Ferrets and Other Pets

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Ferrets and other pets in your household can get along really well together. It has been said that you shouldn’t have ferrets and dogs like terriers in the same room, because a terrier, with its hunting instinct, might think a ferret is a rat or rabbit and kill it.

Yes, it’s true that some breeds might not get on with ferrets. However please understand that every dog is an individual, just like every ferret (or cat, or any other animal for that matter) is.

I’ve heard of greyhounds, certain terrier breeds and malamutes killing ferrets in the same household. I’ve also heard of a German Shepherd killing a ferret when it came up to the dog’s food dish – and this was a dog who was used to the ferrets.

However we have a German Shepherd and she is gentle and completely tolerant of our ferrets’ ridiculous behavior.

The moment I put food in her dish, a couple of the ferrets think it’s time to play ‘dig and scatter’ with her kibble. The dog stands there quietly until the ferrets get bored and once they go away, she starts eating her dinner. Not once have I seen her bare her teeth or curl her lip in a warning at such childish games!

I’ve also heard of people who’ve introduced a new ferret to their terrier breed, like a Jack Russell, and those two have become fast friends.

I guess it’s how you introduce your dog to your ferret and it’s also important for all the animals in your family to know that you don’t favor one over another.

If the ferret is chasing the cat or dog, you will intervene.

If your cat or dog is hassling your ferret, you will be there to stop it.

That way all the animals feel they are being treated equally and that you’re their champion!


However if you have birds and rodents as pets, you might want to rethink the idea of getting a ferret, as they really aren’t compatible. In fact, the ferret would probably kill either the bird or the rodent if it got the chance!

As I’ve said before, use common sense when introducing a new pet. Until you’re certain that your dog, or cat, or both, are comfortable with the new addition, don’t leave them unsupervised.

Make sure your dog doesn’t get irritated with the new addition and snap. Cats usually jump up out of the way but remember, they have claws … so make sure they don’t slash them in your ferret’s direction!

We have been so lucky when introducing new members of the family and it’s easy to get complacent and that’s something you can’t afford to do with ferrets.

Most of them are ridiculously fearless (Mulder being the exception .. if he had a thumb he would have been sitting there sucking it. He was wonderful, but such a wuss!) and some have no fear of big dogs or puffed-out cats.

In fact, they sometimes think it’s a challenge … as the macho Aussie male says, “You wanna go, mate? You wanna go?” as they thrust their chins out and paw the floor like a bad tempered emu!

For you Americans out there, I guess it would equate to the term “Bring ’em on!”

Anyhoo (as my kids say), when everyone around is full of the milk of human kindness, it’s great to see how they cosy up to and actual enjoy each other’s company!

When we first got Dukey (the kitten), he was so wrapped with the ferrets he thought he was actually one of them! He’d run through their pipes and try to be with them at all time. I guess he sussed out the fact that, despite their ages, ferrets are all kittens at heart!

Here he is enjoying a snooze with Friskie on Philip’s lap.

Here he is snoozing with Mulder, our BEW boy.


And Dukey was also very fond of cuddling Jake, who was one of our kits.

This is Dhabi, my Abyssinian, sharing the smoothy with the ferrets and I must say I usually had to shoo him away as he licked up more than his fair share of the drink, which meant there’s not much left for the ferrets!

Mulder used to love chewing on Dhabi when he was a kit …

… and they remained best of buddies when Mulder grew up too!

We used to have a 70kg Rottie (Rottweiler) called Boris, who was the epitome of the gentle giant.

Sadly he had to be put down when he was 11 because of bad arthritis. However he did share some tender moments with the ferrets before he got old and decrepit!

He also used to enjoy going for walks around Lake Carine and one day we took Mash and Friskie for a trot as well. No harnesses, just a squeaky toy, but I would not suggest anyone copies that. We knew our ferrets wouldn’t stray and were prepared to pick them up if we encountered another animal but there’s a very real chance your ferret could run away or get chased by a dog.

I must say we were all terribly upset when Boris had to be put down.

Neither Philip nor I were keen on another dog until Danielle, our youngest daughter, told us that her youth pastor was looking for a home for their 2nd German Shepherd.

You know the story .. “Daddy, I PROMISE I will take the dog out for a walk every single day, honestly! Please can we have another dog, please, please, please?”

We were suckered in good and proper!

Bonnie, the German Shepherd arrived, and once she had chased 2 of our cats up a tree and got a scratched nose from my Abyssinian, Dhabi, it was time to meet … no, not the Fockers, but the Ferrets

Enter CJ .. stage right.

Nose to nose .. who smells worse, I wonder?

dog and ferret

Bonnie, Kaos and Snoopy getting to know one another!

“Gnaw gnaw – how can I chew this wretched dog’s foot off, mmmm?”

“Hrump, maybe I can bite her on her bottom, instead!”

ferrets and dog

“C’mon Kaos, think! What trouble can we make for this interloper?”

However Muis loves cuddling Bonnie.

While Kaos likes to go where cats think they are safe, like on top of the wardrobe. (I never did figure out how she managed that!!)

And young Milo just will not allow Bonnie to chew on her kong. If he sees it in her mouth, he just waddles right up to her to snatch it from her jaws!

ferret and dog

 

ferret and dog

dog and ferret

 

“Bwahahahahahaha! Got the darned thing from that wussy pooch!”

dog and ferret

The following collection of photos show Muis and Bonnie “bonding” and at the end, Muis was so exhausted from all the antics, she fell asleep! Crazy little ferret!

