>Becky wrote: >"The Vizsla is a hunting dog and may be good with cats they are raised >with, but should not be trusted with animals such as hamsters, rabbits >and guinea pigs etc..." > >I think the above says it all-just my opinion. Ferrets, like cats, are carnivores, and not prey animals such as hamsters, rabbits, and guinea pigs. So I interpret this as meaning Vizslas will be as good with ferrets as the would be with cats. (Which I think is the opposite conclusion to the one Becky reached, though it's hard to tell). I think though, the key words are "raised with". I think the Vizsla should be a puppy when it first encounters the ferrets, still small enough to be wiling to accept a ferret as an authority figure. And the ferrets must have an appropriate personality to interact with the dog. Most ferrets I know love dogs, but there are a few who just want to attack (not play-attack) them. So I would think the best road to a mixed household would be to start with a ferret who has had friendly experiences with dogs before, let that ferret get established, then introduce the dog as a puppy and let it grow up with a ferret companion. It so much depends on personalities. I might never feel they were safe enough to leave unattended together -- but then again, I might. It's one of those things you just have to gauge case by case. -- Claire [Posted in FML issue 5089]