Hello everyone!  I seem to have a problem that has come up very
unexpectantly.  One of my female ferrets that is just a little over a
year old; her name is Bitsy and has decided to attack dogs.  It started
about a month ago when my family came to visit me and my mother brought
her dog Scooby; who is an eight pound min. long haired dachshund.  Bitsy
has always seemed to get along with him and other dogs.  Though this
time she was chasing him around grabbing him by the scruff of the neck,
ear whatever she could get a hold of and causing him to yelp.  He's not
trying to hurt her..........but I feel she is trying to hurt him.  Then
after she is made to stop and scolded for the attack she will go off just
a short distance and strain to potty ( I don't know maybe she's marking
her territory ).  It's a pitiful thing to watch an 8 lb dog running
frantically from an 2.3 lb ferret who is attacking him.
 
Now if the small dog was not bad enough..........she has started to
attack my 110 lb Rottie.  I have always made the rottie lay down when
the ferrets are out.  Bitsy will jump up on her back and start bitting
at her head and neck.  Of course a dog of this size does not feel these
attempts.  So she then will jump down and either grab her lip, ear or
nose where the pain can be felt.  Mashaela, my female rottie is pretty
easy going but; as any other animal; will not stand still to being bitten
so hard and will yelp and jump up after her.  ( Of course she doesn't do
the potty thing.....as she has to run for her life).  Has anyone ever
had this problem??  And why would she just all of the sudden start doing
this?  She is fixed and doesn't act this way to any of the other of my
ferrets of which I have 1 more female and two males.  Any suggestions to
get her over this would be greatly appreciated.
 
Thanks,
Missy
[Posted in FML issue 4514]