>From:    Melissa H <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Ferret Breeds.....is it time?
>I think that we at least have ONE separate ferret breed in existance
>already....the angoras.  Breeders can consistantly produce them, they
>retain partial characteristics when obred with regular ferrets, and they
>have standard, but obvious differences.
 
Breeders can not consistently breed them.  They really don't have partial
characteristics when bred with non-angora ferrets.  But this is the only
ferret close to being a breed.  We happen to have German Shepherd dogs.
We happen to have a long coated dog and a short coated bitch.  We had one
litter by them and most were of a medium length coat.  But all are still
full breed German Shepherds.  German shepherds come in various combinations
of blacks and browns and even white.  White is considered a severe fault
and by club rules should not be bred.  But they are.
 
Colors are never enough to call a dog or cat a breed and that is the only
distinguishing characteristic of any other lines of ferrets.  Most ferret
breeders are unfortunately clueless about even color genetics so no, we
disagree that it is time to call any sub-group of ferrets a breed.
[Posted in FML issue 3325]