dog vs cat

Question
There's this beagle I really want, but because we have a cat my parents don't know how they would get along. how could we make room for a new pet in our family? Also, if we get the dog we might need a trainer. We don't know who would do it that is trustworthy and we want to know a price.

Answer
Hi Kaitlyn, glad to see you are such an animal lover! Beagles as you might be aware were originally used for hunting small prey like rabbits. They have a very high prey instinct meaning they like to chase things and catch them. You didnt specify if this beagle is a puppy or not but the best successes I have seen are when a beagle puppy and a kitten are brought up together and there still will be some chasing but good natured. If you have an adult cat and bring in an adult beagle it could get pretty crazy if that beagle hasnt been brought up around cats and gotten along with them well in the past. Also the cat will be pretty put out by ANY dog and it will take time with ANY dog to adjust but it will be harder for the cat when it is a dog that will chase it all the time. The cat may show some bad manners by swatting, hissing, hiding and urinating in laces it never did before. Beagles also love to eat cat poop so the cat box will be a place they will seek out. I guess without knowing the ages of both the cat and the dog I would have to say it probably will not be easy nor work too well which I know isnt what you want to hear but to do this combo would take someone with extensive training experience. There are other breeds that might work out better, don't pick any hunting breeds.  Good luck to you!