I want a small, short-hair, affectionate, calm, not yappy, dog who would do well in a two-cat household. My cats are an 8-year-old short-hair, calm female who is pretty much in charge, and a 5-year-old active (sometimes hyper) female tabby. Neither is aggressive, and both run and hide if a stranger visits. After about half an hour, the older female will wander out and eye the stranger suspiciously from under the dining room table. I’m assuming a puppy would be best and the least intimidating for the cats. A neighbor brought over a beagle puppy once and when I held it and sat down with it on the couch, the older cat ran and hid in the bedroom and the pup chased it. I immediately grabbed the pup up and returned him to the neighbor. Is it possible that the older cat might be maternal toward a puppy? She has a favorite fuzzy toy that she sometimes carries around, and I’m wondering if this is a maternal action (pretending it’s a kitten?) and that this might carry over to a puppy. A neice has a Maltese puppy that I just loved – it was very calm and quiet, but playful and sat like a baby in my arms. But I don’t want the chore of grooming a long-hair dog and Maltese dogs have very long hair needing daily grooming. Anyone have suggestions for a small, low-maintenance dog, and how to introduce a new pup into my 2-cat household with the least trauma for everyone?
I’m not a small dog person, but I would suggest avoiding Jack Russell Terriers. The couple I’ve known could not be broken of the trait to hunt down and kill any small creature (up to 1 1/2 time their size).
As for acclimating them, I would suggest bringing home the puppy as early as reasonably possible (not some 6-week-old unweaned pup, of course) so that the cats can get used to it when it is too small to be a real threat and so that the pup will recognize the cats as already “owning” the premises. The pup will want to play for a year ot two and this should reduce dominance issues.
At one point in my life we had a miniature schnauzer that got along just fine with the cat. Didn’t bark much at all.
I’m not a dog expert, but if Italian Greyhounds are anything like regular Greyhounds, then they might be good for you. But wait for someone to chime in who’s actually had one.
It’s going to be more a matter of the individual dog’s personality and upbringing than a matter of breed, most likely. With a puppy, I’d think you’d be more likely to run into chasing problems, and the possibility of the cats attacking it. I’ve seen lots of puppies who have been torn up by the kitty in their new home, including a seven-week sheltie who’s going to the opthalmologist tomorrow for her torn cornea. There’s going to be some friction, no matter what type of dog you get, while they all get used to one another, but cats are less likely to just out of the blue attack stuff that’s bigger than them. Besides, if you don’t have time for daily brushings, you don’t have time for housebreaking or obedience training, both of which puppies need.
I’d think about getting an adult dog that’s had some personality testing, if I were you. It gets you out of house-training, gives you a clearer idea of what the dog’s going to be like over the long-term, and if the cats do attack they’re less likely to do any serious damage.
As for breeds, I’d second the suggestion to avoid Jack Russells. They tend to be friendly little dogs, for the most part, but they’re the far end of the spectrum from calm, and they tend to be loud little buggers. Miniature pinschers tend to be nervous, snappy little dogs, even towards their owners (I’ve seen exactly one nice one, out of several hundred). Dachshunds and chihuahuas tend to be a pretty mixed bag, personalitywise. Some are pure evil, others are all sweetness and light. Dachsies are prone to back problems, though, and they tend to have very dominant personalities that can turn into viciousness if they’re not dealt with appropriately. Pugs and bulldogs are usually pretty nice, but they tend to have breathing problems and excessive snorting and huffing noises that would drive me totally bugshit. They’re also prone to skin infections and joint problems. Beagles are usually good little dogs, but they’re VOCAL. They talk so much they don’t even know they’re doing it half the time. They don’t yap, though; they howl.
In short, there’s good and bad points to every single breed there ever was. My suggestion would be to go to the shelter and find a nice little dog (maybe mixed-breed, maybe purebred) that they’ve tested with cats, kids, and other dogs, is already housebroken, and will come with free vaccinations and sterilization. It won’t take any longer to find such a dog at a shelter than it would to find a good pup from a good breeder, and it’s likely to save you all kinds of money and headaches in the end.
