Thinking of getting a pup but already have a 9 yr old boy, is it wise or will they not get on? Thanks

Many people keep males together with no problems at all. I guess much will depend on the temperament of your older dog and how he is with other dogs. I would be more worried about keeping any puppy your bring in from bugging the hell out of your old lad. Don't assume that your old dog will 'sort' the puppy out. In my experience, they rarely do and you may need to intervene if it looks like your puppy is pushing his luck. Puppies can be a pain in the backside at times. Especially to older dogs. Make sure your older dog gets some peace and quiet away from your pup. Good Luck if you get one

We have almost always had two males living together (hounds) - in fact our first two were males, almost a year apart in age.   BUT my main breed was a socialable breed, a hound used to living together without the spats sometimes seen with Terriers.   Yes they had the occasional disagreement, especially after our third joined us, a female

I did have just the one boy, kept from an all-male litter, who by the time he hjit around 18 months, started challenging his uncle.  This youngster had never been used at stud, but his uncle had, and once challenged, did react.    I tried all I could think of to get them to sort out their differences, including shutting them in our outside pen (with a hose to hand).  They lay together at the gate, nose to nose without any sign of a fight.   Once back indoors, later on, it all kicked off again.   By then, and the fights were getting increasingly more serious (blood), I'd had enough and found the younger boy a super home, with his own girls.   I co-owned him at first but later on, went to check on him and found he was happy as larry, acknowledged us but returned to what he'd been doing.   So eventually I signed him over to his new owner.   And peace returned to our small pack.

It is possible to have two males together - in fact from my experience, and this is just with my hound-breed, the males would be more inclined to have spats if we had a bitch in season but then it was allover.   Males generally fight to mate - bitches to survive. 

Of course the acknowledge best combination is male and female.   But the female would have to be spayed.   How well this might, or might not work would depend on you correcting the puppy if he gets too much for your older dog.  Adults tend not to attack puppies but if he doesn't see you in charge, he might - sharp teeth hurt!  You may not be able to leave them together, unsupervised, at first.

Primarily breed dependent, and then individual.

I have 4 entire males and 2 spayed bitches. I did have my boys intact during my bitch’s seasons before spaying too with no issues. But as above, it’s very breed and individual specific.

If your breed is not too prone to same sex aggression, your dog is friendly enough with other males, and the pup has a pretty good genetic basis for friendliness with other males then you should be fine. My boys are the best of friends, they play wrestle all the time. Love having boys together.

> is it wise or will they not get on?

What breed is your 9 year old? And what breed are you thinking of getting? There are some breeds where it's not recommended to keep members of the same sex together.

Most breeds however will have no problems, I've had sighthounds for the past 35 years and have always had multiple entire boys with no problems, even with visiting in season girls.

Both will be staffies

Thanks for your replies x

> Both will be staffies

Then no, I would not risk same sex together.

agree don't do it with staffies. Get a bitch pup. far more likely to get along

> Both will be staffies

Then no, I would suggest a bitch would be the safer option.

I would not have the same sex of 2 Staffords in the house together. Be prepared to keep them apart if you go down the route of 2 males, when the youngest reaches puberty there could be an issue. You may be fine but personally I would get a bitch with this  breed.

Stafford breed club advise NOT two males unless you never leave them unsupervised

> Both will be staffies

In that case no.   Of all the groups with the potential for them not to get along, I'd put Terriers at the top of the list.   We lived with people who had Jackies, for some time, and although they had any number of bitches, no way would their one male tolerate having another male under the same roof.   In fact I had to make sure he was in, when taking my small pack out on exercise (entire males and ditto bitches).

I do know people who have had male staffies living together.  A friend had 3 at one point.  But that is the exception, and that's with adult rescues, not a pup going through the hormonal changes of adolescence and maturity.  That's when most problems tend to happen, if they're going to.