation for something regrettable to happen so it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

What Games Can bearded Dragons And Dogs Play Together?

The games that Bearded Dragons and dog can play together is limited only by your imagination.

To be honest, It’s not going to be easy to actually teach both pets to play a game together and as I stated at the top of this post, it will take both persistence and patience.

The easiest kind of game to start with would be rolling a ball to each other. It may sound absurd that you can teach a Bearded Dragon to roll a ball but you can actually teach them to do all sorts of tricks and practical tasks.

I’ve written a post here that shares exactly how you can teach as Bearded Dragon to do different tasks on command.

Apart from playing actual games, Bearded Dragons and dogs will often be fascinated with each other and can have just as much fun and excitement by simply studying each other.

Related Questions

Are Bearded Dragons Dangerous to Dogs? Bearded Dragons aren’t really dangerous to dogs. They can bite, however, the bite would not really harm a dog and the Bearded Dragons usually form of defence would be to run and hide if it felt threatened.

Related Posts