I am thinking about a dog... best breed for my situation?

Question

i live in a townhouse and have a cat. The youngest person in the house is 12. I would prefer a small dog, but, i don't know the best breed and where to start! Can you help?

Answer 1

As long as introduced correctly cats and dogs can live together. I currently have 3 dogs (black lab, border collie - these two are normally outside) the other is a german shepherd - he is inside most of the time. All three dogs will play with the 3 cats we have. The cat will take care of himself and teach the dog what is too rough of play. I have two kids and over my many years we have had a few small dogs over the years. Here is a few recommendations.

Pembroke Welsh corgi. At about 25 pounds, the Pembroke Welsh corgi is a popular pet. This stocky short tailed breed needs daily exercise and loves romping with the kids.

Schnauzer. The schnauzer is a wonderful family pet. Eager to please and to keep the family safe, this breed usually requires regular grooming and daily exercise. This breed thrives on human companionship and is available in three different sizes.

Bichon frise. This white fluff ball is a happy-go-lucky dog. Faithful and obedient, the bichon is a wonderful addition to any home. The bichon does require regular grooming to keep his coat looking great but loves to investigate and participate in anything.

Poodle. The poodle is an intelligent and friendly dog that craves human companionship. Happiest when allowed to run and play, the poodle is well known for being low shed, and comes in three different sizes to suit any taste.

Shih tzu. Originally bred as a companion animal for royalty, the shih tzu still enjoys a life a luxury. Not too proud to get down and dirty with the kids, this dog loves nothing better than sharing time with people, even if that means getting dressed up for a tea party.

Boston terrier. The Boston is a small black and white terrier that loves to make you laugh. After brief periods of activity, the Boston loves to curl up on the sofa while you read a good book. Obedient and loyal, the Boston is a good watch dog and loyal family pet, especially for the not so active families.

Pug. Not at all pugnacious, the pug is an affectionate, loveable, even-tempered breed with great charm and dignity. Pugs love being part of the family. They are playful companions for children and will happily curl up on your lap for a nap.

Answer 2

unlike the answerer elsewhere, IMO the cat will NOt!! 'take care of themself'.

there are specific breeds of dog who are notorious cat-killers or chasers: GSD's, Siberians, some other Nordics [most other husky-types will at least chase; some will kill], many Greyhounds, especially rescued-racers off the track, and so on.

make SURE that Ur cat is willing to tolerate a dog OUTside the home first: take the cat to a local shelter, or even Ur own vet's office. call 1st, explain what U want to try. Ask if they have a cat-tolerant, calm dog, that Ur kitty can meet.

Intro the cat IN THE CARRIER, putting it on a table, chair or other off-the-floor safe place. Have the dog on a leash; let the dog approach, but not Touch!, the crate and sniff. Let the kitty hiss, bat, whatever; keep the dog back far enuf to let the cat threaten or warn, but not get too scared.

After the kitty has relaxed a bit, offer a treat- something WAY special. If cat won't eat, they are too stressed. Take the dog out of the room, give Kitty a breather. Try again in 5 to 10 mins, after Kitty has eaten a tiny taste of the extra-special treat.

U are Associating The Presence of the Calm, Cat-friendly Dog, with the WonderFull!! goody. U are building Kitty's tolerance to dogs.

Answer 3

Small dogs DON'T make the best apartment dogs! They tend to bark a lot and be more active and much harder to housebreak than big dogs. Since you have a cat, you should definitely NOT get a terrier. If you have your heart set on a small dog, get a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel or a Pug or an ENGLISH Cocker Spaniel.

I highly recommend the Sight Hounds - Greyhounds, Salukis and Whippets are terrific apartment dogs, as long as you can take them out for a long daily run. Inside the apartment, they are couch potatoes (like our Borzoi - Russian wolfhound) and you won't even know they're around most of the time. They are very quiet and easily housebroken and much better than most small dogs. Be careful if you're adopting a racing greyhound off the track. They are often fine, but many have behavior problems (like destructive chewing) from being locked in a cage with little socialization. Also, remember that sighthounds are hunting dogs and some will kill small animals (cats, rabbits, toy dogs) if they haven't grown up with them.

Find a good breeder by going to www.akc.org or talking to people at dog shows. You can also find info about the breed clubs on the akc site - most have rescue groups where you can get an older dog for less money.
http://www.akc.org/breederinfo/breeder_search.cfm

You can also find info about the breed clubs on the akc site - they probably have a rescue group where you can get an older dog for less money.
http://www.akc.org/breeds/rescue.cfm

The best breeders will be members of their breed club, promoting healthy dogs with great temperaments. They should ask you a bunch of questions to make sure their puppy will be getting a good home. If all a "breeder" seems to care about is whether your check will clear, you can be sure he won't care a week later when the pup is dying from distemper or parvo and you want your money back.

