Ferret terrified of dogs

[Luckee legs 500]

Has anyone experience of a Ferret terrified of dogs and any suggestions on how to overcome this. Despite getting my first ferrets in 1978 and having them most of the last 47 years I have never come across this.

Whats happened is I picked up a hob ferret spotted roaming wild in December. It was clearly young and with ticks etc looked like it had been in the wild for a bit, nevertheless it wasnt tricky to catch as it was very underweight and finding life hard. fortunately I kept it apart from my others as it developed a serious lung infection and needed a lot of nursing to pull through but thats another story.  

Even after 2 months its not very confident and when I'm holding him I ve noticed he will tense if he hears a neighbours dog bark.  Anyway I always ferret with my dogs in tow and both dogs and my ferrets are confident in each other and this hob mixes with the other ferrets and sees my dogs through the cage mesh every day so  I thought I'd get him close to my lurcher today.  well f..k me the ferret screamed and struggled like his life depended on it. Any ideas on improving this ?  

[welsh_hunter12 120]

Sounds like he’s had a bad experience with a dog while in the wild. Try and get them drinking egg out of a bowl together. On numerous occasions my ferrets have freaked out and screamed around my dogs even though they are all used to each other. 

[Gilbey 1,478]

Can't help but had similar decades ago, coming home from work there was a ferret/polecat knocked over in the middle of the road, so stopped for a look like you do and noticed it was still breathing, took it home and it had started to come round and recovered after a while. But it was never properly tame and always nervy in general, and nervy round my runners. 

I've found other ferrets and had them given over the years, all been fine. 

Must of been wild or the bump had fecked it's head..

[Aussie Whip 4,170]

I've never seen this but had one big hob that hated dogs and would attack them at any chance, I had to put him down. Maybe give him to a ferreter without dogs?

[terryd 8,694]

I would say time. I’ve said before I bought kit that was absolutely terrified of any noise. I write her off and forgot about. Few months later I suddenly noticed she had stopped zooming off and cowering and turned into my best worker. Just a trust thing I reckon time will cure at least with your dogs. 

[jok 3,374]

I’ve been giving this some thought and have a possible. Some years ago, on new ground, netted around 20 holes along a ripped out hedgerow. Put a box at either end and dropped well experienced ferrets, again at each end. Within minutes I had one of them running and screaming like a banshee. I took off after her caught her but by heck she wasn’t happy. Back to the warren. 2nd ferret had moved to where the 1st had bolted and I ended up digging. Vixen with cubs. I suppose that would put a ferret off. Jok.

[DogMagic2 60]

Just keep him seeing the dogs through the bars, he will get used to them over time. If he got attacked by a dog while he was roaming he will take a while. If you get to a point where he is used to the dogs but not super confident wait till he is in one of his sleeps, you know the type where you think hes dead, you know how ferrets do that. Pick him up and put him on top of your dog who you know is super steady with ferrets. Preferably while the dog is also properly relaxed. If the ferret wakes up slowly and slowly becomes aware it is on a dog and not being attacked it will help a lot. 

 

 

 

[Luckee legs 500]

  On 28/02/2025 at 20:56, welsh_hunter12 said:

Sounds like he’s had a bad experience with a dog while in the wild. Try and get them drinking egg out of a bowl together. On numerous occasions my ferrets have freaked out and screamed around my dogs even though they are all used to each other. 

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That's good to hear they occasionally might scream even though they are familiar. Genuinely in over 40 years I've only heard that scream on the two occasions I've witnessed ferrets killed by dogs

[Luckee legs 500]

  On 01/03/2025 at 19:35, DogMagic2 said:

Just keep him seeing the dogs through the bars, he will get used to them over time. If he got attacked by a dog while he was roaming he will take a while. If you get to a point where he is used to the dogs but not super confident wait till he is in one of his sleeps, you know the type where you think hes dead, you know how ferrets do that. Pick him up and put him on top of your dog who you know is super steady with ferrets. Preferably while the dog is also properly relaxed. If the ferret wakes up slowly and slowly becomes aware it is on a dog and not being attacked it will help a lot. 

 

 

 

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My ferrets certainly get like that in the summer so I will work towards that 

[Luckee legs 500]

  On 01/03/2025 at 16:47, jok said:

I’ve been giving this some thought and have a possible. Some years ago, on new ground, netted around 20 holes along a ripped out hedgerow. Put a box at either end and dropped well experienced ferrets, again at each end. Within minutes I had one of them running and screaming like a banshee. I took off after her caught her but by heck she wasn’t happy. Back to the warren. 2nd ferret had moved to where the 1st had bolted and I ended up digging. Vixen with cubs. I suppose that would put a ferret off. Jok.

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That makes a lot of sense and could be the source of his fear as much as a dog attack. I can't believe I didn't think of that as two years ago I had a ferret hold up underground and as I started to dig a fox bolted. The ferret had hidden up a side passage and was terrified. Never screamed but even two years later, while she still hunts ok she is nervous entering and exiting 

[Luckee legs 500]

  On 01/03/2025 at 08:32, terryd said:

I would say time. I’ve said before I bought kit that was absolutely terrified of any noise. I write her off and forgot about. Few months later I suddenly noticed she had stopped zooming off and cowering and turned into my best worker. Just a trust thing I reckon time will cure at least with your dogs. 

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That's also reassuring to hear. He will play with the other ferrets so I hope he can come good  

[Luckee legs 500]

  On 01/03/2025 at 07:31, Aussie Whip said:

I've never seen this but had one big hob that hated dogs and would attack them at any chance, I had to put him down. Maybe give him to a ferreter without dogs?

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That's the sensible option, the problem is my ego,. Having never had this issue before I am thinking I get it about right with the dogs and ferrets so I'm going to keep going,. For sure if it's not ok by this autumn I won't be able to use him

[Luckee legs 500]

  On 28/02/2025 at 22:53, Gilbey said:

Can't help but had similar decades ago, coming home from work there was a ferret/polecat knocked over in the middle of the road, so stopped for a look like you do and noticed it was still breathing, took it home and it had started to come round and recovered after a while. But it was never properly tame and always nervy in general, and nervy round my runners. 

I've found other ferrets and had them given over the years, all been fine. 

Must of been wild or the bump had fecked it's head..

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Really appreciate the honest replies on here. I've also found or been given other escaped ferrets over the years and they have all been good, sometimes in a few weeks, worse was a bitter that took six months to be solid. . My kids as they were then called her "nipper" This hob maybe my nervous one ? I'm certainly going to stick with him and try a few things on the thread as I will need another vasectomised hob to replace my current one who's going the way of all older males

[Aussie Whip 4,170]

  On 02/03/2025 at 14:54, Luckee legs said:

That's the sensible option, the problem is my ego,. Having never had this issue before I am thinking I get it about right with the dogs and ferrets so I'm going to keep going,. For sure if it's not ok by this autumn I won't be able to use him

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I hope he gets over the fear thing for you, and him but it could be the reason he was abandoned and you shouldn't think it's anything to do with your abilities because some animals just have this temp from birth or just having to survive wild.