 

 

 

 

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Unfortunately our beautiful German Shepherd, Bonnie, left for the Rainbow Bridge on June 1, 2009 :'(

Philip and I were undecided about getting another dog, as the pain of losing each one of our dogs over the years took its toll. However our kids encouraged us to get a dog from PetRescue.

We looked through the list of dogs and saw a photo of a dog which looked very much like our old Ridgeback!

We applied to have the dog and it was so funny, when the foster family brought the dog to our home, they walked in through the front door and this dog dropped onto its four paws when it smelled the mat in the doorway 😀

Thankfully the foster family agreed that we were the right family for this dog to come and live with us but since the dog was so interested in the smells in the mat, I decided I wouldn’t let the ferrets and the dog meet up right away.

I kept the ferrets in our bedroom all day and let the dog, whom we called Zac, explore the house and smell all the strange smells 😀

I kept them apart for a couple of weeks until Zac was comfortable with all the smells in our house.  Then I thought it was time to introduce him to our ferrets!

I brought them out one by one and gave Zac their bottoms to smell.  Then I put them away for a day.

The next day I let them out, one by one.  Zac smelled them all but then I put them away for the rest of the day.

Then, the following day I let all 6 ferrets out.

Thankfully, because Zac was used to their smells he didn’t freak out with seeing or smelling them and they were fine with him.

It did take longer than usual but I’m happy to say everything went beautifully and he was fine with all of our ferrets and, as of June 2016, he still is 😀

These photos are of Zac with Kimiko, my silvermitt, taken by Houndstooth Studio a couple of years ago.

Zac Kimiko Collage

So as you can see, ferrets can live harmoniously with dogs and cats in the house.

Just be very sensible about introducing a new animal to the older ones, don’t leave them unsupervised, until you know they’re all comfortable with each other, and make sure neither the ferret, nor the dog or cat, are being unfairly “picked on” by the others.


 

 

5 thoughts on “Ferrets and Other Pets”

  1. I have a ferret and a dog!The Ferret name is Daziy and the dog name is Bolt they are best Friends and Bolt even sleeps with her in her cage. Daziy did get out once Outside almost scared me have to death but Bolt Found Her Luckly. I am begging my mom to get this ferret I named him Hunter and My dog and ferret like him and he is very nice and playful. I do really Love this site!I show some of Photos of her and Bolt soon

  2. We have an adult ferret (who is incredibly spoiled) and we are getting a new puppy. I think one of the big things we are worried about is having the ferret steal the puppy’s toys, because the ferret has so many toys, and all of the toys in the house are hers. We are just worried that the toy issue could start a fight between them and also put the puppy at a disadvantage because the ferret hides everything under the couch and places she won’t be able to get to. How did you deal with this problem and/or do you have any advice to help with this problem.

  3. Oh Emily – I’m not sure what to suggest! 😮
    My gang never really were interested in toys and it was only Milo who had a “thing” about our German Shepherd’s kong. He’d just take it out of her mouth and put it safely in our wardrobe! LOL! I’d go and retrieve it and give it back to Bonnie, only for Milo to steal it again 😀
    I don’t know if you can teach your little girl which toys are hers and which aren’t.
    I know ferrets are smart but I’m not sure it’d be easy to keep your puppy’s toys separate from hers and if she manages to get a hold of one, to try and make sure she knows it wasn’t for her to take.
    Sorry, Emily, but your question really has stumped me and I really haven’t got any answers to share 🙁
    I’m sharing this YouTube video which I hope will make you laugh, not sharing it to worry you!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWJT0CyZKn8

    I’m sure once you get your puppy and ferret together and watch how they interact it’ll give you ideas on what to do if your girl does decide to hide everything under the couch 🙂
    Good luck!
    Hugs to your little girl from her new friends down under 😀
    Cheers
    ~Nona

  4. This article was very helpful in my behalf. I want a ferret but I am not sure that our jack Russel terrier would be okay with a ferret in the household. So thank you very much.

  5. Hi there! I was told that Jack Russells would attack ferrets, as would other terrier breeds, however I have a friend who had a JR and a ferret and those two were the best of friends!
    I think it’s very much how you introduce the two and always scoop the ferret up if the JR looks like it’s getting tired of the ferret!
    We got a rescue dog when our GSD died and although the dog was described as a Ridgeback X, I wasn’t prepared to just let him find out about the ferrets by letting them all run around together.
    As he was a rescue, I was especially cautious about letting him near the ferrets. I kept them separate for about 2 weeks so that he could get used to our house and the ferret smells and then I slowly introduced him to the gang! At the time we had 6 ferrets but they were used to dogs so it wasn’t too hard but I always kept them apart if I went out shopping, etc, until I was sure he was happy with the ferrets and vice versa.
    When we took him to our vet for a check up, she told us he wasn’t a Ridgeback X but a Staffordshire terrier X, so that made me especially glad that I took quite a few weeks to allow him to get used to my fuzzbutts!
    Use common sense, make both the JR and ferret feel like they are both important additions to your life, make sure they both know you’ll intervene if one gets too boisterous and hopefully they will be the best of friends!
    Good luck!
    Cheers
    ~Nona

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