It does like a cop-out, but how well a dog and a ferret gets along
really does depend on the dog.

I have three dachshunds. One ignores the ferrets. One chases them
because the ferrets are always stealing his toys and one is starting
to get too curious about them for my peace of mind.

My house is set up so that the ferrets, no matter where they are,
always have places to go to get away from the dogs. Every door are keep
closed (I live in a mobile home where there is a largish space between
door and floor for air circulation). That way the ferrets can hang out
in entire rooms without the dogs bothering them.

Because the ferrets like to steal the dogs food, I keep food out for
the dogs at all times to keep the dogs from becoming bitter and
snappish about the ferrets. doing this.

When the dogs start getting over interested in the ferrets, I make loud
noises f disapproval.

The ferrets mostly ignore the dogs although I have had ones who played
together. I also had a g foster I had to send back as it tried to
attack the ferrets.

I would vote for a puppy as you can train it to get along right from
the start. I would say no to terriers and sight hounds.

Size of the dog isn't a problem; hunting instincts are.

I feed my dogs raw weekly and when I do, the ferrets are locked up
because raw makes my dogs revert back to wolves <g>

I exercise the heck out the dogs so they are not so tempted to become
bored and overly interested in the ferrets. I try not to get the dogs
(or ferrets) over stimulated around each other.

I play with the ferrets only in one of the closed off rooms in order to
keep the dogs from wanting to join in. Not because they would hurt the
ferrets on purpose (I hope) but because no one, especially the ferrets,
wants an 18 pound dog jumping on them by accident.

The dogs came after the ferrets and it is a lot of work. If I had to
do it over, I wouldn't.

And remember, all it takes is one moment of letting your guard down
for something to happen. When my ferrets are out where the dogs are,
I monitor them. And I still know I might not be able to intervene in
time.

anne

[Posted in FML 5915]