I'll weigh in on temprament issues. My parents had a bichon frise. They are known to be very tolerant and kind dogs. He was the sweetest dog to humans except when he'd pick up a bone off the street. He would turn vicious and would snarl with his teeth bared. He also had a vendetta against the telephone and would attack the cord when it rang. This resulted in his paw getting injured and our family moving to cordless phones. Overall he was a very sweet dog but had his own personality. OP, all dogs have their quirks, and it sounds like you arent ready for a dog.
If you NEED a dog, I know someone suggested petfinder.com. It's an awesome rescue site with both shelters ad fostering organizations all around the U.S. Their website also has criteria features that allow for you to filter for a particular dog (for example your age criteria would be baby, size, medium and if you want you can even type in specific breeds). They also indicate if the dog isn't dog friendly, cat friendly, children friendly, as well as if the dog has special medical needs (although there are no guarantees). In this case you can also look for specific breeds.
julieanne912 Yeah, our old Westie had to be put down at 17-18 years for hip problems. He liked hunting. My Westie is a baby when it comes to smaller animals, and won't go into my room when she knows the hamster is in there. My brothers, though, is constantly chasing rabbits and squirrels in the parks. It's hilarious to watch.
Awe, this reminds me of mine, I love when they snuggle into blankets/clothes (unless you just washed them, but I live with the fact I will never be hair free when walking out the door).. we call her burrito because of this:
YOU GUYS ARE SO NOT HELPING WITH MY PUPPY FEVER!!!!!!
This should help.... me and FSIL Havanese (they think) puppy when she was about 12 weeks around Christmas time. I don't want to do the puppy thing again for a good long while, but this little lady made me want one sooo bad. Apparently now she's a holy terror though.
YOU GUYS ARE SO NOT HELPING WITH MY PUPPY FEVER!!!!!!
This should help.... me and FSIL Havanese (they think) puppy when she was about 12 weeks around Christmas time. I don't want to do the puppy thing again for a good long while, but this little lady made me want one sooo bad. Apparently now she's a holy terror though.
Puppy!!!! Ohmygosh I want to smoosh that furry little face! Two of my friends each got a maltipoo puppy with in the last six months and I squee every time I see pictures of them.
Guys, all the baby puppy pictures are making me wish I had another baby Pyr.
He was a MESS. His feet were too big for his body, so he could barely walk without falling down, and he didn't do stairs so we had to carry his butt up and down. Keep in mind, at 12 weeks the dog weighed 30-35 pounds.
He also barfed on me in the car on the way home. Missed getting it actually in the car, which was good, but barfed all over my favorite jeans. We stopped and I dusted myself off, but since we were halfway through a 2 hour ride home, I wound up with stained jeans anyway. Woo.
Our dog was a super awkward ugly duckling when we got him, too. I really wanted him so I swore I didn't think he'd get bigger than 40 lbs... but as I really suspected, he hit 50. Woopsie daisy.
My parents have a huge Akita. Akita's are considered a "Bully Breed". Koda is the perfect example of a dog who can be super protective around his humans, but the second you tell him "It's alright" he backs down. He knows that all humans in the house are the boss. My parents also have two cats. No one is allowed to bully each other and no one is allowed to chase each other. Akita's need really strong master's they can be stubborn as hell. But Koda is also super aware of his size.
My sister's Chihuahua/ Dauschaund mix is terrible. He growls for no reason and often snaps when he doesn't like something. Its way out of control. And i've often told her that he needs to be trained better.
Pictures of Koda:
And the animals that they currently have: My sister's dog is the one on the seat. The cats are curled up together on the back.
Our dog was a super awkward ugly duckling when we got him, too. I really wanted him so I swore I didn't think he'd get bigger than 40 lbs... but as I really suspected, he hit 50. Woopsie daisy.
Our dog was a super awkward ugly duckling when we got him, too. I really wanted him so I swore I didn't think he'd get bigger than 40 lbs... but as I really suspected, he hit 50. Woopsie daisy.
Just look at those paws and knuckles!
He is SO PRECIOUS. I want a border collie so bad but I don't have the energy for one. I could keep it entertained no problem, because I'd teach it tricks and games (I know one that cowers when you point a finger-gun at it, and then rolls over when you say bang. Not a fan of the trick, but a definite fan of the training it took), but keeping it exercised at a happy level would probably kill me.
Haha no poopin. Yeah, he definitely gets loopy if we dare try to skip his daily 2+ mile walk. In the summer he gets two of them. Herding wears him out well but I currently have to drive a long way to do it. I seriously wish we could get some sheep for him.
Ok, yeah. Your pup is way cuter. When you Google daschund/pit mix, the dog I posted is pretty much the only thing that shows up on the first page. I think it's the weirdest-looking dog I've ever seen. (The google one, not yours)
I fostered a funny lookin' dog that appeared to be a pit-corgi mix!
I WAAAAAAAAANT ITTTTTTTTTT.
FI called it an abomination. I called it adorable.
Haha no poopin. Yeah, he definitely gets loopy if we dare try to skip his daily 2+ mile walk. In the summer he gets two of them. Herding wears him out well but I currently have to drive a long way to do it. I seriously wish we could get some sheep for him.
Franklin herds his toys everyday.
And we try to walk him at least 2 miles a day too.
Our Maltese was half the size of our cat and such a nuisance to kitty. So they had territories- dog got the kitchen and family room, cat got the living room and upstairs. Seemed to work out very well for them. The dog loved spotting the cat in the distance, and the cat pretended that there was no dog.
