As a cat owner, you may have wondered what kind of dog would work best with your cat. Dogs can be very fun and playful for cats to interact with. However, not all breeds are cat friendly dogs. Some dogs might chase or even attack your cat if given the chance or opportunity to do so. You will want to find out which dogs are good with cats before you bring home a new dog. That way, your cat can have a safe and enjoyable experience while meeting the new family addition.
What dogs are good with cats?
So, what dogs are good with cats? Labradors and Golden retrievers are the most cat friendly dogs as they are calm and placid and don’t have too strong a prey drive.
- Labradors
- Golden Retreivers
- Beagle
- Bassett Hound
- Pug
- Bishon Frise
- Poodle
Avoid the Terrier Breeds!
Take it from me – Terriers are NOT good dogs to have with cats.
However, saying that – I have heard of several Jack Russells and Patterdales who have been good with cats. So it depends on the dog, their nature and their training. In many of these cases where terriers are good with cats they have been brought up together as puppies and kittens.
Tips on owning Dogs and Cats together
You can look for dog breeds that are known to be peaceful around other animals – such as Labrador Retrievers or Golden Retrievers. These dogs could be a good choice for your household if you have cats.
If you already have a dog at your house, or are planning to bring one home soon, it is important to know that dogs and cats can sometimes clash – especially if the cat feels as though the dog has invaded his or her territory in some way. You should not leave a new dog alone with your cat for any length of time until you are sure that the two will get along.
You should also consider getting your dog used to the presence of a cat before bringing one home. Dogs can often be frightened by new cats, and might act out more than usual if he or she feels vulnerable in any way. Your dog should get used to seeing a cat regularly in neutral environments, and should be less disturbed if you decide to bring him or her home soon after.
You may also want to keep both cats and dogs separated when they are not outside together, so that dogs cannot chase your cat as he or she is using the litter box. If you teach both of them to be patient with each other, there should be no real difficulties to work through. You will just want to pay close attention at first in order to ensure that no one gets hurt by another.
When you buy a new puppy, it is very important to have the puppy socialized by exposing them to people and animals in order to help them become accustomed from an early age. You will want to avoid letting your puppy see any conflicts between cats or dogs. This way, they should be less likely to grow up being aggressive themselves – which can be a problem if you already have a cat at home.
No matter what dog breed or cats breed, they can still get along – the key to this is to ensure that your dog is well socialized and exposed to other animals frequently from an early age, and to make sure your cat is only around dogs that are warm and friendly. It is vital that the cat or dog feels comfortable around each other, therefore you will need to make sure that your new puppy has acclimated well into the home.
If you have indoor pets, it would be best to find a dog breed that loves being indoors and has a calm demeanor. Do not forget that sometimes, toys can be used to distract the dog away from the cat and they could surely have some fun playing together.
If you enjoyed this article you might also like to read about Can Patterdales live with Cats?
