Heather <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>About 6-7 months ago I rescued an unwanted almost 5 year old Golden
>Retriever.  [....]  He doesn't do well with anything small.  I've
>finally got him to the point where he doesn't try and kill my cat
>(usually) but he's bound and determined to get my ferrets.  He jumps
>on there cage at night trying to get it open to get to them.  I
>can't let them out when he's in the house so I have to lock him
>outside when it's the ferrets play time and if someone lets him in
>while there out (which he's FORCED, yes I mean FORCED his way in,
>he's a big dog and does not like taking NO for an answer)
 
Heather,
 
Get a crate for this dog and confine him when the ferrets are out.  At
night, either crate him or confine him behind a securely closed door in a
room away from the ferret cage.  Meanwhile, take him to obedience school
and teach him what "Down/Stay" and "Leave it" mean.
 
Some dogs are capable of understanding that ferrets are part of your
family, while others will always see them as prey.  I have four dogs.
Two are perfectly safe with ferrets, one is ok under close supervision,
and the the fourth is not allowed near ferrets at all.  The last is a
rescue, and until she had been with us long enough to understand that
ferrets (in or out of cages) are strictly off limits to her, I confined
her every single time she showed an unseemly (i.e., predatory) interest
in them.  Now that she understands the house rules, she avoids ferrets
like the plague and leaves the room voluntarily when I let them out.
 
There's no need to get rid of Diesel just because he's not good with
ferrets, but of course it is your responsibility to protect your small
animals from him.  If your cat has claws, she can probably take care of
herself -- and she might even teach Diesel a useful lesson about chasing
in the bargain.  But a 2# ferret is no match for a big dog, so it's your
job to keep him away from them.  Make sure he has other things that he's
allowed to chase (like tennis balls and Frisbees) and be calm and
consistent in letting him know that chasing ferrets is strictly
prohibited.
 
Hope this helps,
ellen
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[Posted in FML issue 4120]