JRT wire haired mix - and cats in a townhome

by Christy
(Chicago, IL USA)

I visited an animal rescue association on Friday and for 3 days I have had an adorable little 9 mos. old JRT mix, stay the weekend in my tri-level townhome. I do not have a fenced in yard but do live along a beautiful golf course that has dog walking areas to the side of the course.

"Joey" and I went outside about every 2 hours also immediately after his breakfast and dinner, as he is not house broken. He hasn't messed in the house once and does well in a crate during nightime sleeping hours. It has become hard to tell if he just wants to go outside to watch the birds and squirrils or if he really has to go out just to do his buisness. Either way, we have had extensive walks which is fine by me.

I do have a cat. My male cat's name is OZ. OZ is about 13 years old and he was a rescue from the F5 tornado he and I went through while I lived in Oklahoma City. OZ has always been the 'main-man' of my household albeit a cat of which I also Love and Adore

Here's my 3 questions:

1 - I really want to keep Joey, the JRT mix and am committed to enrolling him into Doggie Day care daily throughout each weekday that I work....on a continuous basis. I don't want to keep him crated throughout a 8-10 hour work day.

2 - With the above said, would living in my tri level townhome at nights and on the weekends be too constraining for Joey? Even after puppy day care on the weekdays?

3 - Will my JRT and my cat OZ have a quality future together? Oz lived very easily about 8 years ago with a 120 lb german shepherd and as he wasn't gung-ho about the situation, OZ tolerated my Shepherd and after maybe 1 confrontation, there wasn't any additional ones. I know the JRT's are hunters - and I know my OZ is also fearless so the both of them have quite the same forward type attitude about themselves.

I have to decide today whether to return littl Joey back to his shelter today or to keep him. Any advice and things you have lived with relative to this - would be so very greatly appreciated. I have fallen in love hard and fast with this little dog.
--Christy--
Chicago, IL