03-3-2012 at 8:41 AM

I had a friend who owned and bred Yorkies and Yorkie/Shih Tzus. They have high prey drive and yes.. are smaller than a cat.<br /> <br /> EDIT: Then again, I don't understand what size has to do with it. Look at dog breeds that are trained to kill/take down larger animals:<br /> American Pit Bull Terrier<br /> Bulldog<br /> Irish Wolfhound<br /> Akita Inu<br /> Shiba Inu<br /> Fox Terrier<br /> Patterdale Terrier<br /> Borzoi<br /> Catahoula Leopard Dog<br /> Norwegian Elkhound<br /> Jindo<br /> Karelian Bear Dog<br /> <br /> Yorkies were and still are used for ratting and pest control. They're tenacious, fast, aggressive little dogs when they want to be - never underestimate a dog because of its size.<br /> <br /> What Tiger says is true. Making sure your dog knows that your other pets are above it is VERY important and that nipping/chasing/wrestling with your other pets is not tolerated <b>under any circumstances</b>. Your dog should regard your other pets like kings, never let him/her mess around with them.

03-2-2012 at 9:22 PM

Your average cat, at 10lbs, is larger than a Yorkie (breed standard states they must not exceed 7lbs)...<br /> <br /> Your puppy must learn to accept your cats as boss.

03-2-2012 at 8:39 PM

Young puppies need to be taken out every 20-30min if you dont want an accident on the floor. <br /> <br /> Once they are a few months you need to take them out every hour.<br /> <br /> Then around 6+ months you can take them out every 2hrs. <br /> <br /> They are a real pain as tiny puppies xD. I love when they are 6-8months. Best age ever for them xD

03-2-2012 at 5:03 PM

<i>The longest it will be left is 3/3and a half hours.</i><br /> <br /> Are you aware that puppies (depending on their age) need to be taken outside for bathroom breaks a lot more often than that?

03-2-2012 at 3:21 PM

Hes bigger than a yorkie, more the size a jack russel/ bigger than average. Plus they will have a room to themselves, will that help them

03-2-2012 at 1:41 PM

Doesn't matter if your cat isn't that small xD. Mine are normal cat sizes and they still stir up my border collie. There is no way you'll get your dog to not see them as an animal.<br /> <br />

03-2-2012 at 12:16 PM

ok. My cat is not that small. The other has common sense with keeping out of the way, so should i try get to dog to see the cats as a freind not animal? <br /> We mostly have some one at home. Rare buisness trips away but even then some-one tries to be at home. The longest it will be left is 3/3and a half hours. My dad runs so does my mum, (occationaly) we think the dog will get around 3 hours of exersise a day if it needs it. plus i plan on training it =D

03-1-2012 at 11:04 PM

I own a border collie and we have to keep her separate from the cats or she'll corner them :/ I'd be careful about herding breeds with smaller animals.<br /> <br /> Also my dog had health issues which made her overweight but when she was healthy, she needed a lot of exercise or she chewed our wood framing :/

03-1-2012 at 9:19 PM

<i>"We want an active dog that is easy to train, partly to do with the cats, and loves people."</i><br /> Are you prepared to work the dog? I don't mean throwing it a stick or taking it for a 30 minute walk. I mean are you willing to do a lot of strenuous activity every single day?<br /> Collies have a ton of energy and need to be exercised a LOT or they'll just go nuts. This is the same for any high-energy breed.

03-1-2012 at 4:47 PM

Lol my cat would not be impressed with that. The collie would herd the cat would hit...

03-1-2012 at 3:39 PM

I won't pretend like I know a whole lot about collies. :X I guess it would depend on what breed of collie you got. <br /> <br /> They are herding dogs so... worst thing might be that it would try to herd your cats or any small children haha.

03-1-2012 at 1:29 PM

yeah , getting the old cat to the vets before we get the puppy as my younger one seems ok with dogs. I got him a foot away from my freinds dog who is just larger than a springer with out any treats so he is alot easier to work with. Also we might be getting a collie, what do you think? We want an active dog that is easy to train, partly to do with the cats, and loves people.

