Hi me & my husband are wanting to get a dog hopefully next year, but not 100% on which breed. My husband particularly,is concerned our 2 year old siamese cat will hate a puppy, attack it or leave home. Or possibly all 3. Just for anyone who doesn't know character of a Siamese, they are very people orientated, clingy to owner & territorial, so don't do the usual cat thing of a swipe & then ignore. We want a medium sized dog, not keen on typical yappy type. Obviously all dogs need exercise but wasn't thinking of high level. My husband works full time, I work part time, because of shifts dog will only be on own about 4hrs 4 days a week. The rest of days less so. I was thinking Boston Terrier or possibly French bulldog, although Bostons not cheap, FB price puts me off! Any thoughts on this if anyone had or owns Siamese & think of breed type be best? Thanks Cathy

My Mum had a resident Siamese when she bought her Doberman pup home. The pup was sat in the lounge when Pyewacket came in, she strolled up to him, he stretched out his nose to say hello so she boxed his ears soundly and stalked off.  She then used him as a cushion !! Never a cross word from that day on. She had 3 little girl kittens and Mum kept them all, ( Emily Anne and Charlotte ), they all got on without problems.
Aileen

Great thanks for that, there is hope then! Lulu (siamese) if sees anything 'foreign' seems to almost hyperventilate as well as usual hissing, she did when brought friends dog into our house, the dog shook & Lulu heart was beating very fast & she was very frightened but also wanted to attack. That I know is different from having a permanent dog in your home. Good to know a glimmer of hope though thanks

I've had cats with dogs all my life.
Established cats are very intimidating to most puppies and they grow up with great respect for them. A year ago I sold a puppy to a lady with 2 Siamese and they have tolerated each other pretty well. If and when the cats accept the dog it will be on their terms...most dogs accept that.
I've had cats with Boxers and Cavaliers...( not at ALL "Yappy").

I'd not go for any feisty breed who may not accept the cats dominance as well. 

A Boston a breed I recommended for friends, (and they had many happy years with Max) is feisty and also has a higher chance of having it's eyes damaged by an angry cat, as the eyes are large and prominent.

Most dogs will accept the pre-eminence of the cat if introduced as pups, with pup being contained and cat free to escape to non dog areas.

It really is very much one mans meat is another mans poison.

I certainly know of more than one Siamese cat breeder that has owned my breed successfully.

It's often easier to have a dog first and the cat second, but of course it can work the other way around. There are never any guarantees though. I have had dogs and cats together for as long as I can remember, decades,  bred and shown both for many years -stopped breeding cats last year after 25 years. I have lived with 2 Siamese and one Balinese (and one Devon Si-Rex) when I was with my ex, but since then more laid back breeds as my own breeds are Persians and Exotics.  A new puppy and a resident cat needs watching, and in many ways the best cat is one that WILL get out of the way. Most of mine are too soppy for their own good. The other day I had to rescue a big adult male neuter Exotic from my 4 month old Papillon puppy (i.e. much smaller than the cat) who was literally dragging the cat across the room by one ear!! He was lucky (the dog, I mean) that the cat was that laid back, because when I got my first Papillon as a pup, he thought the cats were his playmates, jumped on a queen who was not as soft, and promptly had his eye punctured by a cat claw. He's been almost blind in that eye ever since.

So that's the bad parts -otherwise daily life here always involves cats and dogs cuddled up together, no problems at all. Like I said, there are never any guarantees. The usual vital advice is to make sure there are gates in use so that the cat can either squeeze through the bars or jump over but the puppy can't, and above all have plenty of places for the cat to jump up onto to get out of the way. You will also need litter tray and cat food kept out of the dog's reach, of course.

My Siamese was two years old when he was first introduced to dogs. He was not amused at first and became very noisy (more than usual that is!) and very sulky and bad tempered! Everything settled down very quickly though, once the dogs realised to keep their distance and he was the boss! He lived happily alongside various breeds in his life time (including GSD, Cocker and various HPR's) and in some ways was 'more dog' than they were! He was an excellent retriever and spent many hours flicking a rolled up sock across the room and then going and retrieving it. Although, heaven help any dog that attempted to retrieve a sock that he had thrown He tolerated the dogs but if (in his opinion) they were being too rowdy or getting on his nerves, then he would meter out punishment - mainly hanging round their necks and biting them! Amazingly, they all took it in their stride and never retaliated which was lucky for him! I had more of a problem with him when I had a baby. That was one step to far as far as he was concerned!

Had a pure Siamese - rescue- years back who just ignored the dog we had at the time....dog did the same!
We later had a Siamese x with total Siamese attitude! We got him as a kitten after we had the dogs - he ended up ruling the roost and would turf the dogs out of their beds if he fancied sitting in one, he also stopped the dogs coming in or out the back door when the mood took him................dogs at the time were a GSD, a Rott and a med size X breed
He had a radiator hammock and if the Rott said hello sometimes he would lick her nose but other times I have seen the Rott frozen to the spot with claws holding each side of her muzzle waiting for cat to let go!!!

> mainly hanging round their necks and biting them! Amazingly, they all took it in their stride and never retaliated which was lucky for him!

Oh that reminds me of my Dad's cat Sheba (RIP) a mainly black with white chest and paws moggie.

Some of my dogs used to stay with his wife if he was away from home as she felt safer, and Sheba used to ambush the dog and they in turn would pretend she wasn't there.  She hug on but didn't bite.

My dogs are not used to living with cats (we live on a main road) but have always been good if we visit a house where there are resident cats, yet go nuts at the taunting neighbours cats.

Thanks so much for all the replies, all the advice received have been a great help & given me a lot to think about, that cats rule the roost & mainly its how we act & respond to introducing a new puppy. By the sound of it I think the breed doesn't come into it in regards to our siamese, but what type of size/temperament dog we are more comfortable with.
Thanks all

I am wondering why nobody has suggested an older dog.  Please don't all take this the wrong way, but I won't sell a puppy to anyone wanting to leave it for 4 hours every day.  It's far too long for a newly weaned pup to be left.

Hi I've not really thought of older dog just because thought easier for both cat & puppy to accept each other. I've had a rescue dog before that had for 15yrs, we did have her from a young dog though.
We were planning on getting dog next year so could plan to be off for so many weeks when got the puppy, most I think go at 8-9wks to new home.
I did think after that, leaving a new dog minimum 4hrs ok? although I was planning to call in home as often as can the 4 days I am able to do so as work in the community & near to home.

I think the breed doesn't come into it in regards to our siamese

apart possibly from some terrier breeds but that would depend a bit on the cat while the dog was still a puppy - if that makes sense?

Yes know what you mean, I know some people have dogs with high prey instincts - terriers, greyhound etc that if been reared with a cat from a puppy they are fine, but still may chase other small animals & cats.

Do take care with an older dog. Make SURE it is cat safe....used to cats.

I have had cats then puppy then kitten then puppy - over 25 years and it's all been very managable both ways round - introducing puppy to cat and kitten to dogs. Only had moggies and my dogs have both been working labs. No problems at all - just took sensible precautions,
Have fun!!