>Pit bulls were bred to fight and be "gamey".  Would you be more apt to see
>a dogfight if you released two strange pit bulls in the same neutral
>territory, or two miniature poodles?
 
Cadel,
 
You missed my point completely, but maybe I didn't state it clearly enough.
So I will illustrate: I have a pit bull/german shepherd mix, who was rescued
from a crack-house in Harlem, and who was an adult when he was introduced to
ferrets.  Would you expect this to be a nasty, vicious animal that you
wouldn't want around ferrets, based on what I just told you?  You bet!
Chances are pretty good that this dog was bred for fighting, coming from
that neighborhood.  And I never "planned" on having ferrets when I first
adopted the dog.  But he turned out to be the sweetest, kindest dog I've
ever known!  If you were to accidentally step on his tail, his response
would be "what did I do wrong?"; he has never snapped at anyone or anything
for any reason.  He has lived with my three ferrets since they were just a
few weeks old (the oldest is now just over 2 years), and loves to play with
them--and they love to play with him.  While I'm always careful, as he is
clumsy, and I still worry that he could accidentally hurt them, you would be
AMAZED at how careful he is with them!  There is no doubt in my mind that he
likes them, respects them as members of the family, and knows he must be
extra careful with them because they are small.  He will even tolerate a
ferret nose in his food dish WHILE he is eating, although he doesn't like
it.  He's good with kids, cats, and strangers who come to the house
(including my friends' dogs and ferrets).  I did not teach this to him; it
is his personality, his nature.
 
Part of my point is that I am FED UP TO HERE with the reputation that pit
bulls have as being dangerous, vicious, and only good for fighting.  Of
couse that is what they were bred for (unfortunately, as I happen to think
that all animal fighting for sport is cruel, inhumane, and should be
stopped).  If you read up on the various breeds of dogs that are labeled pit
bulls, you will discover that they were bred to fight OTHER DOGS, not attack
people.  They are BY NATURE loyal to their masters and amiable toward people
they know.  The pit bull incidents that you read about where one attacks a
person is invariably a case where the dog was TAUGHT to be aggressive toward
people.  And I have seen a number of posts from other FML members who have
pit bulls that get along well with their ferrets and the rest of their
families.
 
>One cannot just pick any ol' breed of dog, or any strain of ferret, that
>one wishes, and mold them to be exactly how we want them to be.  That's why
>other posters have inquired as to what breeds of dogs are more apt to be
>good with ferrets.
 
I never said or intended to imply that one could (or should, or even has a
right to) "mold" ANY animal--dog, ferret, whatever--to fit the way we want
them to be!  Which gets back to my original point: Animals are individuals,
with individual personalities (and I'm not going to get into a spitting
match over HOW individual they are compared with people!).  My primary point
is that no one can guarantee that any individual member of any one
particular breed of dog WILL or WILL NOT get along with ferrets simply
because it is a member of a breed.  And secondarily, that the pit bull (and
I am referring to the American Staffordshire Terrier) is a breed that is
MORE apt to get along with ferrets than, say, a hunting breed.
 
Not to belabor the point, but speaking of little dogs: My sister's ex has a
Pomeranian named Pee Wee that is an absolute terror with other animals.  Pee
Wee attacked my dog when they were first introduced, and I had to jump on
the two to get them apart!  I was afraid my dog would kill Pee Wee while
defending himself.  We have to keep these two dogs separate, and I would
never let my ferrets anywhere near Pee Wee!  I think little dogs are
paranoid... ;=)
 
______
Nancy Farlow <[log in to unmask]>
[Posted in FML issue 1836]