The short answer depends on the dog
Whether a Russian Blue is good with dogs depends more on the individual dog than on the cat. Russian Blues are not confrontational; they are cautious, observant, and quick to withdraw from anything overwhelming. Paired with a mature, cat-savvy dog who can walk past a cat without fixating, most Russian Blues relax, claim their high perches, and eventually share rooms and even sunny spots peacefully. Paired with a young, high-drive dog who lunges and chases, the same cat will live in hiding, and that is a welfare problem, not a settling-in phase. Before adopting, be honest about your dog's behaviour around cats he does not know, not just the cat he grew up with.
Why the breed's temperament cuts both ways
Her caution helps and hinders. It helps because a Russian Blue rarely swats, corners, or provokes a dog; given an escape route and a high refuge, she manages her own safety sensibly. It hinders because stress in this breed is quiet — she will not bark or protest, she will simply vanish, eat less, and spend her days under a bed, which an owner can miss for weeks. During any introduction period, watch her appetite, litter habits, and willingness to be in shared rooms as your real progress report. A cat who is eating normally and choosing to observe the dog from her tree is coping. A cat who has stopped appearing is not.
A step-by-step introduction that respects her pace
Start with complete separation and scent swapping: the dog and cat in different areas, bedding exchanged, meals fed on opposite sides of the same closed door so each associates the other's smell with something good. After several calm days, allow visual contact through a baby gate or a cracked door, with the dog on a lead and rewarded for looking away from her. Keep sessions short and end them while both animals are still relaxed. Only when gate meetings are boring should they share a room, dog still on a lead, cat free to leave. Most households need a fortnight or more to reach loose, supervised time together, and rushing that timeline is the commonest reason introductions fail.
Household rules that protect the relationship
Give the cat permanent dog-free territory — a room or level the dog never enters — plus high routes through shared rooms so she is never cornered on the floor. Feed them separately, because a sensitive cat will not defend her bowl and may quietly skip meals. Teach the dog a reliable leave-it and settle, and never let chasing become a game even once, because a single chase can reset weeks of trust. Children should understand that the cat's retreat places are off limits when she is avoiding the dog.
When it is working, and when to get help
Success looks undramatic: shared rooms, relaxed body language, the cat choosing proximity she could avoid. If weeks pass with hiding, appetite loss, or any aggression from either animal, bring in a qualified behaviour professional rather than pushing on.
KinsLe Family Sharing keeps your Russian Blue's introduction stage, safe rooms, and feeding boundaries in one profile the whole household can see, so nobody accidentally lets the dog into her retreat on a busy morning.