03-1-2012 at 7:33 AM

When you get your dog, whether it be an adult or puppy, make sure you've picked something that you are 100% sure that you can handle for at least the next 15 years (remember, smaller dogs have longer average lifespans than larger dogs!). Talk to the veterinarian where you take your cat (heck, even just a technician will be able to give you solid advice). His/her advice will be especially helpful because they'll be familiar with your cat from both a personality and medical perspective.<br /> <br /> Puppy proofing and introduction to other animals is really going to depend on what breed you get. Not all breeds think/react the same. It's also going to depend on the temperament of your dog. Bolder dogs can take in a bit more than ones that are more timid or reserved. However, bold dogs can also be pretty headstrong and may take a more firm hand when it comes to training/socialization.<br /> <br /> Make sure you consider factors like what would happen to the dog if your family had to move. How would your dog react to the addition of other pets to your household in the future? Some dogs go insane when they see small critters like mice or rabbits. Is your family prepared to give the dog the attention and exercise it needs (those needs will vary from dog to dog too!) regardless of their schedule?<br /> <br /> If you decide to adopt from a shelter, I'd like to say that you should pick a shelter that screens animals for temperament and can give you solid background info on the animal. My family adopted a dog in 2005 from a high kill county shelter and the people there knew nothing about him except for his gender and that he was a pitbull mix. They even got his color wrong in his information! Needless to say, we had *a lot* of surprises -- even though he was an adult dog. It has taken lots of time and energy in helping him come along to where he is now. It turns out he also has a prey-drive that is through the roof... which I did not fully realize until I brought a kitten home in 2007. I still have both animals but it has really taken some ingenuity in keeping them separated but still happy (I'm kind of caught in a love triangle with my pets... they both adore me but hate each other lol). <br /> <br /> So even if you get an adult dog, be prepared to have to do some work. Hopefully your entire family will be on board with helping your new family member be the best he or she can be (unlike my family...).

03-1-2012 at 3:36 AM

I don't think you should be concerned with the cat not liking the dog, I think you should be concerned with the dog taking a liking to your cat and thinking it's a tug rope toy to whip around.<br /> <br /> Not to mention, if the breed has a high prey-drive or isn't trained not to go after the cats AT ALL, you're gonna have a dog that chases and torments the cats whenever he sees them and cats who hide under beds 24/7. I've seen it before.<br /> <br /> EDIT: and I don't care what anybody else here has to say about this.. but if you have a dog that has a high-prey drive, you aint gonna be able to train it completely out of the dog. You will be able to manage it with a ton of work, but you will never have a dog that don't flinch at the sight of a small animal.<br /> You can't take the terrier out of the Jack Russel, yknow?

03-1-2012 at 2:34 AM

my cat is not likely to accept an adult dog as he does not like anything bigger than him. He is good with getting used to something smaller than him and once he is used to it he will be ok if it changes but he is terrified of anything bigger than him. we would love to adopt from a shelter but we also love the sanity of the oldest cat.

02-29-2012 at 6:17 PM

Seconding what Nitrous said. House-training a puppy takes a LOT of work and time. <br /> Training a puppy takes a LOT of work and time and both require everybody in the house to put in equal effort.<br /> If you can get an adult from a shelter that is house-trained and good with cats, you're set. Although you're still going to have to get everybody in the house to pull their own weight to keep the dog trained and in control of it.

02-29-2012 at 5:54 PM

The best advice comes from people who are qualified to speak as experts in dog behavior and care. A veterinarian, trainer, or something along those lines.<br /> <br /> A shockingly large percentage of owners are idiots. I don't think that there are many here, but be careful when considering advice from just anyone who has had a dog.<br /> <br /> My advice, as someone who has raised three puppies into adulthood - don't get a puppy. Adopt an adult from a shelter. They'll certainly appreciate it and you won't be lining the pockets of irresponsible backyard breeders.

02-29-2012 at 2:51 PM

I have, and we are getting it around october time... I know the best info comes from people who have had puppies before.

02-29-2012 at 2:47 PM

Shouldn't you have researched this stuff before you're about to buy the actual puppy?