getting ferrets

[Skinny Whip 4]

I want to get a couple of ferrets to  go with my lurcher. He's nearly three and has never been round ferrets. Is it possible to introduce them and get him used to them? He's cat friendly and is steady with livestock. He's been pretty good when being trained about whats prey and what isn't but I did all that before he was fully grown. I'd keep the ferrets in a cage when introducing him for the first few times till (if) he gets used to them. I reckon when he realises that ferrets mean rabbits he'll love em. What do we think? Anyone any experience of introducing older dogs?

[terryd 8,029]

Yes it is but some dogs want to kill every thing and don't mind some discomfort doing so and others are a bit more laid back. Depending which you have decides how you go on. So play it by ear and good luck 

[Luckee legs 422]

Just be careful. only ever introduced them young. As a teenager I remember my mum bringing home a rescue greyhound and in the afternoon we had a couple of ferrets out with 3 dogs, we let the greyhound loose and it ignored everything happening to head straight for and kill one of our hobs. Never trusted any dog I didn't know since.

  

[Lamper121 239]

I took on a 5 year old dog, been around ferrets once of twice but nothing much. I started off putting the muzzle on him and letting the ferrets run around at his feet, held them up to his face and just did that for a couple of weeks. He barely even looked at them during this process. Anyway I took him ferreting a couple of times and each time I tied him up so he could watch the action.....one day he slipped his collar while tied up and ran past me and picked up my best hob and ran off with it. Needless to say, the hob didn’t survive and I would never trust a dog I hadn’t broken from pup now. It’s just to risky. 

[Attaboy 159]

I had no problems breaking my 4 year old lurcher toferrets. It probably depends on how the dog is raised, my dog goes everywhere with me and has been shown not to bother cats, chickens and stuff. An ex track greyhound is a completely different story!