Fetch FinderBreeds that usually do well with cats have low prey drive and a gentle, easygoing nature. Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Basset Hounds, Bichon Frises and many other companion breeds are known for sharing a home peacefully with cats.
Breeds rated 4–5/5 with cats (best first)
Large · 55–75 lb👪 Great family dogGolden RetrieverGentle, patient and famously friendly. Goldens are great with kids and other pets, but bring a lot of hair and energy.
Small · 13–18 lb👪 Great family dogCavalier King Charles SpanielSweet, gentle and adaptable. Cavaliers are happy in an apartment or a house and get along with almost everyone.
Small · 9–16 lb👪 Good family dogShih TzuA calm, cheerful lap dog bred purely for companionship. Shih Tzus are easygoing and great for first-time owners.
Small · 14–18 lb👪 Great family dogPugFunny, loving and happy to nap all day. Pugs are excellent apartment dogs but their flat faces need careful handling in heat.
Small · 7–13 lb👪 Great family dogHavaneseOutgoing, gentle and eager to please. The Havanese is one of the best small breeds for families and first-time owners.
Small · 12–18 lb👪 Great family dogBichon FriseA cheerful, fluffy companion that gets along with everyone. Bichons are low-shedding and easy for beginners.
Large · 100–150 lb👪 Great family dogNewfoundlandA sweet, patient giant famous for water rescue and gentleness with kids. Newfies are calm but very big and very hairy.
Small · 7–11 lbBetter with adults or older kidsJapanese ChinA dainty, catlike toy breed bred as a companion for Japanese nobility. Charming, quiet and devoted.
Large · 55–80 lb👪 Great family dogLabrador RetrieverFriendly, eager to please and easy to train. Labs are one of the best all-around family dogs, as long as they get daily exercise.
Small · 16–28 lb👪 Good family dogFrench BulldogPlayful, quiet and built for apartment life. Frenchies need little exercise, but their flat faces make them sensitive to heat and cold.
Large · 40–70 lb👪 Good family dogStandard PoodleHighly intelligent, athletic and low-shedding. A good pick for people who want a bigger dog without the hair, if they budget for grooming.
Large · 70–115 lb👪 Great family dogBernese Mountain DogA gentle giant that loves families and cold weather. Berners are calm and affectionate, but their large size and shorter lifespan matter.
Small · 12–25 lb👪 Good family dogBoston TerrierFriendly, funny and easy to live with. Boston Terriers are a top pick for apartments and first-time owners.
Small · under 7 lbBetter with adults or older kidsMalteseA gentle, playful toy breed with a silky white coat that barely sheds. Maltese love being close to their people.
Small · 10–15 lb👪 Good family dogMiniature PoodleAll the brains of the Standard Poodle in a small, apartment-friendly size. Very trainable and low-shedding.Medium · 40–50 lb👪 Good family dogBulldogCalm, sweet and famously lazy. Bulldogs are easygoing companions, but come with real health costs.
Medium · 40–50 lb👪 Great family dogEnglish Springer SpanielA happy, eager bird dog that loves families. Springers are trainable and affectionate, with energy to spare.
Medium · 40–65 lb👪 Great family dogBasset HoundLaid-back, patient and great with kids. Bassets are low-key at home but have one of the best noses in dogs.
Medium · 35–45 lb👪 Great family dogKeeshondA friendly, fluffy companion that loves people. Keeshonden are easy to train and very good with kids.
Large · 110–175 lb👪 Good family dogGreat DaneA gentle giant that's calmer than its size suggests. Danes are sweet and easygoing, but everything about them is big, including the bills.
Large · 85–100+ lb👪 Good family dogGreat PyreneesA calm, patient guardian bred to protect flocks in the mountains. Pyrs are gentle with family but independent and loud at night.
Large · 120–180 lb👪 Good family dogSaint BernardA famously gentle mountain rescue dog. Saints are calm and loving, but their size, drool and cost are serious commitments.
Small · 20–30 lb👪 Great family dogCocker SpanielA sweet, merry spaniel and one of America's longtime favorites. Cockers are gentle family dogs with beautiful coats.
Large · 45–80 lb👪 Great family dogEnglish SetterA gentle, elegant bird dog with a speckled coat. English Setters are mellow at home but need room to run.
Large · 60–70 lb👪 Great family dogIrish SetterA rollicking, outgoing redhead that stays playful for years. Irish Setters are friendly with everyone and full of energy.
Medium · 26–34 lb👪 Good family dogEnglish Cocker SpanielA merry, sturdy spaniel built for hunting. English Cockers are a bit larger and more athletic than American Cockers.
Small · up to 14 lbBetter with adults or older kidsPekingeseA dignified, lion-like toy breed from imperial China. Loyal, independent and happy to lounge.
Small · 8–10 lbBetter with adults or older kidsBrussels GriffonA tiny, bearded dog with an almost human expression. Sensitive, clingy and full of personality.
Small · 5–10 lbBetter with adults or older kidsPapillonA tiny, butterfly-eared toy dog that's smart, athletic and easy to train. Great at agility.