Honestly, I agree with the previous posters who suggested that you go with an adult dog from a foster program. That way you have a very good understanding of the personality which wouldn't be so apparent with a puppy. They should also be able to tell you if the dog has a history of doing well with cats. I also agree that a smaller dog would be safer with your cat.
I agree that breed tend to have general characteristics, but dogs are definitely individuals. I have two Boston Terriers and an Aussie. The two boston terriers are polar opposites in personality, but they're the same breed. That's why I think an adult dog would be the best fit for you. You'll have a better idea of how well it will fit into your family.
And.....puppy pic of my Aussie, Walter.....just cuz....
Our Maltese was half the size of our cat and such a nuisance to kitty. So they had territories- dog got the kitchen and family room, cat got the living room and upstairs. Seemed to work out very well for them. The dog loved spotting the cat in the distance, and the cat pretended that there was no dog.
This sounds like our house! The office and basementare off-limits to the dog - we had baby gate ups for the first few weeks, but now he just knows where he's not allowed to go. The cats spend most of their time in the office to avoid the pup, and the puppy will just stand in the doorway, looking in at the cats, whining.
Seriously though - the cats give the pup the most contemptuous looks I have EVER seen.
Our Maltese was half the size of our cat and such a nuisance to kitty. So they had territories- dog got the kitchen and family room, cat got the living room and upstairs. Seemed to work out very well for them. The dog loved spotting the cat in the distance, and the cat pretended that there was no dog.
This sounds like our house! The office and basementare off-limits to the dog - we had baby gate ups for the first few weeks, but now he just knows where he's not allowed to go. The cats spend most of their time in the office to avoid the pup, and the puppy will just stand in the doorway, looking in at the cats, whining.
Seriously though - the cats give the pup the most contemptuous looks I have EVER seen.
Just wanted to pop in with a picture of our vicious rottweiler/shepherd mix we grew up with. Her hobbies included jumping on the trampoline, throwing a tennis ball and then chasing it, begging for belly rubs, and opening the bathroom door so she could sit on your lap while you did your business. So ferocious.
YAY! Puppy pictures! Pardon the no make up mess that I am in this picture.... I just had to share my puppy doing what he does best- not letting me have any space of my own. Haha.
I agree with PP's in that all dogs can be aggressive, and that proper training helps. I also echo PP's that finding an adult dog that has been fostered with cats is probably the best course of action if you are set on getting a dog OP.
And I want to share pictures of FILs' dog, who is a pitbull and basset hound mix. He was bred for fighting, and the thought was that he could get under larger dogs to take them down. But you what? He is the sweetest dog you will ever meet, and didn't want to fight, so he ended up at the shelter that FILs' adopted him from. He thinks he is a lap dog, LOVES people, and just wants to be near you and cuddle with you. The only thing he is aggressive towards is rope (that's FBIL sitting on a normal sized couch for scale):
I agree with PP's in that all dogs can be aggressive, and that proper training helps. I also echo PP's that finding an adult dog that has been fostered with cats is probably the best course of action if you are set on getting a dog OP.
And I want to share pictures of FILs' dog, who is a pitbull and basset hound mix. He was bred for fighting, and the thought was that he could get under larger dogs to take them down. But you what? He is the sweetest dog you will ever meet, and didn't want to fight, so he ended up at the shelter that FILs' adopted him from. He thinks he is a lap dog, LOVES people, and just wants to be near you and cuddle with you. The only thing he is aggressive towards is rope (that's FBIL sitting on a normal sized couch for scale):
Oh my gosh what a mix. Love that he has the lil wrinkly basset legs but a pitbull smile
Honestly, I agree with the previous posters who suggested that you go with an adult dog from a foster program. That way you have a very good understanding of the personality which wouldn't be so apparent with a puppy. They should also be able to tell you if the dog has a history of doing well with cats. I also agree that a smaller dog would be safer with your cat.
I agree that breed tend to have general characteristics, but dogs are definitely individuals. I have two Boston Terriers and an Aussie. The two boston terriers are polar opposites in personality, but they're the same breed. That's why I think an adult dog would be the best fit for you. You'll have a better idea of how well it will fit into your family.
And.....puppy pic of my Aussie, Walter.....just cuz....
Re: Need Advice About Getting A Dog
If you NEED a dog, I know someone suggested petfinder.com. It's an awesome rescue site with both shelters ad fostering organizations all around the U.S. Their website also has criteria features that allow for you to filter for a particular dog (for example your age criteria would be baby, size, medium and if you want you can even type in specific breeds). They also indicate if the dog isn't dog friendly, cat friendly, children friendly, as well as if the dog has special medical needs (although there are no guarantees). In this case you can also look for specific breeds.
pic of Roo below
Puppy!!!! Ohmygosh I want to smoosh that furry little face! Two of my friends each got a maltipoo puppy with in the last six months and I squee every time I see pictures of them.
FI called it an abomination. I called it adorable.
I agree that breed tend to have general characteristics, but dogs are definitely individuals. I have two Boston Terriers and an Aussie. The two boston terriers are polar opposites in personality, but they're the same breed. That's why I think an adult dog would be the best fit for you. You'll have a better idea of how well it will fit into your family.
And.....puppy pic of my Aussie, Walter.....just cuz....
This is our three week old corgi pup "Gator".