Whatever you do, DON'T go to a pet shop, a flea market or buy one sight-unseen off the Internet!!!! You'll pay top dollar for what is usually a poor quality puppy mill dog. And you'll be supporting one of the cruelest industries in the country. The breeding animals are often kept in deplorable conditions - spending their entire lives in small wire-bottomed cages. They probably haven't been vaccinated against contagious diseases or tested for any health or temperament problems or genetic diseases - that costs money and cuts into their profits. A female is often bred every time she comes into heat. When her poor little body can't take it any more, she is often clubbed in the head and tossed into a dumpster or an open ditch. Most puppy mills ship their pups to pet stores at wholesale prices and many pups die before they even get there.

BEFORE you get any dog you should read some great books on training. (Try not to pick books randomly - there are a lot of bad books out there also!)

These are the books that I recommend to my students; you can get them on Amazon.com
What All Good Dogs Should Know – Volhard http://www.volhard.com/
Good Owners, Great Dogs - Brian Kilcommins
Dog Tricks : Eighty-Eight Challenging Activities for Your Dog from World-Class Trainers by Haggerty and Benjamin
Don't Shoot the Dog - Pryor
Training Your Dog: The Step by Step Method - Volhard
Dog Problems - Benjamin
Cesar's Way - Cesar Millan
Also, watch the Dog Whisperer on the National Geographic Channel. Cesar Millan is the best trainer I've ever seen on TV.
http://www.dogpsychologycenter.com/

Answer 4

Pekingese is a good breed they don't bark much or shed much. Can be kind of stubborn but they are still good dogs and they dont requie alot of exercise so if you don't have time to walk a dog all of the time they are good. If you are in a townhouse stay away from the yippers like chihuahuas, yorkies,and Pomeranians which what I have, sweet dogs just bark ALOT

Answer 5

Shetland Sheep Dog - Sheltie

http://www.akc.org/breeds/shetland_sheepdog/index.cfm
Perfect!!!

Answer 6

There are a bunch of things you should know about dog training but we are going to discuss what I feel are some the most important. Keep in mind that these are only some of the things you should know. Go here http://OnlineDogTraining.enle.info/?Hm4W

1. Repetition is the number 1 principle of dog training. Dogs just like humans learn by doing things over and over in order to get better.

2. Dog Training can and should be fun for both you and your new pet.

3. Training sessions should always be short but sweet. I never work a dog more than 15 minutes in a session to keep from losing the dog's attention. You should train you dog at least once a day but never more than three formal sessions a day.

4. Your goal should be that each training session is just a little bit better than the last one. You need to always strive to make the training better, slowly. I mention this because quite often I see people who do daily training sessions but the dog never gets better and it is not the dogs fault.

5. Having patients is very important in dog training. Losing your temper does not work with a canine it simply makes things worse.

6. Exercise is very important in the training process to get rid of all the dogs nervous energy.

7. Taking your pet for walks is very important because it develops serotonin which gives your dog a feeling of well being.

8. Always be sure to give your dog a bunch of praise in your training. It is your dog's paycheck for doing a great job.

9. Never hit your dog. I have heard people say I never hit my dog instead I roll up a magazine and swat it. It's the same thing... hitting is hitting.

10. After each training session be sure to do something that your dog will enjoy. Take it for a walk, throw the ball or maybe even rub its belly. Just do something that makes the dog look forward to the next training session.

These are things that I teach my dog training students as well as my dog training clients. I hope these things will give you something to think about when training your dog. Spend some time training your dog daily and you will both reap the benefits.

Answer 7

Staffordshire bull terriers are lovely family dogs and loyal as hell. Unfortunately they're not very small. Not many small dogs are very loving or loyal in my opinion. You'll never get a dog more loving or cute than a staffy and so long as it grows up with the cat they'll be no problem at all.

Answer 8

A Chihuahua. They tend to be somewhat expensive, but I have one and I must say, they are wonderful dogs. They are also ideal for indoors because they don't need much exercise, but he/she will still be willing to walk for miles on a leash if you'd like. They are very smart and can even be litter box trained! Some are not that great with children, but then again many are. Either way, your relative who is 12 is plenty old enough, he/she can be considered a pre-teen now and can take care of him/herself without worrying about a chihuahua eating them.

Answer 9

Get a wild dog and mix it with a street cat, you will have a true American...America is the Land of Cats and Dogs...

Answer 10

Take a look at the local animal shelter first. Many will have a list of characteristics for the animals that have been brought in.

Or you could try a shelty: My brother and sister in law have one who gets along very well with their two cats, and the brother in law is a teacher.