How do you know a beagle is awake? You can hear it. I don’t know if Pete is atypical, but if he’s not, they’re also dumb as rocks. Two of the cats dislike him, but the third adores him. If you want a loud, stupid dog that a cat might like, a beagle could work for you.
OTOH, one of my friends has an American Eskimo, and he’s not nearly as loud or as stupid, and all of her cats love him. They’re mid-sized, though, but I’m not sure there are many toy-to-small breeds that like cats.
A MinPin may be what you’re looking for. Mine got along fine with the cat at my house for years. YMMV, of course.
A Cavalier King Charles Spaniel might be worth considering. They don’t tend to be yappy barkers or “hyper”, and they have the typical spaniel “I love everybody” personality. They’re not a shorthaired breed, but their coat is feathery and isn’t excessive, and a brushing twice a week is all they need to stay tidy.
There are two major drawbacks to the breed. They are VERY prone to heart problems, and should always be purchased only from a breeder who’s carefully screening his/her breeding stock for heart disease. And they’re a bit hard to find, and so puppies can be expensive. If you’re interested in the breed, look for breeders who are members of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club of America (CKCSCA) (assuming you’re in the US). DON’T buy from a breeder who only registers their dogs with the AKC - the CKCSCA has a strict code of ethics for its breeders and enforces it, and your chances of getting a good dog are much higher if you buy from a breeder who’s associated with them.
In my humble opinion no dog would be good with cats. for one thing the texture of the meat is soooo different. Not to mention the taste. Dog tends to be more gamy where cats, as we all know, taste just like chicken.
Now parrot, that goes well with cat. Especially if you stuff the cat with parrot…
A Lhasa Apsa can be kept in a “puppy cut”, is adorable, smart, loving and, (after puppyhood), calm. Although one of my Mom’s used to bark at all strangers, it was part of her guard dog heritage, and she calmed down as soon as Mom told her it was alright. And the bark isn’t a yappy one anyhow. I recommend this breed to anyone who wants a companion dog.
Cockapoos (cocker spanial.poodle mixes) often have great personalities–the ones I have known are a bit more lively than a lhasa apsa, which may make your cats more nervous about the whole “dog as part of the household” business.
Even though I love both of these breeds, I would also encourage you to look at your local shelter first. If you can find a dog that fits your needs, you’d be giving a needy animal a good home. A good breeder’s dogs are always in demand and will find a home, but you may be a shelter dog’s only hope.
Pugs, pugs,pugs
My parents always kept their Maltese (at one time they had three) in puppy cuts, much to the disappointment of the groomers. This DOES entail taking them to the groomer’s every few weeks, or possibly getting a set of clippers and learning to do it yourself. Maltese are very sweet little dogs, though. Absolutely WORTHLESS as guard/attack dogs, they love everyone. They are purely companion dogs, and they need a lot of human contact, though they enjoy the company of other dogs as well. If you sit down, expect the Maltese to want to be in your lap. My mother has a photo of my father taking a nap on the couch, with all three dogs on the couch with him. The smaller two dogs weighed between 3 and 4 pounds each, while the larger dog weighed about 9 pounds, so you can tell that they don’t grow to be very big.
I have no experience in how Maltese react to cats. However, both my cats are bigger than most Maltese.
Err-- no greyhounds. First of all they’re big dogs, and secondly they’re renowned as cat chasers. They’re trained on the track to chase a little furry running thing. Some acquaintances of ours once had a greyhound get away from their daughter who was walking it (dumb idea, since the kid probably weighed half of what the dog did) and chased down and killed a cat.
Chef - ooohhh, a miniature schnauzer - my Mother had one and I hadn’t even thought about that; I’ll investigate. Ratatoskk - yes, I’ve considered an Italian greyhouond; an aquaintance recommended them…and BTW Indefatigable, Italian greyhounds are not the same as the regular greyhounds used for racing. The Italian greyhounds are very small and have a short, smooth coat, and are definitely on my list to check out. Crazycatlady - good points; you’ve got me re-thinking the idea of a puppy. While both of my cats are afraid of strangers, they challenge each other for territory (in the house), and the tabby is being very assertive these days. I’m thinking she might be hostile towards a puppy. Don’t know what a “minpin” is but I’ll google it. Kwaheeijy: I prefer cat, but the local Chinese place doesn’t give me a choice. 
