Hi, thanks very much for the helpful replies. I read realized that I should probably add some more information - I hope you'll take the time to read through this.
-The dog dog doesn't have to be a puppy. The main reason I thought a puppy might be a good idea was because I've never had a dog before, and I thought a puppy might be easier to handle for a person with no experience. But I have to say that I really like the idea of introducing an older dog that has been proven to work well with cats - that might actually be the best thing. However, generally speaking, do you guys think that an adult dog will be more, or less manageable for a first-timer than a puppy?
-Ideally, I'd rather just get a mix of some kind from the humane society as opposed to a breed. However, I think there's a good chance I'll end up getting a breed anyway, because I've done a little bit of research and it seems that there are many breeds that require an experienced owner - and this being my first potential dog, it seems that many types of dog would probably be off-limits to me for this reason. Also, I would guess - and please correct me if I'm wrong - that the behaviour of a mix might be harder to predict than that of a purebred dog, and in that case it is probably better off to adopt a purebred that is known for a certain personality. Comments?
-Like I said, any breed that needs an experienced owners is off-limits. So are pitt bulls, because they are illegal where I live. Beyond that, the other requirement in terms of breed would be size. A medium size dog would be best, but a large one would be ok too, as would a medium-small. I don't mean to offend anyone who has one or likes them, but these tiny, cat sized dogs with the high-pitched barks never appealed to me - though they are cute. I have a good-sized house and a large yard, so any dog will have more than enough room.
-I'm sort of considering a golden retriever. I used to have a bunch of friends with them, and I loved their personalities and think that my cat might be more accepting of their personality type. But how are they with cats?
-My cat has lived alone all her life, and does not express much interest in other cats.
-As for how my cat reacts with strangers, my cat is fantastic around adult strangers. She's friendly, will let them pick her up, and will purr for them right away. However, she is terrified of my four small cousins (aged 2 to 9) and will go nuts whenever they're in our house. She hides, and will scratch and hiss if they approach. These are the only times I've EVER seen her hiss. But it is also important to note that these children run around the house and make a lot of noise and cry. Though she doesn't like calm children either, she tolerates them and does not seem scared. Seeing that my cat tolerates calm children but not rowdy ones, I think there's a decent chance that she'd at least learn to accept a calm dog.
-I do have friends with dogs, but unfortuantely, at the moment all their dogs have rowdy, noisy personalities. I know without even bringing them here that she'd freak out completely and it wouldn't work out. It could still be done though, just to see - would you recommend it?
-I was wondering earlier today, whether the gender of the dog would have any impact at all. Generally speaking, is it likely that a female dog might be less aggressive towards a cat? Lots of cat chasing, even if done playfully, wouldn't be appreciated by my cat.
-I'm sure I can figure something out to find a safe place for the cat. But, with a babygate, can't the dog just jump over that too?
Thanks.
