Doggiii breeds - need help :)

Thanks very much cat, we have decided to mabey consider getting a dog next year in the summer mabey but we certainly have some good ideas! thanks to you :) my uncle is also looking for a dog so im going to sugest him to get a recue dog :) x thanks again yasmin xx

Hi Yasmin,

There are plenty of dog breeds out there that would fit the bill and in fact you have one of them already, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel! They are a very friendly dog who are excellent in family situations. Other breeds which might fit the bill would include a Shih Tzu or a Lhasa Apso, both tend to be friendly and calm. I would steer clear of terrier breeds such as Jack Russels and Westies as they have a tendency to chase cats and be quite boisterous. Yappy breeds include Toy Poodles, Yorkies and Chihuahuas.

However, it is important to realise that the way a dog is brought up is just as important as its breed as to how it will behave with people, children and other dogs, so good training is vital. Also, all puppies tend to be curious and it is likely that any pup will chase and annoy a cat. Always ensure, if you do get a new dog, that the cat has a place that she can escape to and can sleep and eat in peace.

You could also consider a rescue dog, there are plenty out there who need a home! The Kennel Club has rescue associations for every breed of dog and there will be a rescue kennels near you. With an older dog, you may be able to find out if they have lived with cats and children before, so have some idea of how they will fit in with your family and they tend to be more sensible than a puppy and less likely to stress out a cat. Also, you get to give an unwanted dog a loving home and what could be better than that?!

Finally, don´t forget to get any new arrival insured, you already have quite a lot of pets and things could get expensive if they became poorly.

Let me know how you get on.

Cat