Hi Hazel,
    I am a four year old cocker spaniel named Mandy.  I share my home with 3
furry things Mom calls ferrets.  Those furry things drive me nuts!  They
bite at my feet, my butt, just about anything!  So I understand what you are
going through!  Mom tried bitter apple but it diden't work, I have found a
better way I bark like crazy and Tara & Dutch take off running!  I also
steal Mitzi's rubber toys, which drives her crazy until she can find them
all again!  I kinda liked my other way of dealing with them, I used to roll
on them, I really was not hurting them, but Mom did like that idea too much,
Dad thought it was funny.  As for the food, they don't eat my food, I love
their food, so when the cage is left open I sneak some.  They also love to
play in my water bowl, yuck ferret fur!  I won't even touch the bowl till
someone gives me fresh water.  They like to steal my toys too, which Mom and
Dad thinks is funny, they hide them under the couch, under the bed, where I
can't get them, they have plenty of toys of their own, which they could care
less about.  Mom did not think it was funny when they hid her purse behind a
stereo speaker the other day, and it took her awhile to find it!  They never
leave me alone, as soon as I am ready for a nice long nap, here they come
rolling down the stairs!  I try to tell them to leave me be, but they just
do that dook, dook thing and run off!  Maybe they have a course in ferret
talk somewhere, in general I like them, but I would like them to see my
point of view sometimes.  Well let me know if you guys are going to take
that vacation I could use one too!  I also learned how one good swat with my
paw knocks them off the couch, boy do they get mad!  Maybe you should try
that!
 
                            Mandy
[Posted in FML issue 1243]