buying 2 dogs

[BackInBlack]

looking to buy maybe 2 new dogs. would like a male staffordshire bull terrier but don't know if i should get a male or female jack russell to be his companian, or if he would be better on his own. saying that i used to have a male staffie and a male bull mastiff and they got on great... i suppose 2 males would be best, what do you think?

 

[Cop-Pop]

If your after a staffie the rescues are all overflowing with them

 

[BackInBlack]

i want a nice big kc registered one. needs to be as soon as it's weaned so it gets used to my children! i've just seen one that looks ideal in my local paper - made myself upset because he reminded me so much of my old boy!! can't be without one so have made up my mind it's time to get a pup.x

 

[CAYLA]

U can get fab natured staffs from the rescues inc puppies...we have just rehomed 3 staffi's to family homes with young kids and they where fab natured, the reason we tend to rehome all our staffies into homes with kids....is beacuse of all the rescue they are fab natured with kids and tough little cookies to with stand the kiddi play, as to thick skinned to get irrate

Good luck anyhow....

 

[BackInBlack]

that's what i'd need, tough little cookies with my boy and girl! good point will look into it

 

[louise1967]

I would recommend getting a dog and a bitch unless you are buying siblings, as same sex animals can become a problem in puberty unless they are from the same litter, I had a dog and a bitch West highland white terriers that got on fine, but now have 2 bitches and a dog, but they are mother, daughter & son. 2 dogs are great though as dogs are pack animals and not solitary animals!!!

 

[nijinsky]

I've had staffies for over 20 years now. I adore the breed. I've always tried to have boy/girl rather than 2 boys/2 girls, not to say that 2 of the same sex can't work. I always find the bitch will be the boss anyway.

 

[BackInBlack]

it's usually the way isn't it - the female in charge!!

thanks for your answers. x

 

[Oneofthepack]

Why not have a look at the rescue centres first, there are thousands of staffis begging to find permanent homes and although I'm not a lover of them myself if you are then you'll know which ones will make good family pets. If you are near Somerset this place is always stacked out with the poor blighters.

http://www.stgileskennels.co.uk/adopt-a-dog_132_1.htm

 

[Booboos]

As far as I know the worst combination is two bitches, far more likely to fight and best a dog and a bitch (do think about spaying and neutering though!).

Not sure if you are thinking of two puppies, but I would strongly advise against that. Two puppies tend to bond with each other more than their owners, and are much more challenging to train. If you do want two young ones I would get a puppy now, spend a year teaching it a few things so you have some control for recalls, etc. then get another one when the first one is still very young to appreciate the company but can help teach the new one how to behave. I have four and the new puppy has always been easier because the dominant bitch listens to me and everyone else falls in line behind her!

 

[BackInBlack]

well, far from managing to get around any animal shelters we have fallen in love with a puppy staffy today. he is blue with one white sock. mum is the friendliest lady and dad has the most muscles i have ever seen on a dog in my life! but he is so friendly. kc reg. only trouble is we saw a puppy bull dog as well which other half has quite taken a shine to. def getting staffy

- going to sleep on it tonight re bulldog.

 

[BackInBlack]

proud owner of 2 dogs. 1 blue staffy 1 bulldog - both males!!

are we mad... they are both adorable.

picking them both up in 8 days. can't wait...

 

[MurphysMinder]

Good luck with them. A word of advice, try and do quite a lot with them separately otherwise they will bond with each other and become really hard work to train. Have to admit I would be wary of having 2 males of the same age but hopefully you won't have any problems with them.

 

[BackInBlack]

yes thank you - i have thought of the separation issue. the bulldog won't need as much excercise as the staffy so straight away i will take staffy out for extra excercise - he will do the school run with me while the bulldog stays at home with my OH at first. we'll take it from there... reading up on bulldogs at the moment as we have never had one - any info or tips would be usefull!

 

[pingpong]

I actually think thats a huge mistake, no responsible breeder would sell anyone 2 males of the same age of any breed, unless of course you didnt tell them? At about a year old or sooner, one will challenge for boss and I only hope you are there when it kicks off, sadly my neighbour wasnt when her Labrador and Staff started, she came home to a dead labrador. Both males, both 13mths old, the Staff had trashed the kitchen door to get the LAb while she was fetching her kids from school.

I would strongly recommend you rethink on having two at the same time.

 

[Oneofthepack]

[ QUOTE ]
are we mad...

[/ QUOTE ]

Er yes! Likewise last poster, can't imagine why anyone would want 2 male pups of difficult to handle breeds at the same time, or what sort of breeder would sell them to you. We shall watch this space!

 

[BackInBlack]

point taken. tho we have had 2 males before - a staffy and a bull mastiff. which is a similar coupling. neither of them were the boss - we were. breeders say you're likely to get trouble with 2 stud dogs but one or both of ours will be neutered.

 

[pingpong]

Yeah "some" breeders say anything to get a sale!

 

[Oneofthepack]

I have 2 male dogs and 2 bitches, in fact we have always had 2 dogs of the same sex, male and female, and have not had major probs, although we do have issues with beds and food now and then. I think your problem will arise from having 2 pups the same age and sex, having the same juvenile problems and needing lots of individual attention, vying for top dog position. It could work out fine but why risk it?

Wood Green Animal Shelter in Godmanchester refuse to rehome a dog with a dog of similar age for this reason. Why not have one pup and let it get established for a year or 2, then get another....or go to the rescue centres

 

[Oneofthepack]

[ QUOTE ]
sadly my neighbour wasnt when her Labrador and Staff started, she came home to a dead labrador. Both males, both 13mths old, the Staff had trashed the kitchen door to get the LAb while she was fetching her kids from school.


[/ QUOTE ]

Imagine coming home to that

 

[pingpong]

Not pleasant OOTP

I too have males here. I have 2 entire Border Terrier males and I have had 3 entire Border males without any problems, but the age gap is at least 2yrs.

 

[MurphysMinder]

Well I was trying to be tactful with my comment but was trying to infer that 2 pups of the same age can be trouble. I once sold a male pup from a litter to a young couple, ideal home. At about 6 months old another male was returned to me (owners split up) and the first young couple happened to visit and begged me to have him. I had loads of reservations re the sibling thing, and advised them against it but they eventually wore me down and took him. To cut the story short, they got the males to 2 years old before the trouble started, by this time they had a baby daughter and couldn't risk having 2 fighting GSDs in the house. Sadly the second lad was rehomed again, but luckily to a lovely home and they are both contented old dogs now. It taught me a lesson though to always follow my gut instinct.