Are Sphynx Cats Good With Dogs?

Animal lovers can relate to feeling warm and fuzzy when watching videos of a loving cat-dog friendship. However, not all cats get along well with dogs – and the question today is whether Sphynx cats do.

Are Sphynx cats good with dogs? Yes, Sphynx cats tend to get along well with friendly dogs. Given that this breed needs constant companionship, having a dog in the household is a good idea, especially for owners who are not home often.

Much of this positive answer relates to the personality of Sphynx cats, hence the first part of this article will cover this topic. After that, find out more about the benefits of having a dog companion for your Sphynx cat, the types of suitable dog breeds, and how to introduce a dog to your hairless feline.

The Sphynx Cat´s Personality – Perfect With Humans And Other Pets

These cats are easily described as friendly, affectionate and human-loving. 

Sphynx cats are known to greet their owners at the door enthusiastically. They’re typically found near their favorite people, either snuggling on an empty lap, sleeping under the bed covers or just hanging around the same room.

Another quirk of the Sphynx cat is that they are almost desperate for attention. They lap up every second of petting, snuggling and playing. Far from the independent type of kitties, Sphynx cats do not like being alone. Owners who don’t spend much time at home are often wracked with guilt knowing how lonely their four-legged friend will get during the quiet hours of the day.

How bad is the loneliness? These cats have been known to fall into depression due to loneliness, so the problem is quite serious.

This is precisely why it’s highly recommended to have other animals in the house together with your Sphynx cat. While many owners stick to adopting two Sphynx cats at once, you could also introduce a new pet of a different breed (or species) into the household.

Finally back to the topic, getting a dog to keep your Sphynx cat company would be a fantastic idea!

Are Sphynx cats good with dogs?

Sphynx cats do not discriminate when it comes to love, so any friendly human, cat or dog can receive its full approval.

So yes, Sphynx cats can be exceptionally good with dogs – provided that the dog is cat-friendly.

Cat-friendly dogs are safe for living alongside cats in the sense that these dogs will not attack felines. Instead, they are either aloof to the presence of cats or are happy to form friendships with cats.

Preferably, you’ll want the latter type of dog for your Sphynx cat in order to meet your purpose, which is to find companionship for your dear kitty.

What types of dogs are best suited for Sphynx cats?

It pays for Sphynx cat owners to put a lot of thought into selecting the dog that they’re bringing home. For the best chance of success, you should stick to dog breeds that have been proven to co-exist well with cats.

Some of these dog breeds include:

• The easy-going Beagles
• The lovable Golden Retrievers
• The gentle Labrador Retrievers
• The happy-go-lucky Papillons
• The stocky Pugs
• The large-sized Newfoundlands
• The docile English Bulldog
• The intelligent Boston Terriers
• The agile and flat-faced Japanese Chins
• The well-behaved Basset Hounds

What are the benefits of having a dog companion for your Sphynx cat?

The main benefit of getting a dog for your Sphynx cat has already been covered, that is, to minimize the chances that your cat will feel lonely. Beyond this, there are other less-direct benefits that your pets will reap.

Here are some of them:

• Your pets can exercise regularly while interacting with each other
• Your pets will get more mental stimulation
• Your pets will have fun while playing together

On top of that, if you feel that your Sphynx cat has been overly-needy towards you, having a dog might alleviate the problem!

All the good things aside, you will still want to think carefully about whether or not you want to adopt a dog for the purpose of keeping your Sphynx cat company.

What are the main considerations before getting a dog?

What cat owners like yourself should be well aware of is that getting another pet is a huge responsibility. If you feel that your Sphynx cat has been quite a handful already, you should brace for even more commitment once you have a dog.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Can you support two pets financially?
• Are you willing to pup-proof your home? (For example, you need to keep foods like chocolates, which are poisonous to dogs, away from plain sight.)
• Do you have time to groom your pets’ fur, teeth, and nails?
• Will you be able to take your dog out for regular walks?
• Can you shower both pets with plenty of love and attention?

If you are sitting on the fence, do not jump into the decision of adopting a dog for your Sphynx cat. You’re better off doing two things to keep loneliness away from your cat, and that would be:

1. Make your home more stimulating for your Sphynx cat. You could buy plenty of toys, set up cat trees and perches, and basically create a fun environment. This way, your kitty can keep itself occupied when it’s home alone.
2. Adopt another cat! In general, cats require lower maintenance than dogs. If not another Sphynx cat, you could get friendly breeds like the Siamese or Maine Coon.

How do you introduce a dog to your Sphynx cat?

If you decide to go for having a dog, then you’ll have to ensure that your Sphynx cat will be properly introduced to the dog. As a responsible pet owner, you shouldn’t put the two pets together and hope they’d somehow “sort it out”.

Follow these crucial steps to set the base of a positive relationship:

• Give space for the dog to settle in, such as a section of your house. Furnish it with everything the dog will need: food, water, litter and toys. Train your dog to follow basic commands such as “down” or “stay”.
• Exchange scents. Rub a clean towel on your Sphynx cat’s cheeks and forehead, and rub another clean towel on the dog’s armpits and flanks. Exchange the cloths and put it where both animals have the chance to sniff and get familiar with the scents. Refresh the towels with more scents and continue for a few days.
• Then, progress to the glass barrier where the two animals can see each other for around five minutes each time.
• Switch to a gate or some sort of physical barrier where they can see and smell each other, but not get into physical contact.
• Let them meet face-to-face. Pay special care to allow room for your Sphynx cat to run away and hide should it feel scared. The dog should be on a leash. In time, allow the dog to sniff your cat, but always ask the dog to come back to you upon command.
• Once you are confident that the two are able to behave well around each other, you can finally let them be together, unsupervised.

Throughout this whole process, you should monitor both the Sphynx cat and the dog carefully. Only progress to the next stage once the two animals appear calm and relaxed. Feel free to use treats to reward your pets for their good behavior.

With this solid introduction, you might just have seeded a budding cat-dog friendship that’s worthy of being filmed and uploaded on Youtube!