My question on this wouldn't be if Chows or even this particular dog is
good with ferrets.  My question would be how is she prepared to keep them
separately?  Despite how we like to think of them, dogs are not little
people in fur suits with human social mores and ethics.  They're dogs...
sweet, loving, opportunistic carnivores and predators with thousands of
years of hardwiring controlling their instincts.  Some individuals and
breeds have higher prey drives than others or are more sensitive to
stimulus but all of them are ultimately dogs.
 
In my opinion there is no such thing as a "100% safe" dog around small
animals.  Even if the dog has never shown any predatory behavior and has
always gotten along with them it is still a dog and those instincts are
there.  All it takes is one time of instinct being triggered and the dog
switches gears to a predator who is going to act as it's instincts
dictate.  Not because it's a bad dog or because it's vicious - it's
simply a dog being a dog.
 
Because of my experience, both personal and professional, our dogs and
ferrets are separated for their own safety.  Letting ferrets run with
dogs is taking a serious (and in my opinion downright foolhardy) risk.
Personally I wouldn't adopt into that situation were I looking to place
my ferrets.  Even if the dog never goes after the ferret, size difference
alone is a risk.  Not a very politically correct opinion I'm sure but
safety of the little ones being placed takes priority over avoiding hurt
feelings.
 
Amanda and carpet-sharks Ana and Cino
[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 4594]