harness

Question
Is it ever too early to harness train your ferret? I just got a new ferret and she is three months old but my family and I don't know if she is ready or not. Our other ferrets were trained at about three months but this new one is more energetic than they were so we don't know.

Answer
Hello Madeline,

The only reason I would say that it could be "too early" is because kits are little. They are difficult to get into a harness that is tight enough so they can't escape. Our female can still slip a harness whenever she wants and she is a year old, well past adulthood and well past growth spurts! That is why we've never tried to take her on the harness! For that reason, I would wait until she can fit into a harness or maybe find a harness that is small enough or that you can modify (safely) because a ferret is a little Houdini when it comes to their harnesses. When that day comes, here are the tips for training (as a refresher course, just in case :) ).

Ferrets usually hate their harnesses. They will wobble and roll and act like it is the absolute end of the world when you strap them into a harness (by the way, always use an H-harness and NEVER a collar - collars allow too much ease to escape and you do not want to lose your ferret outdoors).

Ferrets need to get used to their harnesses before you can take them out for a walk. They also need to get used to their leashes. So, to start out, you are going to want to get her in the harness first. Like I said, she will wiggle and flop and look at you like she never wants anything to do with you again. This is expected. Make sure that harness is tight enough. Ferrets are little furry Houdinis. As long as you can fit your pinky in between your ferret's body and the harness then it isn't too tight. Trust me, you'll want to make it as tight as you can (while still being able to fit your pinky in between her body and the harness), otherwise, she will slip right out of it. (By the way, this training is going to take you quite a while). Keep the harness on her for a while (about ten minutes) and then take it off and give her a treat for being so good! The next day, try 12-15 minutes. Don't forget the treat! It may take upwards of a few weeks to get her fully used to her harness. Like I said, this is going to be a LONG process!

{Also, a very IMPORTANT note. please don't leave your ferret alone while she has her harness or her leash on. She could get caught on something and if you aren't around to help her, that would be extremely bad!)

After a couple (or a few) weeks, and she's used to her harness, you can start with the leash! At first, you're going to want to attach the leash to the harness, and then let her walk around while dragging the leash behind her! I cannot stress enough that you supervise your ferret during this time!! Let her do this for a few minutes every day like you did the harness training. Do this for a few sessions. Don't forget the treats! After she gets used to that, you can start holding on to the leash while she's on it, but you shouldn't try to direct her in any way! After a few sessions of this (with treats, as always), you can start to pull her **gently** away from areas you don't want her to go. Never TUG on the leash. Ever. You could scare or hurt her. After a few sessions of this, you can begin to gently guide her. After she has that down, you can start going outdoors.

I would suggest you don't go far at all the first few training sessions. I mean, just take her outside the front door for a few minutes, then go back inside. Do this for a few sessions, venturing out a little bit more each time.

Things to remember:

Limit the walks to about 15-20 minutes.
Make sure your ferret is up to date on her shots (rabies and distemper).
Bring water and offer it to your ferret frequently. Bring a pet carrier with you so if your ferret gets tired, she can ride home.
Avoid other animals, strange or friendly.
It is your job to protect your ferret while you are on a walk with her.
Check her for fleas and ticks after her walks. Also, you should speak with your vet about flea, tick and heartworm prevention before starting walks.

Also: just a reminder: lead training a ferret is fun and rewarding but your goal is not to make her heel like a dog. Ferrets don't do that. The purpose of having  your ferret on a leash outdoors is to protect her and give her time to be outside at the same time!


I hope this helps and if you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask!

Sincerely,
Emilee Andrews