wait I just saw someone else do this, and it looks fun. could you recommend a dog breed to me based on these requirements?
small (or at least under 40lbs)
no prey drive
not a yappy barker
no long strings of drool
hypoallergenic is a plus!
low activity level
good health (and non-brachycephalic)
The problem you'll run into is that little dogs are largely either:
Terriers or terrier-adjacent (high prey drive and potentially dangerous to the cats, though how dangerous depends entirely on exact breed and you can always ensure you're buying from someone who raises the puppies around household cats to prevent future problems)
brachycephalic (chihuahuas, tibetian spaniels, japanese chins, shih tzu, all of these are relatively robust little dogs that fit most of your other boxes but definitely are brachy)
Prone to barking (literally most of the rest)
Partner recommends lowchen which I have not met more than a single, and tibetian terriers (low allergen but wooly/coarse hair texture)(they're not actually terriers), and havanese.
ETA: OR an iggy but you'll have to make sure to keep up on training.
thank you very much! the humble Havenese is definitely activating the right chemicals in my brain. I can see this being an animal in my house
Lowchens are also a possibility, but I have to keep reminding myself not be prejudiced because of their stupid haircuts. I could just get one and not cut the hair that way. the shaggy faces are very cute!
I think Havanese could def be a good fit for your needs! Here's a Gandalf-ass one from a show I was at a couple of weeks ago. His fur felt like a cloud and he was very sweet.
Iggies kind of fit but they can be (but not always) prey driven and pretty nutty especially when young.
