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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2011 11:14:22 GMT -5
You can see that there's a difference in ferret styles. Both styles are beautiful. Nancy's ferrets can throw quite a bit of variability within a given litter. The newer style, black sable ferrets tend to throw a more consistent litter. Consistency comes from line breeding. Consistency is desirable when you breed for the how ring.
Below is a picture of a European pole cat by Allan Hill It does not sport the heavy muzzle. This is a darker polecat than many.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2011 11:36:38 GMT -5
Not all polecats are super dark and super beefy...so there's variation in polecats. This example and the previous post show ferrets from the UK. Not all European polecats are from the UK
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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2011 11:43:08 GMT -5
Many experts believe that domestic ferrets have ties to the steppe polecat s well as the european polecat. There's not prof for or against this theory either way.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2011 11:49:08 GMT -5
How about this one....a feral ferret in the canary islands. This looks like the true cinnamon-colored ferret, which was a color provided by a breeder in the US. A true cinnamon ferret no longer exists...maybe Maybe not!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2011 11:54:00 GMT -5
So, the point here is that you need to decide what your highest priorities are for your ferret and work with the breeder to fin the best fit. Regardless of which litter you pick, I think you'll be extremely happy with any of Nancy's ferrets. But you always have to remember that there are NEVER any 100% guarantees with what you're getting, regardless of the source. This is true of just about everything in life -jennifer
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Post by darlene on Jun 30, 2011 1:55:46 GMT -5
Tonto again - no mask in the winter. He has a mask in the summer only. He does not have the big muzzle of the new-style ferrets. Does that make him inferior to today's show winners? NO! He's d*mn cute in my opinion He is so cute!!!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2011 5:11:21 GMT -5
LOL! Thanks for all the replies.
It cracked me up what someone I talked to said, something to the effect of "they keep breeding the ferrets wider, and shorter, and stockier, is that really what a ferret needs to be? I mean, does it have to be a ferret or a groundhog?"
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Post by crazylady on Jun 30, 2011 15:07:43 GMT -5
lol short and stocky with a big head is a bulldog medium length with an angular head is a whippet and large head with a long muscular body is a greyhound these have be recognised types for years take care bye for now Bev aka crazy lady
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Post by joan on Jul 9, 2011 8:36:19 GMT -5
Very interesting thread! I'll echo the rest...decide on your priorities and let the breeder select the kit which has the best fit to whatever you decide are the most important factors.
I hadn't read the standard in several years, so was rather surprised at some of the changes since they are deviations from typical polecat conformation...in particular, the barrel rib cage and the relatively short neck. I would consider both to be serious faults, as they would impact the polecat's ability to be a successful hunter.
Jennifer, I wouldn't consider either of the polecat pics to be true polecats, since they lack the polecat frontal eye placement. Out of hundreds of pics I've seen or been sent over the years of UK "polecats," only a few looked like they could actually be polecats. Many could be hybrids, but most were probably the result of feral ferrets surviving and breeding in the wild.
""they keep breeding the ferrets wider, and shorter, and stockier, is that really what a ferret needs to be? I mean, does it have to be a ferret or a groundhog?"
I totally agree with whoever said this, as a polecat with this type of build would have a hard time surviving in the wild.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2011 9:13:04 GMT -5
LOL!!! I couldn't find a decent picture with the classic European Polecat look...there is a lot of variation in the "polecat" itself - let alone ferrets. You're probably right about the pictures being hybrids -jennifer Oh, and now I have to find a picture of the "classic polecat" ;D
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Post by Heather on Jul 9, 2011 11:34:37 GMT -5
One thing you might consider, as your doing a webby thing too. Is she going to be interacting with these kits while you're watching? Ask her to show you some of what she thinks are going to be champion hobs, show hobs. Watch how they interact with her. Ask her why she thinks they might be champions. Ask her what hobs she thinks would make the best pets and why? Just so you know, they may very well not be the same ones. I, personally would take colour out of the equation (only because you've been offered two different colours). I would rely on personality and best fit and then conformation. That is how I chose my dog, not my ferrets (they're everyone elses choices lol) Many years ago (so long ago), I was still wrapped up in the show world and all its illusions (I"m so totally disillusioned now, so we won't talk about that ) I bought a dog to be my companion and a show dog. Sometimes those two don't mix. I had first pick of two litters 15 pups. Unlike you, I had the privilege of spending every weekend from the time they opened their eyes until I made my choice. There was one b**ch, she was spoken for (can you believe it out of 2 litters all but one were dogs ) Fourteen puppies to choose from. Pyrenees puppies....little balls of fuzz with little black eyes and dark noses. There were all sorts of criteria. Colour (surprising enough) also came into the equation (judges prefer whites over colours). So, that was going to help split my numbers too. In the end, I had the breeders help, but that wasn't much help either because they both look for different things in their dogs too . You see, it's all about how you look at the animal and how it best fits into a specific criteria but it's also open to the judges perception and how they interpret that criteria and how they compare it to your animal. Make sense. In the end, I chose a dog that best fit me. My personality, the one that came to me, the one that fit me. Yes, he became a champion, we had our ups and downs...learning to know what judge likes this and doesn't like that. I had a European style pyr, so showing under judges who prefered the short stocky American style pyrs was useless and a waste of money. My guy showed well under some Canadian and most European judges. In the end, he hated showing despite being a good dog and so did I. I don't tolerate politics very well. What I did win out on was getting a companion who went everywhere with me, I trusted infinitely and was one of the best all round dogs I've ever had. A long speel.....get the one that bests suits you. Look at the alternatives and sitting back and deciding is going to be the hardest thing in the world to do. Believe me. You will also spend a lot of time second guessing yourself, especially at show time ;D If your little hob, works with your family, loves you and his family, enjoys life, is healthy that's what counts....if he wins that's a bonus. If your planning on breeding...we never had this discussion ;D ;D ;D ;D that's a whole new ball game and a whole different criteria ciao
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