Have owned dogs all my life well 2 dogs as they both lived to be old! i now have a 3yr old daughter and a 2 yr old cat whos mainly outside and comes in at night. would like some opinions on best age of a dog/puppy to go for. Also what breeds? Do like greyhounds but not all are good with cats and housei snt that big.
2007-01-23 02:39:55 · 30 answers · asked by princess s 2 in Pets ➔ Dogs
to the person who summised to know whats best for my cat she is actually semi feral and wants to be out in the day she stays in gardne with tress etc which she loves. I had a blk lab before daughter was born he was great but bit to bouncy for a toddler. was thinking of dog under 6 months small type
2007-01-23 03:03:44 · update #1
it all depends on what ur actvity level is the breed does not matter so much as the temperment for the dog or pupif u go to a good breeder they will help in picking a pup for u. As will a good shelter Breed does no gareente that will be good with kids or cats. labs/mixes are good but they require lots of exersisie. border collies will sometimes herd childern, and need something to as they are very smart and most have high energy. go to the shelter and save a life.
if u want a small dog and are going for a breed beagles are great kids pets they are for the most part gentle, playful, and have lots of energy as well.
Grey hounds can get along with cats and if u want to adopt one they need lots of walks and are sight dogs if ur cat scares easy and runs then i'd so no to the grey hound.....however whippets are like the grey hound but smaller and not raced... so they are not trained to chase the small furry thing....
but go to the shelter and save a live if not go to a good breeder to aviod health probs that the backyard ones don't care about.
2007-01-23 03:01:15 · answer #1 · answered by dragonwolf 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Find a good rescue group and work with them. Tell them what you want in a dog and be honest. Be adament that the dog is suitable for a small child and a cat. I would stay away from puppies, you have your hands full with a todler and cat already, a puppy will be more difficult than a baby for the first year. Also, just my opinion, but I would stay away from herding dogs and high prey drive dogs because of the cat. I would say no collies or shepards. I would also stay away from malamutes and huskies they have a strong prey drive, a cat will be lunch to them. For a smaller home, a cat and a child, my personal experience is that King Charles Cavalier Spaniels are wonderful, they are companion dogs with an easy going sweet temperment, submissive to cats and people, but they also enjoy a good game of fetch and walking. The downfall is that they are hard to find and rather expensive, though they occassionally come up on pet finder. I have a lab, he's wonderful with the cats, but I think he would be too much for a young child. And they are very high energy and need lots of attention.
There are always exceptions to the rule, and these are all wonderful breeds, but you might be making things more difficult for yourself if you get a dog with incompatible breeding. You need to do a lot of breed research and work with someone who is knowledgeable to find just the right dog. I would say something small to medium size, low prey drive, no herding instinct, calm temperment, and that has been tested with both young kids and cats.
Also, keep in mind that there are plenty of great mixed breed dogs. Any dog that you get needs to have been tested with young kids and cats, ideally they have been in a foster home with both of those things. It needs to have an energy level and temperment that fits your life style. You might even want to consider an older dog. Sometimes a person dies, gets sick or loses their job and a truly wonderful, fully trained, mature dog ends up needing a new home.
Once you pick out a dog, your work is just beginning. You have to teach your three year old not to poke and pull at the dog, to always be calm and gentle. And never leave the two unattended together until your daughter is much older. And you will have to introduce the animals very carefully even if the dog is great with cats, each new animals is different. I would to go to www.thecatsite.com and read the articles on introducing cats and dogs.
2007-01-23 03:23:35 · answer #2 · answered by Lindsey 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Go to your local shelter or ASPCA and adopt a mid sized or young dog. I just adopted the sweetest female Border Collie/Shepard mix that has the most beautiful temperment! She was timid at first but she came right out of her shell once she realized we were nice. Don't waste your money on tiny dogs, or papered animals, there are thousands of animals waiting to be adopted! Talk with the Shelter Officer and they will let you interact with the puppy/dog. Retrievers and Border Collies, German Shepards make wonderful pets for kids. However, you will need to show your child the do's and don'ts when you have a dog/cat. No tail pulling, poking and teasing. Good luck! The right animal is out there for you!
2007-01-23 02:53:28 · answer #3 · answered by msjinx39 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i have a cavalier king charles spaniel mixed with a bichon frise,ans she loooves to run and is the fastest dog my whole family has ever seen! And they are also great family dogs , she is right now about 14 lbs. Look them up on google there a mixed breed called a Cavachon. I have researched a lot of dogs , and this by far is my favorite ,and also they are really smart and easy to train and don't shed at all.(the bichon doesn't so that's why) ok i hope i helped, i Love my dog and wouldn't trade her for the world.
2016-05-24 00:46:51 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The good thing about greyhounds is that they're docile and sleep curled up mostly all day. They don't take up as much room as you would think.And my grey is perfectly calm when the neighborhood kids tug on her tail... not all greys are bad with children as previously stated, though as all are individuals, I don't doubt that some have been. Also, when you adopt a retired racer, they are all tested to see whether they are good with cats, children, etc. My grey turned out to be SCARED of cats. Anyway, just thought I'd get my plug in there for a greyhound. Good Luck!
2007-01-24 18:58:51 · answer #5 · answered by lildi_32 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would go with a lab or golden retriever. That is if you want a big dog if you want a smaller then go for the smaller but I will tell you that every poodle I have ever been around doesn't really like kids! When you go get the puppy just ask the owner or pet shop if they know if the puppy is good with kids and cats. I would say though as long as you get a puppy it will be alright with the cat and toddler because it will grow up with them around!
2007-01-23 02:59:55 · answer #6 · answered by Teresa 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think you should get a dog with a three year old, it's not fair to the dog your daughter is too young for a pet, wait until she is a bit older. And to be honest I don't think you should be letting your cat out all day either, anything could happen to him or her. Get a litter try and keep your cat inside it's much safer, no traffic or nasty people to hurt it, it's at the mercy of the world being let out on it's own!
2007-01-23 02:52:11 · answer #7 · answered by ernabette 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most small dogs really like to chase cats and this is something that you will have to gear your self up to tackle over the first few months your dog or puppy joins your family.
I would advise going for a spaniel. There is a range of breeds - including popular cockers and less well known clumbers. They are smaller and less strong than labs but share a labs fun and loving personality.
I would avoid the terrier breeds because you will run into alot of trouble with your cat and they are typically less tolerant of younger children.
Hope it goes well!
2007-01-23 03:41:57 · answer #8 · answered by PetLover 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
WHY DOES EVERYONE SAY GET A LAB!!!!! Labs are big and they chew. They will jump on your daughter and knock her off her feet. They are too rammy for a child and they require so much exercise and you do not have that big of a house. Just because they are a common breed does not mean they are for everyone. You have a child you don't have time to train this dog everyday you need a pet that will be calm and gentle around your child. I would say a Newf but that is just to big LOL.
2007-01-23 02:57:44 · answer #9 · answered by Sassyshiba 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have an Austrailan Sheppard/lab mix and she is by far the BEST dog ever. She's less than 6 months old and knows right from wrong, is protective and great at all kinds of tricks. (obstacle courses, going down the slide, bouncing balls off her nose)
However...I also have a black lab puppy (3 months) who is a holy terror! They are great when they get older but labs stay puppies a long time. They don't listen all that well and nip when they play --- heads over tails my MIX wins by a long shot!!!
2007-01-23 02:58:02 · answer #10 · answered by jennw33 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