I’ll check out Llasa Apso and pugs. As for the animal shelter – I agree that it is best to save an animal. My older cat is from a shelter and I adore her. I’ve had purebred breeds in mind, and not sure the shelters would have them, but I guess people give up their purebreds too. Visiting the shelters is so sad and upsetting to me – I want to save them all, but I WILL visit the shelter and talk to the staff about what I’m looking for. Thanks everyone for your suggestions.
Indefatigable – I have a greyhound and two cats. The greyhound is extremely laid back with the cats, NEVER tries to chase them. Some greyhounds have the chase instinct and some don’t, even the racers. The key is to have the dog “cat tested” before choosing him.
My brother has a Boston Terrier that lives with three cats. I hardly saw two of the cats before he got the dog anyway, so it is like there is no difference there. The other cat is much more sociable and quickly adjusted to having a new animal around, that one even wrestles with the dog sometimes!
For a little while, the puppy would start to chase the cats around, but he learned very quickly that the other two cats did not like to be chased.
Unless you get a huge dog, the cats will at least be able to avoid the dog, and depending on the temperment of your cats, they may take a swipe at the dog when they get irritated. The dog will learn quickly which cats, if any, he can play with.
Oh yeah, the Boston Terrier is super hyper, but I was just saying that a small dog will probably learn that the cats should be left alone after some time.
My mom has Jack Russells and a MinPin. They’re all very sweet to me and my mom, but none of them are very fond of my dad, and they’re very loud.
My mother’s two Jacks are both kind of snippy, especially the male. It seems to be a breed trait since my dad’s first husband has them too, and they’re apparently biters as well(she runs the Humane society in the next town over so it’s probably not a training issue).
The MinPin, Grady, is all bark and no bite. He’s a wuss. Not sure if that’s because he has two Jack Russells to back him up though. All three are terrible with cats, though if you put one of the dogs with all five of my cats, the cats generally handle themselves just fine.
My sister had an Italian Greyhound though, and she was a great dog. Only things to consider with them are keeping them warm and the delicacy of their legs, especially if you have kids(though at the time my sister had the dog my niece was six and my nephew three). Still they got her as an adult an she had already had one leg surgery and hurt her leg seriously enough for a cast once more before she died.
-Lil
Okay, don’t judge this right away, but have you thought about a poodle? Seriously! Poodles are extremely intelligent, kind dogs, and the “yippy, obnoxious” reputation they have is more related to the kinds of owners who raise yippy, obnoxious dogs, IMHO. They are very easy to groom if you keep them clipped short (which you can do yourself provided you don’t want anything fancy).
We had a poodle for years that we didn’t even want in the first place, we “inherited” it when an elderly relative needed to move to a care facility. We would have never thought about getting a poodle otherwise. But this dog completely won me over, it was affectionate, cuddly, good with kids, and good with the three cats. Buffy (yes, sadly, her name was Buffy) came to us with a bad habit of barking at the slightest provocation, but she was easily trained out of that.
I would also guess that your cats are going to be freaked out for the first few days with any new animal in the house, so I’m not sure I would place too much emphasis on the incident with the beagle puppy.
Oh, I also wanted to mention that some breeder’s clubs also deal with “rescue dogs” – purebred dogs that lost their homes or had to be removed from their homes for some reason. In some areas, it’s more likely that an unwanted purebred dog would end up with a club than at the local shelter. Sadly, some of these dogs have been mistreated, so you might have a dog come to you with some behavior problems as a result, so you might ask about that if you find a particular dog you like. The AKC keeps lists of local organizations.
A poodle is a possiblity. I just spent two days with friends out-of-state who have a standard poodle, and she was a very good dog – friendly, playful, and not noisy (excpet when someone came to the front door). I don’t think I want a dog that big, but a toy poodle, perhaps. And delphica - I think you’re right, and I must remember that – ANY new animal, dog, cat, whatever – is going to mean an adjustment for my two girls. A friend suggested I go to one or more dog shows to check out the breeds and talk to the owners/breeders. I will also check out the county animal shelter.