Can anyone suggest a cat- and baby-friendly dog breed?

[MildWest]

DH and I are thinking about getting a dog. I'm home, we have a garden etc etc. DH has had dogs before but more outdoor dogs than house pets.

Can anyone suggest a breed that would suit us? We have 2 cats (only 18 mths) and an 8 month old DD. We're out walking for a min. of 30 mins a day anyway, and DH is happy to take it for a longer walk each eve/morning.

So, we'd need a medium size dog, likely to be good with cats and children, and not need LOADS of exercise.

Any suggestions? And any suggestions for successful introductions to 2 cats (one of which think it's a dog anyway ;-)).

Thanks in advance

Will you be getting it as a pup?

IRISH TERRIERS.Look 'em up.
If from a puppy will be fine with cats.Very,very good with children which is why we have them.
Loyal.Love travel...prefer to be with you even if left in car.
Will chill when you do.
Might bear a grudge
Dreamy and abit dippy.
We have a female.She was a tad tricky to house train[I think she over complicated it!]
She is fab with our children and others.
She likes to 'hug' them.She stands up and puts her paws on their shoulders.This can be disconcerting for children that don't know her though

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Good with children. Don't like too much exercise. But prone to health problems. My MIL's CKCSs (and GMIL's too) have lived very happily with cats.

NOT a springer - mine needs lots of exercise and would kill cats if he got the chance. They are the enemy in his world.

Yep, from a puppy I think. Had contemplated rescue dogs, but think that, what with the baby and me never having had a dog, it might be too risky.

Will look up Irish Terriers.

My nan had a Cavalier - lovely dog but got VERY fat in her old age! Seem to remember the pedigrees are prone to eye probs?

i hear lurchers are very good - sweet and soppy and like exercising REEEEEAAALLLY fast for a bit then ready to go home and sleep for a few hours...

We have a springer and cats and they get on really well, they all sleep together at night. But he does require a lot of exercise.

Yes, Lurchers would probably be a safe bet.

But definitely get from a puppy (same with any breed if you've got cats and baby). A friend got a dachshund puppy, introduced into a household with a cat and 2 children (now 3). He is the loveliest dog, really great with all the kids. Very soppy too. Sadly he is the lowest in the household pecking order (even below the cat ) but he doesn't seem to mind .

I would think any kind of terrier might be a handful tbh, they need lots of exercise and many will like to chase cats!

Try rescue centres, loads of them will have litters of pups available. And will be very trustworthy, do proper checks, make sure the dog is suitable for you etc.

Love dachshunds but Irish Terriers are FAB!
mALES CAN BE A HANDFUL,FEMALES NOT.

My sis has got the lovleyist lurcher pup but at 8 months she can (and has on many occassions) knocked my 3 year old ds over. She is just so big compared to a child! Very friendly but not my 1st choice for a breed.

cocker spaniel... mine loves children, cats, chicken, hamsters.. just doesn't like postmen

cocker spaniels are v. lazy btw.

cocker spaniels very lazy?u must have been lucky when you got it,
they are usually known for being unbelievebly hyper!
LOVELY dogs tho lol

Two of our friends have cockers that have turned quite nasty, one bit dd totally unprovoked. Both our experienced dog owners as well.

Cocker spaniels are anything but lazy.

My next door neighbours' cats are tormented to within an inch of their lives by their King Charles Cavelier - gorgeous dog though

We have a Golden Retriever. Strongly recommend with children, but was too much of a handful for our gorgeous moggy who sadly got fed up of the pup wanting to play and did a runner
GRs need lots of excercise too ...

Border terriers are fabulous little dogs and great with children ...don't know what they're like with cats though?

WE have a mixed something and a greyhound - got both as pups from the Dogs Trust - both a good with the kids.

I really recommend the Dog's Trust. They do get pg dogs in...both times they have thought very carefully about how suitable that dog would be for us/ our children etc. With our first dog, they actually didn't let us have the first pup we picked, as they felt it was too bouncy for our 2 yo, and suggested a littermate that was more laid back.

Dog's Trust will also lend crates for training, they pay for sterilisation, give first injections, and are a fab source of advice.

Good Luck

Another vote for lurchers, our last dog was a rescue dog and she was the most patient loving dog and brilliant with kids and cats. She was old when we got her and adjusted fine to busy family life. So dont rule out a rescue, they some times come house trained which is a huge bonus.

Depends if you have a cocker from show or working stock. mine is show and is extremely lazy.
Turns her nose up at the slightest sign of wind or rain and frequently stops half way on a walk and refuses to move unless we turn back, in which case she bounds back to the car.

Mine is show too and goes on and on and on. Maybe it's just yours

my parents bred show cockers, and they were all HYPER, out of the ring,fine when being shown lol,

Was going to recommend a lab/lab cross but they need more exercise. Our lab/greyhound cross rescue dog is great with kids and cats but gets 2 runs in the woods a day plus a last final walk for about 30 mins. We got our dog when he was about 2 years old.

must just be mine then

lol, we have had 2 lab cross' both HYPER (more than the spaniel,but in a dif way)

would you consider a rescue dog??
greyhounds/lurchers should make good pets(except that they try to pinch food lol)
might be good for you (as well as the dog),esp as your dc is older too,

I would say Golden Retriever. Our two are the kindest, most laid back dogs you'd meet. They don't need that much exercise if you have a garden...I walk mine for about 1-1.5 hours a day and I don't consider that very much?