Breaking Dog To Ferrets?

[irishdogs 48]

Ok basically I have a decent enough dog he's a bull/whippet/grey 25tts good at bunnies day and night and lifts and dispatches of Fox with relative ease, probably the best lurcher I've owned, bit light for big game but he does what I have him for bunnies and reynard, only thing is getting him broke to ferrets, how do I go about it ,as I have very little experience with ferrets we use to keep them when we were younger. Is there anything in particular to do or not do, he is fully broken to sheep horses cattle, basically anything he shouldn't be at, but when out for a day with the wee stinker, I have to have him on slip because he just wants to kill him every time we are out. He is 2 years old and is quiet in kennels and when out on a hunt

[bmull 189]

Try getting you dog to eat with a ferret first ie a bowl with mashed up eggs in :yes: :yes:

[Themoocher 231]

Depends how steady your dog is.

If your dog is listen to what you tell it.

 

If it's hard headed and wants anything that moves it will be extremely hard to break a 2 year old dog

[lifelong cumbrian 1,826]

Make a little wire cage that you can put the ferret in to let the dog see it for the first few times, you may have to put the dog on a lead. A mink trap is ideal for this. Just keep letting the dog see the ferret everyday, watch its reactions, you will need to get confidence in the dog before you can let the ferret out, keep it on lead at this stage and talk to the dog telling it to leave it.

It is very easy to train a pup to ferrets but it could be difficult for a 2 year old dog that has had a lot of kills, If the dog is steady it could be possible. My ferrets are in the same shed as my dogs so they accept them 100%.

[fireman 10,935]

The moocher has said the right things but the other two ignore it as all your'll get is a wound up dog and a dead ferret,get a kit in your hands and fuss the kit in front of the dog and keep the dog away for a bit,then slowly let the dog come in for a look and a sniff and any over keeness is delt with sharply and firmly as the ferret is yours and not the dogs toy,do this regularly and both dog and ferret will be used to each other as the ferret grows,then when their used toeach other and the dog shows no keeness with the ferret then let them both drink from a bowl on your lap so you are allways in control,then again after your happy with no jelousy then put the bowl on the floor and then you have it sussed.Keeping a ferret in a cage trap will stress the ferret which will trigger the dog as the ferret looks for a way out,keeping a ferret in a hutch where the dog can view it all the time is good advice though,it is not hard to do with steady dogs and you end up with dog steady ferrets as well.

just got watch the ferrets don't eat a dog really.

[Brigzy 1,298]

I don't know why; but as soon as someone calls a fox "Reynard", I get worried; a fox is a fox......

[Gaz_1989 9,539]

I have broken 2 adult dogs to ferrets using the "drinking from a bowl" technique.

 

Both dogs were steady though and well understood the words "no" and "leave".

 

 

The pup didn't take any breaking, just had her round them from day 1 and after a few days of trying to play with them she started to ignore them...

 

 

[tommy.c 859]

great pics there lads

[irishdogs 48]

Yeah my dog would be stubborn enough tbh, when he's on he is on, he understands no and leave but needs to be extremely assertive NO and LEAVE, my terrier pup isn't bothered by the ferret the but she been brought up from 7 weeks of age around it. Suppose it's one of those "can you teach an old dog New tricks?" time will tell and patience (which I'm not renowned for) give me a dog to break to sheep any day.

[fireman 10,935]

Just have hold the ferret and slowly let him near,any rushing in well it's your dog and only you know how assertive you will need to be but do it at home where he knows hunting isn't done it's a chilled place and he behaves there so he'll behave,well sounds ok on here eh but it might take all summer but so what it's all summer what you've got till you need them out together and good luck but like i say it's only you tht knows your dog and some just can't be trusted.

[*The*Field*Marshall* 674]

My dogs are well broken to ferrets, but when I got a new ferret I had to break him to the dogs! Haha it goes both ways sometimes. . I can't elaborate anymore on what's already been said. . As Gaz mentioned if a dog knows "leave" you're half way there.

 

For me it's the ferret in one hand, dog in collar in the other "introduce" them then let the ferret move around on the floor, keeping your eye on the dog mood and posture. . It's great to see, dogs and ferrets in harmony ?

[J Darcy 5,871]

Make a little wire cage that you can put the ferret in to let the dog see it for the first few times, you may have to put the dog on a lead. A mink trap is ideal for this. Just keep letting the dog see the ferret everyday, watch its reactions, you will need to get confidence in the dog before you can let the ferret out, keep it on lead at this stage and talk to the dog telling it to leave it.

It is very easy to train a pup to ferrets but it could be difficult for a 2 year old dog that has had a lot of kills, If the dog is steady it could be possible. My ferrets are in the same shed as my dogs so they accept them 100%.

Don't put your ferret in a cage, it will fret and move back and forth, the dog will pick up the signals and it will have the opposite effect. Show him the ferret in your hand, in a 'calm' environment. At first.

[weasle 1,119]

Ive broke a couple of older dogs,like yours bite first ask questions later types,Take your time.

Wouldn't be using the bowl method if i were you just yet, could end in :cray:Jmo .

As said just let the dog be around while you handle it,

Don't be holding out ferret so dog can sniff,its a invite of "oh i can have that"

Hold it possessively in your arms,Like a baby ,So dog can sniff but cannot bite.

I put my ferrets on a harness and dog on lead.Worked for mine.Some one Else holding ferret.Slowly let them walk closer and closer.

Worked for me any way.

 

[irishdogs 48]

Thanks for replies lads much appreciated

[socks 32,253]

It is essential to break your dogs to ferrets from pups if possible to make things easier in the field when they are adults ... Obviously more difficult when its an adult dog ... I have a half door on one of my ferret courts and my young bitch will often jump in there pick up one of the ferrets drop jump back out drop it on the yard and carry on the process until all the ferrets are in the yard where she takes great joy in playing with them lol .......