I am so tempted to adopt a dachshund.

[Catshrink]

He's 6 months old and absolutely adorable. His present mom is moving out of state and can't take him with her. He is crate trained and very calm for 6 months old.

I'd grab him in a heartbeat but worry about him being alone with the cats. Sometimes I am gone from 6am to 6pm and I don't think that's fair to the pup. I think the cats would adjust, as spoiled as they are.

This is a tough decision. I've wanted a dog for a while and this seems to be a perfect little puppy. Or am I just a sucker?

[graywarrior]

1. Do it. I'm getting a cat. I just decided. Do it do it do it.

[Sanity Claws]

2. I say no

Dogs need a lot more care and company than cats. You can't leave a dog for 12 hours like that.
Cats sleep a lot more than dogs and are not good company for a dog.
IMHO.

[TrueAmerican]

3. I can swing by and pick him up in early January

on our way back to El Paso from Anahiem.

We already have two other dogs.

[RockaFowler]

4. We Have 2

Doxies. They are the Best. They are stubborn, though. Because he's a male, you might be better off. They are easier to train.

[Lorien]

5. Largely depends on the temperaments of both the dog and the cats

You can actually litter box train small dogs, according to some people I know who spend a lot of time at dog shows (I suggest a Google search). My mom's two cats LOVED her roommates sheltie, and they would play together for hours. I did a "trial adoption" with a Pomeranian recently (see pics below). My cats wanted to be friends, and romped around him, making "let's play" noises, but the dog was totally freaked by them (can't blame him, given the size of two of my cats)! He kept snapping at them, which was the reason his original owners were trying to find a new home for him; he snapped at their toddler constantly. He also had a nervous bladder, and peed everywhere. Had it not been for those issues, he would still be with me (the old owners took him back). Do a trial, see how it works. And refer to the humane societies page for introducing new pets to one another; their techniques usually work quite well.

Good luck!