Thanks to those who related their Kool-Aid incidents to me!  Paddington Bear
seems to have stopped drinking from his water bottle, now drinking only from
his Kool-Aid supply.  I have a phone message in to my vet about this.  Bless
her heart for so pleasantly and attentively answering my many questions
lately.
 
Unpacking my suitcase a few days ago, Phinneas Phogg jumped in it, grabbed a
tin of cinnamon flavored coffee, and ran behind the dresser with it.  All I
need is a ferret on caffeine.  But this reminded me of when we brought him,
our first ferret, home four years ago from the pet store.  When we first put
him down, he ran straight for the kitchen, made a bee-line for the pantry,
intuitively knew the door never latched properly, opened it, saw the Crisco
can on the floor, whipped off the lid, and dug in before we could catch up
with him.  I never cease to wonder what tells the little guys "this is
food."
 
I guess I should get to the 'dogs' part.  A few months ago, we lost our 12
year old Pekingese to a brain tumor.  She was a GREAT ferret dog, a mother,
a playmate, a gentle disciplinarian, and a babysitter to our little ones.  A
friend of a friend of a friend has offered to give us a Jack Russell puppy.
The litter is five weeks old so we have three weeks to decide before they
are advertised.  We have met the puppies and the parents, and they are FUN!!
I fell in love in five seconds.  However, the owners told me that the adult
dogs chase mice, rats, squirrels, moles, and armadillo (and whatever else
can wander into a Southern yard) and that the breed is bred to hunt rats.  I
know a ferret is not a rodent, but I'm afraid the JR might not know that.
Though there is a gaping hole in our lives where a little dog used to be, I
will NOT risk an accident with my ferrets.  And it doesn't seem fair to
confine the ferrets' playtime because they have to share quarters with a
new dog.
 
But I've observed that cats who habitually chase mice most often do not
chase ferrets, for cats are used to things running away from them at a high
rate of speed, not running toward them carrying a pink toy rhinoceros in its
mouth, hopping and dooking and wanting to play.  So I wonder, would it be
the same with a rat-hunting dog?  I would like to hear from anyone who has
had a Jack Russell (or, I guess, any terrier, or dogs that were field
trained) with ferrets.  Any suggestions, comments, criticisms?  Could I be
optimistic?  Should I forget it?  I sure did like those little dogs.  My
home address gets checked more often than the one I'm writing from:
[log in to unmask]
 
Tamara and Ben, who don't have a cool signature picture or quotaion yet.
[Posted in FML issue 1625]