How to introduce ferret to other pets?

Question

I have a dog of mixed breed (fox terrier/labrador), a domestic cat and recently bought a baby ferret.

I was wondering how to introduce the ferret most importantly to the dog, so I can eventually let the ferret out of the cage without putting a leash on the dog or closing the dog in another room.

Yesterday I let both of them in the garden and the dog looked inquisitive. Although he did not try to kill or hurt the ferret he was playing roughly with him, and the ferret is fearless so obviously he tried to bite him. I am scared that the dog would someday snap when bitten (dog is usually a wuss and friendly and almost never bites).

Any suggestions?

Answer 1

I don't think there's a guaranteed, works-100% way to have them get along.

The thing to remember is that ferrets have thicker skin than the dog so they may not know how hard of a bite is too hard. If you notice bite-y behavior, you should immediately scruff your ferret to let them know the behavior is not okay. The important thing with that is to be consistent. You need to scruff your ferret nearly every time for them to get the idea. Timeouts are an option, too (but not in the cage they sleep in, somewhere else).

Because your ferret is a baby, he's going to be more bite-y. Most babies are. This is a good time to train them to not bite (or at least not be so rough).

Always look for signs of fear or anxiety in your dog (low ears, lack of tail-wagging, tail between the legs, displacement behaviors) when they're interacting. If your dog frequently looks uncomfortable, they may just not be a good fit.