Small · 8–15 lb👪 Great family dogCoton de TulearA cotton-soft, white companion dog from Madagascar. Happy, gentle and wonderful with families.
Small · 12–18 lbBetter with adults or older kidsLhasa ApsoA long-coated watchdog from Tibetan monasteries. Confident, independent and wary of strangers.
Large · 90–170 lb👪 Great family dogLeonbergerA huge, lion-maned gentle giant from Germany. Calm, friendly and great with kids.
Large · 50–75 lb👪 Great family dogCollieThe loyal, gentle dog made famous by Lassie, in rough and smooth coats. Devoted, smart and great with kids.
Large · 60–100 lb👪 Great family dogOld English SheepdogA big, shaggy, bear-like herding dog with a clownish, gentle nature. Wonderful with kids.
Small · 15–25 lb👪 Good family dogShetland SheepdogA small, Lassie-look herding dog that's bright, eager and very easy to train. Devoted to family.
Large · 55–85 lb👪 Good family dogClumber SpanielA calm, heavyset spaniel with a gentle, easygoing nature. Clumbers are mellow at home and steady in the field.
Medium · 35–45 lb👪 Good family dogSussex SpanielA low, long, golden-liver spaniel with a calm, cheerful nature. Rare, mellow and devoted.
Medium · 35–50 lb👪 Good family dogField SpanielA sensitive, affectionate spaniel built for steady work in the field. Fields are gentle and devoted to their families.
Medium · 35–55 lb👪 Great family dogWelsh Springer SpanielA red-and-white spaniel that's loyal, steady and great with kids. A bit more reserved than the English Springer.
Large · 60–70 lb👪 Great family dogFlat-Coated RetrieverA cheerful, forever-young retriever with a glossy black or liver coat. Flat-Coats stay puppyish well into adulthood.
Medium · 25–40 lb👪 Great family dogBoykin SpanielA compact brown spaniel from South Carolina, bred to hunt from small boats. Friendly, eager and great with kids.
Large · 50–70 lb👪 Great family dogIrish Red and White SetterA friendly, athletic setter with a red-and-white coat. Good-natured with everyone and full of stamina.
Medium · 35–65 lb👪 Great family dogBarbetA shaggy French water dog with a joyful, friendly nature. Barbets are low-shedding, affectionate and great swimmers.
Small · 8–14 lbBetter with adults or older kidsEnglish Toy SpanielA gentle, flat-faced toy spaniel and close cousin of the Cavalier. Quiet and affectionate.
Small · 8–12 lbBetter with adults or older kidsChinese CrestedA toy breed that comes hairless or fully coated (the Powderpuff). Playful, loving and very attached.
Small · 10–15 lb👪 Good family dogLöwchenThe "little lion dog," often clipped with a lion-style mane. Lively, affectionate and low-shedding.
Small · 4–8 lbBetter with adults or older kidsBiewer TerrierA tri-colored toy terrier related to the Yorkie. Playful, friendly and low-shedding.
Small · 4.5–11 lb👪 Good family dogRussian Tsvetnaya BolonkaA fluffy, colorful lap dog from Russia, newly AKC-recognized in 2026. Gentle, happy and easy to live with.
Medium · 18–30 lb👪 Good family dogTibetan TerrierA shaggy, loyal companion from Tibet (not really a terrier). Sensitive, gentle and long-lived.
Small · 9–15 lb👪 Good family dogTibetan SpanielA small, catlike watchdog from Tibetan monasteries. Confident, smart and affectionate with family.
Medium · 45–55 lb👪 Great family dogBearded CollieA bouncy, shaggy Scottish herding dog with a happy, outgoing nature. Great with kids.
Medium · 25–30 lb👪 Great family dogIcelandic SheepdogIceland's only native breed: a cheerful, curly-tailed spitz that loves people. Friendly and playful.
Medium · 33–53 lb👪 Great family dogFinnish LapphundA fluffy reindeer-herding dog from Lapland. Gentle, friendly and calm.
Large · 57–84 lb👪 Good family dogBergamasco SheepdogAn Italian flock dog with a unique felted coat. Calm, patient and independent.Breeds to be careful with
Dogs bred to chase or catch small animals often see cats as prey. Be careful with:
- Sighthounds like Greyhounds, Whippets, Salukis and Borzois.
- Many terriers, which were bred to hunt rats and other small animals.
- Northern breeds like Siberian Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes.
Individual dogs vary. Some Greyhounds are "cat-tested" by rescues and live happily with cats.
How to introduce a dog and a cat
- Start separated: keep them in different rooms for a few days and swap bedding so they learn each other's scent.
- Meet through a barrier: a baby gate or cracked door. Reward the dog for staying calm.
- Leashed meetings: keep the dog on a leash in the same room. Keep sessions short and positive.
- Give the cat an escape route: high shelves, a cat tree, or a room the dog can't enter.
- Supervise until you're confident they're relaxed together. This can take weeks.
Tip: adopting an adult dog that a rescue has already tested with cats takes much of the guesswork out.
Take the breed quiz and choose "Yes, a cat or small pets" to filter for cat-friendly breeds.