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Hi,
We have two older, gentle cats and a child. We are going to be getting a puppy in the coming weeks, and I was wondering if there are particular kinds of dogs that are very laid back, gentle, great with cats and relatively easy. The two cats are boys, so should the dog be male or female? Does it make a difference? Thanks. This is just a preliminary fact finding mission on my part
Hi,
We have two older, gentle cats and a child. We are going to be getting a puppy in the coming weeks, and I was wondering if there are particular kinds of dogs that are very laid back, gentle, great with cats and relatively easy. The two cats are boys, so should the dog be male or female? Does it make a difference? Thanks. This is just a preliminary fact finding mission on my part
Some dogs are more prey driven than others but you can still teach them to respect the cats. However, I would not get a Presa Cario (or however the heck you spell that), with cats, for example.
The fact that this dog will be a puppy when you bring it home is a good thing. It gives you a clean slate to teach the dog, (you can use a leash in the house), not to chase the cats, AND the cats are big enough and the pup small enough that the cats can also teach the dog a few manners.
Are your cats dog-savvy, or might they be utterly distressed and discombulated about a dog?
Sex of the dog will not make a difference. Any puppy is going to be naturally curious about a dog - a herding/terrier/working breed or mix is likely to have a higher prey drive and terrorise your cats.
Does it have to be a puppy? I'd suggest finding a young adult who is already kid- and cat-tested in a foster home, like through petfinder. Puppies are a pain in the ass, plus they are only cute for a few weeks - then they morph into teething, gangly adolescents and they may take a ton of work to train and socialise..... The adult dog is what you will live with for a decade or more so why not get a known entity, less work and get exactly the dpg you want?
There are dogs that are laid back, but puppies are another story. "Puppies" and "easy" really don't belong in the same sentence. I would be afraid with a very small breed puppy that an older cat might actually hurt it if it got angry enough (and a gentle cat won't necessariy be gentle with a dog). I have one cat that will swat and scratch in earnest at any dog that gets inside her little buffer zone, and one that plays with dogs by biting and play-swatting, but he's young (my dogs like him). You should really be trying to find out what dog is a good fit for your family rather than the cats. They'll probably be able to make a puppy submissive to them.
To answer your question on the other thread, whether the cats get along with the dog or not, they need places to get away from him when they need peace and quiet, like baby-gated rooms, or you can cut a cat hole in a door if the dog's too big to get through. Also high places in the living room, or wherever the family spends a lot of time that they can sit on where the dog can't bother them is really good. The puppy will dine on cat poop if s/he can so that should be in the "cat's room" you've gated off. If this is your first dog, I think you'll find that learning the ropes of being a dog owner is more of an issue than the dog/cat issue. This is especially true for a puppy.
Are your cats dog-savvy, or might they be utterly distressed and discombulated about a dog?
Sex of the dog will not make a difference. Any puppy is going to be naturally curious about a dog - a herding/terrier/working breed or mix is likely to have a higher prey drive and terrorise your cats.
Does it have to be a puppy? I'd suggest finding a young adult who is already kid- and cat-tested in a foster home, like through petfinder. Puppies are a pain in the ass, plus they are only cute for a few weeks - then they morph into teething, gangly adolescents and they may take a ton of work to train and socialise..... The adult dog is what you will live with for a decade or more so why not get a known entity, less work and get exactly the dpg you want?
Absolutely agree with everything C. said. You'd have to pay me a lot of $$$ to take a puppy. I try not to even foster them any more since they are so, so, so, so, so much work until they are at least 6 months old.
puppies are puppies...so if your cats are patient and have a safe room (baby gate off a room thats for them only) id say youll be fine...sex of the dog wont make any difference (spay/neuter obviously)
in terms of breeds however that CAN make a difference, as already pointed out some breds can be or are more prey driven than others.
with cats id avoid high drive molossers (ive met pits, and bully breeds and mastifs that live happily wiht cats...but Dogos, presa, ect tend to be too high drive...not that id suggest a molosser for a new dog owner anyway!
id stay away from sighthounds...plain and simple...older greyhouds that have been cat tested could work, but these dogs are bred with every fiber of their being to chase rabbit sized prey...plain and simple...cats and rabbits are quite similar (as are small dogs) in size and once that chase kicks in...no cat is outrunning a sighthound. sighthounds are very well known to be "cat killers" though typically completly by accident.
some of the larger terriers can also be a problem...simply because again these dogs have been bred for many generations to hunt and kill small fuzzy animals...and guess hat, cats are "small" fuzzy animals...
a smaller terrier can be fine with cats simply due to size, but the larger terriers can be too much even if not high drive.
in terms of the right breed wed need to know ALOT more about what youd be looking for in your dog...a lap dog, a hiking companion, a mid line energy level wholl play ball in the yard but then happily nap all day...
