Just a quick note on Bitter Apple - this is a brand name.  Not necessarily
to be used as a generic "no chew" "no bite" product.  (1) you can make your
own farily easily using lemon juice, vinegar etc.  without the alcohol
(check the label and use the first several ingrediants but you should make
fresh batches often as your not using preservatives) and (2) There is a
brand called Protex which doesn't have alcohol.  Alcohol can be very
irritating to animal's nasal membranes.  Chris: Doxies and mustelids.  I
only have experience with my sisters who would tear my fuzzies apart - very
high prey drive.  However he wasn't raised with them as a puppy either.
Puppies, I'm not sure here.  Popular belief is that if raised together they
will be fine.  My feeling is that this is no guarantee - hard to know what
the dog will be like even with good input (nature vs.  nuture, nuture only
affects things to a certain point).  If you really want to give it a try I
would be very very careful about selecting a breeder.  Try to find a breeder
who raises doxies with laid back personalities, probably for conformation
(not those who raise to do earth dog trials and luring trials) and without
German bloodlines (as they are still raised primarly for hunting in
Germany).  I was just at a show yesterday and coincindentally talking to a
Doxie breeder (I like them but wouldn't trust them with ferts myself).  He
said he thought generally wirehairs were a little more laid back (his
opinion).  I'm not sure how this might help because I think the wirehairs
get their hair from terrier stock?  Anyway talk to LOTS of breeders - they
will have lots of different opinions.  If you can find the number for doxie
rescue they will turn you on to nice breeders.  Also there is a doxie list
(dont have the address handy) and my sister asked this question for me once.
She got one response who said the question was asked several years before
and in response to his "well my doxies would tear them up" he got several
positive replies from people with doxies and ferrets.  So maybe it can be
done.  Good luck!
 
Mary
[Posted in FML issue 1948]