Friday, August 9, 2013

An Unusual Friendship

A couple of weeks ago, a few people left comments wanting to know if my dog and pet rat got along with each other. It's a good question because I know that a lot of dogs would think a rat was a toy or something. If you've been following this blog for a while, you should know that yes - Shiner and Nibblet do get along with each other just fine.

Shiner and Nibblet together. 

When I first decided to get Nibblet about one year ago, I was pretty sure that Shiner wouldn't mind. You see, when Shiner was still a little puppy we had a pet ferret named Francis.

Shiner and Francis were the best of friends. They played together and even shared a food bowl because Francis would try to steal Shiner's kibble. Francis played rough with Shiner. I think he thought he was a pit bull too. He would jump on Shiner's back and grab some loose skin in his mouth and shake it around a little bit. All in a playful manner, of course - no one ever got hurt. ;)

Puppy Shiner and Francis playing together.

We also had a hamster - Hammy - that Shiner liked to sniff and lick a lot. They didn't really play together though. Hamsters are a little different than ferrets or rats.

Lily, Shiner, and Hammy. 

Now, Shiner has Nibblet and they have an unusual friendship with each other. I mean, can you really picture a pit bull and rat playing together? If not, I've decided to put together a video for you to see.

It's hard to shoot good footage of the two of them playing together. Especially when you don't have a great video camera... Anyways, I have several clips of them I've collected so I guess it's about time I share them. Enjoy!


Does your pet have any unusual friendships?


Sugar the Golden Retriever is hosting her "This Moment, See Beautiful" blog hop today. I decided this post would be good to share for the blog hop. Friendship is a beautiful thing after all! You can see more beauty at the links in the blog hop. Sugar has a busy month in August and we will be joining more of her special blog hops next week. See you then!

54 comments:

  1. This is so sweet, Ann. I think I have mentioned this before but I had to stop keeping rats because Tynan was a very keen rodent sniffer/pointer/hunter. He did use this skill to help many frustrated friends find out where rats, mice or squirrels were getting into their houses (even when exterminators had failed!)

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    1. Oh yea I remember now! That is pretty cool that he was actually able to use his skills for something useful :)

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  2. OMG! This is fantastic! I love these unusual friendships! My second hamster's name was Hammy! ;0)

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    1. I don't know what number Hammy this one was lol. I've had several Hammy's in the past hehe.

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  3. What wonderful Seeing Beautiful moments you have captured Ann! Awesome post! Xo Chloe and LadyBug

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  4. Shiner you are just one big softie. Loved it. Have a fabulous Friday.
    Best wishes Molly

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  5. Beautiful "unusual" Friendship. Golden LOVE it. Lots of Golden Thanks for sharing and joining our hop. Happy Seeing Beauty. Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar

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    1. Thank you Sugar. We will be joining some of your other hops coming up too!

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  6. Looks like they play hide-and-go-seek! Very cute.

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    1. Yes lol... if I ever can't find Nibblet, Shiner is a big help!

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  7. That is terrific Shiner that you get along with that little character. We cats are best friends with our dog. Plus at one time, some of the cats were friends with a skunk. Love the video. Take care.

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    1. Wow a skunk? That sounds weird! I think it's weird that Shiner is nice to these little critters, but can't get along with cats... maybe because the cats don't appreciate having a dog snout in their face and aren't afraid to show it!

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  8. the photo and the video has truly warmed the cockles of my heart. so sweet so precious and wonderful and most definitely BEAUTIFUL

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  9. They really do have such a sweet, beautiful friendship. As a terrier, I do not believe I would be able to control my terrier-ness enough to be friends with a rat. I have settled on the bird as my buddy.
    Oz

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    1. Well, at least you and that bird are nice friends Oz :)

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  10. It's so great that Shiner is a good friend to Nibblet.

    Honey also likes small animals. We had a wild field rat living in the house for a while. He was very bold. When he'd walk across the hall and head downstairs, Honey would sit and watch him.

    She also likes cats. Except for one. Every time this one cat walks by, Honey goes running and barking after him.

    I sometimes wonder if it's because she knows what an avid hunter he is. I think Honey would never forgive a cat she knows spends a lot of time killing small animals.

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    1. I so wish Shiner got along with cats. Her relationship with our last cat was "bumpy" to say the least... I think that's always stuck with her. I don't think Honey would have liked my last cat either ;) She was quite the avid little rabbit hunter...

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  11. That is so awesome. They are so cute together.

