Okay, so Nala is getting used to the idea that we share our house peaceably
with ferrets.  (Nala is my new 84 pound mastiff puppy, if you have just
joined us in this journey).  So, just about every day, we hold one or more
ferrets up for her to sniff and interact with in a controlled way.  Well,
guess what?
 
No, you'll never guess.  She knows the ferrets individually.  She likes
Sebastian "Grape Soda Tail" best.  While she was napping, we actually set
him down and let him sniff HER butt for a change (a handshake in the
carnivore kingdom).  She laid there, mildly accepting the attention.  Then,
on a tip from the monks of new skete, I layed him bodily on her groin area,
which is a place you can pat on a dog that means "hello there everything is
all right." She just sort of rolled her leg up and relaxed.
 
In CONTRAST, she claims Mortimer is whispering satanic greetings to her when
we aren't around.  When I hold him up to greet her, she tends to bark at
him.  Eep!  I have a couple of theories on this one.  For one, Mortimer is a
chicken and bushes his tail when he gets near her.  Do ya'll think she
senses his fear and is responding to this?  He is also our "recreational
poofer." I wonder if she is responding to his subtly different smell?
 
She likes Mithy just fine, but we are going extra slow with Mithy (the nose
biter).
 
Any tips on making intros easier?  I do discipline her for barking at
Mortimer.  One thing the dog has taught me is that the ferrets have been
playing me a fool.  "Oh, I forgot where the litterbox is again.  Alas!"
"What?  I don't understand you.  'Roll over?'" Or, the ever popular, "Oops,
when I see a big tasty nose like that I can't resist."
 
-Catherine and
Sebastian "What's grape soda?  Can I try some?"
and Mortimer "Eeek!  A monster!"
and Mithril "Way to go, DOG.  Now she's onto us."
[Posted in FML issue 1897]