Is there a dog breed you would recommend for a home with cats?

Kinlow: Is there a dog breed you would recommend for a home with cats?
I know there are many considerations to make in choosing the breed of dog that is right for your family, but this is a big one for me. I have two cats with no dog experience and I would really like to see them all get along. Not only do I not want them to fight, but I want them to be friends.

Open to just about any suggestions. We like big dogs, small dogs, everything in between, and active dogs as well as lap dogs. We’re not too picky.

Answers and Views:

Answer by ladystang
chow
papillon

Answer by m!m!
Malamute Husky are very good. they are very good family dogs and they get along with other pets. my aunt had a female husky and cat . and she never had any problems!

Answer by redunicorn
I think it is more about the individual dog than the breed. Some dogs grow up with cats and are fine. I have a friend whose German Shepard had a pet cat. I have also known people who bought a puppy and the cats taught him to use the litter box.

Ask the breeder or shelter to recommend a dog that gets along with cats and hopefully your cats will not feel too put out about the new family member.

Good luck.

Answer by Erica
I would avoid the powerful breeds such as the American Pit Bull Terrier, Rottweiler, Doberman, GSD, Husky, Chow Chows, etc… not only for the fact that they may have a serious prey drive (especially in the case of the APBT), but also because they can be very difficult for a first time owner with no dog experience. They are stubborn, head strong, and all around not for inexperienced dog owners. Wonderful breeds if in the right hands, but could be a disaster waiting to happen in the hands of an inexperienced owner.

Also, most of the terrier breeds (including the rat terrier, Jack Russel terrier, etc…) were bred for hunting smaller animals (many people don’t realize it, but the chihuahua was used for this at one point as well), and probably aren’t a good idea as a cat could be seen as prey. A professional trainer would be helpful, but it could still be difficult.

Some herding breeds such as the border collie, Australian Cattle dog, etc… may not be a good idea either, as they tend to want to herd things (obviously given their breed), and tend to do so by nipping, etc… which may not make them ideal for having a cat.

I would suggest something along the lines of a retrieving breed, such as the Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, etc… while these dogs were bred for hunting, they were bred more for retrieving the kill, rather then flushing it out so much, therefore they don’t tend to have as high of a prey drive as some of the other hunting breeds. However, with the lab (not sure about the Golden), they can keep their puppy mentality for years, are high energy, and can be difficult for some owners, especially as puppies.

I don’t know a whole lot about the smaller/toy breeds, so I’m no help there, sorry! If you haven’t already, try asking this in the dog section as well, they may be able to help you out, too.

Answer by Stefani
Pomeranians are the best. They don’t get scared of cats becuase they’re their size and they like to play with them. Trust me I have 1 one and 3 cats and the love my pom pom.

Answer by Josee
A beagle is pretty friendly to all animals if you get him used to it young. Mine just loved it if I brought home stray cats. Although the cats took a little time getting used to the dog.

The trick is to put the dogs scent on a towel by wiping the dog with the towel, then wipe the cats with it to get them used to the scent of the dog and vice-versa. I once had one cat very upset with me once for bringing in another cat…so be prepared for this.

If I may suggest a dog or puppy that comes from a home with cats, they’ll hardly pay them any attention. Please don’t get an older dog unless you’re certain he’s used to cats. I’m more worried about the cats attacking the dog than vice-versa really. Most dogs will just want to sniff the cat and get a nice claw wack instead.

A small dog may be way too excitable for the cats too…and run around in circles around them…such as a terrier breed. For instance I now have a yorkshire terrier (they’re rat killers by nature) so really look up your breeds b4 you buy. Whatever you do, make sure to keep sleeping quarters seperate for the first days at least. Put the dog in a protected crate or in a seperate room.