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  12. That is so awesome that Shiner gets along with Nibblet (and all the other small critters you had in the past)! Unfortunately, I think my two wouldn't know how to play nice with a rat. They would see it as a real live squeaky toy. Buuut, Li'l Girl can be unpredictable at times. Her mothering instincts might take over and she might try to "mother" it like a puppy. Which would be cute, but I don't think the rat would appreciate it ;).
    It's so nice that Shiner has grown up with smaller critters and has learned to love them and be gentle with them. What a beautiful thing!
    Happy See Beautiful Day!

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    1. Thank you Pam :) The only other small critter she doesn't get along with is cats, and I so wish she liked them because I'm having cat withdrawals!

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  13. Awwww...Shiner and Nibblet...BFF's!! :-D Beautiful video Ann!

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  14. That's really beautiful - even unusual friendship is possible. I think we can learn a lot from our anipals :o)

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  15. They really do look like special pals and it makes us smile to see them together!

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  16. That is so cool! Beautiful buddies! Purrs...

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  17. So cute and so sqeeable! Rita doesn't have any unusual friends (and I'm certain she wouldn't like a rat, since she killed a mouse the other day!) but I have a book about unusual friendships. It's really cute.

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    1. Lol - well go Rita! I wish Shiner could catch some of the unwanted rodents around the house but she's not a great hunter...

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  18. shiner....yur mewvie iz grate...we gived it 874 paws up....N yur pick sure with hammy N lily iz priceless....but fess up, hammy looked... chop lickin good...huh !!

    hope everee one haza grate flounder filled week oh end

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    1. Lol I do like how she's licking her lips in the picture hehe

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  19. Blueberry has a love/hate relationship with the resident dwarf hamsters. Although the dwarf, Pumpernickel, loves Blueberry and rolls in his ball to rest between her paws every chance he gets. I'm not sure Blueberry shares that love and I haven't tested it by ever letting Pumpernickel out free like your little Niblet. She has a pretty high prey drive so I'm not sure it would go well. Love that they get along though - Shiner shows remarkable restraint!!

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    1. Aw how cute! I wouldn't let my hamster run around free, but Nibblet will come when and called and stuff. Thanks for stopping by!

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  20. That is so sweet! She is such a gentle and loving big sister :-)

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  21. Oh my gosh, that is SO adorable! We have always loved Shiner and Nibblet, but now now we love them even more. :)

    Thank you for sharing this, Ann. It's a happy start to the weekend!

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  22. AHHHHHH HOW PRECIOUS THAT SHINER IS SO LOVING TO HAMMY AND THE BEAUTIFUL LITTLE GIRL IS LEARNING TO LOVE ALL CREATURES
    HUGS MADI AND MOM

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  23. Oh, the cuteness!!! Shiner is an excellent ambassador for us pittie types, Ann :)

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    1. She has some good moments here and there ;) I wish she were like you with those kitties though!

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  24. I had a hamster that looked just like Hammie. Rest his hamster soul. Surprisingly, my cat never tried to eat my hamster. We also had a guinea pig before Beamer and the cat was fine with him too. This just goes to show that Shiner is one gentle soul.

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    1. Our cat never tried to eat Hammy either, which I found odd because she had a thing for wild rabbits and rodents... One of my childhood Hammy's was playing in my dollhouse. I left him unattended for a second and came back to find Hammy in my cat's mouth. Hammy was OK thankfully lol...

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  25. Friendship is certainly beautiful. Enjoyed your video and Shiner is one special dog to be so gentle with his friend.

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  26. Friendship is beautiful. Shiner's a special dog playing so gently with his rat friend.

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  27. Well I think Austin would think Nibblet was lunch and Frances (lol at the name!) So it is so sweet to see Shiner playing so sweetly with his ratty friend!! :)

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  28. Aww this is so cute. My dog and my daughter's chinchilla were like Shiner and Nibblet. The chinchilla jumped on her, when she entered the room and they were really playing together. Very cute. We had hamsters too and a white mouse, but my dog didn't do anything to them. She was such a good girlfriend :)

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  29. Ann, that is really something. I know you said they get along, but to actually see them hanging out together is so cool! I always think it's amazing when just the cats and the dogs get along. Our cat Samantha just loves to go and rub up against the dogs. Sometimes they're not quite sure what to make of it, but they are fine with it! My sister's Beagle and one of her cats actually wrestle together....ours have never done that! I think a lot of it has to do with what other pets they are brought up with. That is pretty funny about Shiner and your ferret playing together too!

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    1. You may be right about the bring up part. Shiner's first other furry friend besides a dog was the ferret. So I guess that's why she's cool with those animals. Kitty Kitty Meow Meow came along on the same day the ferret did, but was kind of a come and go as she pleased kind of cat. Shiner wasn't around her much and they eventually became "mortal enemies" I'd say lol...

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  30. Awwww I just couldn't trust meself..BOL xxooxx

    Mollie and Alfie

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