what about size preferences, are you looking for a pocket pooch or a giant mastf, what kind of weight and ehight range are you looking at.
how about grooming, logn hair, short hair, shedding, proefssional grooming ect.
how long would puppy be alone...some breeds are more prone to seperation anxiety than others...some are escape artists.
what kind of training are you willing to do...some breeds are bred as working dogs and need ALOT more mental stimulation than others...
some breeds that imediatly come to mind as good for beginners, generally ok with cats are:
affenpinscher: "cute" (in an unsual way), small, (i call them monkey dogs), coat is relitivly easy upkeep, they tend to be higher engry but LOW excersize requirement type dogs (theyll happily run around and even go hiking but they are also small enough to use the house as a racetrak and so dont need too much excersize) they can be a little stubborn though so need a little more work interms of training.
Brussels griffon: similar to the affenpinscher in my experience
corgi: cute, "small" (theyre short but can be quite stocky) can be heavy shedders but not much in terms of grooming...GOOD energy level if you are active) inteligent but working dogs so need lots of stimulation.
cavalier king charles (now i personally seel spaniels are WONDERFULL beginner dogs!): adorable, small, nice energy level, sweet :and eager to please. SERIOUSLY THOUGH watch for health issues...lots of bad breeding over the years led to alot of health issues..breed rescue or SERIOUSLY hard work in finding a good breeder!
cocker spaniel(am or eng): i grew up with these guys, WONDERFULL, but again seriously breed rescue or look for a good breeder, they have a rep of being "nippy" this is all due to alot of bad breeding practices, a good cocker is NEVER nippy! sweet, incredly loyal and eager to please, nice medium size, good energy level (quiet indoors but always ready to go) do need some grooming upkeep though!
cant go wrong with a well bred golden retreiver
same goes for a wel bred lab!
and f grooming isnt an issue...a well bred poodle is always a great dog. (dont let the funny hairdo fool you they are increidbly sweet inteligent eager to please dogs bred to WORK!)
thats just a few ot the ones that just pop into my head as being good for "beginners" and tyically good with cats.
remember though, good with cats if often a combination of breeding and training, teach puppy from day 1 that cats are not toys and almost any breed could work.
Don't be scared. But if you're not dead set on a puppy, I'd think about chiroptera's suggestion about finding an adult dog who's been in foster with cats, who's known to be good with kids. The first dog I had as an adult was a puppy. We loved him dearly, I got a puppy training book (no internet forums then, that would have helped a lot), and he turned out OK and was a happy boy. But as a long-time dog owner now, I'd have done some things very differently. Puppies involve so much training, and so much more learning on the owner's part, classes help a lot but for first time dog owners an adult can be much less stressful. They're probably house broken if in foster care, they're over the chewing stage, just so many extra things you don't have to worry about. And getting back to your original question about laid-back dogs, they won't have as high an energy level as they did as puppies (though this does vary with breed). A foster family can really give you a good idea of the dog's personality and whether it's a good fit for you.
The wealth of knowledge here is amazing.You guys have been so helpful. It looks like we will be focusing on getting a longhaired dachshund. From what we are reading they are great in the city, are easygoing and they have short legs, making it impossible to climb and get the cats. We had considered a Golden Retriever or Lab originally, but we realized that a big dog would appear intimidating to our cats. Do you think this is a good choice? I have never had a dog, but luckily my husband grew up with them. It's been a while though.
I wouldn't suggest a dachshund as a dog for first-time owners with two cats and a child. They're wonderful dogs but can be quite challenging on several levels....remember they were bred to dig down tunnels to go after badgers - an animal a lot bigger than them.
Always a good idea to research the original purpose of the breed....not that all dogs of that breed will be typical, but it gives you an indication.
Of course if you're looking for an adult, hopefully you'll get one with a known personality. I wouldn't necessarily call a Dachshund "laid back" usually.
Corgis are a good choice but the Pembroke corgi (no tail) typically has a much sweeter temperament than a Cardigan (has a tail and is also somewhat larger.) Also they are herding dogs, so fairly active.
There's all sorts of cute and wonderful mutts and cross-breeds out there too. Have you looked on petfinder.com, just to browse? If you have your heart set on a purebred, look for a companion-type dog rather than a working/herding/terrier type. Boston terrier, Pug, small poodle, Havanese, like that.
Do you have a yard? Plans to regularly walk the dog, take it to classes, jog or bike with it? What's your tolerance for shedding and grooming?
UKC and AKC are two reputable registries for learning about breeds:
American Kennel Club - Breeds
United Kennel Club: Breed Information (http://www.ukcdogs.com/WebSite.nsf/WebPages/LrnBreedInfo - broken link)
There are TONS of junk registries, stay away from anyone who registers dogs with APRI, Continental Kennel Club, UBI, NKC, ACA, etc...all junk. Something to be aware of if you decide to buy a puppy or dog from someone who's breeding them for sale...
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