Recently I've noticed a number of questions regarding leash training, and
particularly how tight collars should be made.  I use the double-looping
kitten collars on my two monstors: first loop around neck, second behind
shoulders with buckle and stem(?) (what do you call the pointey part of a
belt buckle anyway?). My collars are nylon and the stirrup for the leash is
located where the two loops intersect.  At first I make the loops firm, i.e.
touching the fur... not pressing the skin, but not enough room for my little
finger to slide between either loop and the animal's fur.  At this point I
secure the stem in the hole that best maintains the spacing I just mentioned.
 Then I let the animal loose (in the living room) and when he or she manages
to extradite itself from the harness, I put it on again, this time going one
hole further on the collar, and mark the hole with a pen.  At this point both
Martha & Snowball would fold front paws back to their sides and slide around
on the carpet by pushing with their hind legs (Oh dad, you're killing me!).
 If I give in and loosen the collar one hole, like Houdini, both are out of
the collar in less than 30 seconds.
 
So, the marked hole becomes my choice.  Within five minutes of being outside
in the grass (or snow at this time of year) and intrigued with all the
wonderful aromas not found in the house, they're off and running on their
leashes as if nothing was attached and the "Oh dad, you're killing me"
routine is quickly forgotten in favor of "Oh neat!  What's this... that...
what's over there?"  etc.  In other words, the little beasties are smart and
will do a very convincing act to get you to release the restraints.  Common
sense finally told me that a mere quarter inch difference in collar hole
positions could not cause death in Houdini.  And the kids, once convinced
that dad was not going to fall for the act, decided there were more fun
things to explore.  If your ferrets are still growing, of course you'll have
to adjust the holes from time to time... but once they're used to the
collars, leashing-up is a recognized signal that dad's taking us somewhere
neat, and they actually sit very still for the process in great anticipation
of another trip to Ferret Freeway.
 
And speaking of beasties being smart, can anyone top this (I know a lot of
you can, but I want to read it & chuckle!)?  Martha, when I allow her in the
living room, loves to jump up on the love seat, burrow beneath the seat
cushions, and disappear into the piece of furniture.  She weighs little more
than a pound and can easily jump from the floor onto the love seat.
 Snowball, on the other hand, weighs 4+ pounds, and 'fatso' just can't make
the 18" leap without falling back onto the carpet.  I might add here that the
love seat is covered in a leather-like vinyl.  He'll jump and fall, jump and
fall, jump and fall... for up to 20 minutes at a time, determined to follow
Martha to her secret hiding place.  His claws just can't get a grip in the
vinyl.  He'll try the center, the right side, and then the left side of the
love seat, constantly looking for an easier access.  It's hilarious to watch
as sometimes he nearly makes it only to slide off onto the carpet again.
 
One day he discovered the throw pillows on the left end of the love seat and
in his jumping process, managed to sink his teeth into one of the throw
pillows in an attempt to anchor himself.  As he fell back onto the carpet,
the throw pillow followed with him, as did the smaller throw pillow that was
atop of it.  The pillows landed on top of Snowball and after he crawled out
from under them, he realized he now had a ladder (the pillows landed nicely
against the love seat), which he quickly ascended to his goal!  Since then,
he doesn't bother with the rest of the small sofa.  He knows the throw
pillows are always located at the left end, and that is where he always makes
his first jump.
 
Unfortunately, the pillows do not always land right next to the love seat
when he yanks them down.  Occasionally, they've landed as far as three feet
away.  No problem for Snowball.  He picks them up, carries them over to the
edge of the sofa, and then climbs up as if it was the simplest thing in the
world.  Now after all of that, how could I possibly stop him from exploring
the innards of the furniture?
 
Last item: a question.  I've noticed many of you do fancy artwork in your
signatures using <<<s, ^^^s, ///s, etc.  When I download FML, none of these
lines ever lines up, yet I assume if they did, I would have a picture.  Am I
missing something here that everyone else is getting??
 
Lee Donehower
Omaha  NE
[Posted in FML issue 1105]