i have 2 staffy bitches which are now 8 mths old (sisters) 1 which has just come out of season the other is still in season while they will still share a bed at night play in the garden together etc once we bring them into the front room to sit with us the 1 who isnt in season will attack the other for no reason what so ever it has now got to the point where the 1 thats still in season will run up the stairs and try and get into the kids bedroom to play rather than come into the front room once we get her in the front room with the other (normally she has to be carried) the other dog will attack and after that the 1 whos still in season will not look at any1 and sits in the corner lookin at the wall or away from the other biitch :( i was told when i got them that there would be a couple of fights to sort the peckin order out but to me it seems that theres some bulling going on any advice would be helpfull

This is a commonly asked question especially with Staffys -
Some breeders do not like littermates to go together
There are mixed views on the subject - there is a thread on at the moment called "new addition" where there are coments about bringing up young Staffy bitches together .
Out of curiosity Can I ask whether you had experience of Staffordshires prior to getting your pups and also why you got two sisters ?
Lel

this is the first time i have had this breed (for years ive had labs ) at first we were only going to get 1 shes a blue bitch as all the rest were sold but some one changed there mind and i decided rather than put up with weeks of howling and crying from the pup maybe another pup would be company 4 her and when we got them hope it proved to be right as we never heard them and still havent heard them through the night:) its only when they come into the front room to be with us at night where they will fight

Hi
I'm not a staffy person but I'm sure someone who is will be along soon, seems that the one that s more dominant is going to far if the other one is sitting looking at the wall, although dogs have a pecking order, you still have to be top dog and i think you need to excercise your power over them both, the one who is dominant needs to know that it is ok for her to be over the other one but is not allowed to attack..and make the other sisters life miserable.
Tracey

Hi Kes
although I love Staffys to bits I personally would never get another until the first is at least 18 months old - but as i say , thats just me .My Staffy pup is 6 months old
Staffys "can" fight when left together and i know from my breeder who has two bitches that when the bitches are in season they do tend to get niggly with each other - there is also the pecking order issue too as one wants to be the dominant bitch .
I would always keep my eyes on them and try not to leave them alone especially when older . I think it is a case of watch and see but if it continues as they grow you will almost certainly have to seperate them ifyou go out as you could be in for big trouble . People have come home to a dead dog before now :(
Did your breeder not mention you may have these problems when you bought the pair of them ?
Lel

he did say that at about 7-8 months we would probably have a fight to sort out who was top of the peckin order and that would be about it :) but at the moment its nearly every night but only when there sitting with us in the front room:( every where else in the house there fine and will quiet happily sleep in the same bed even thought they have seperate beds

Kes
all i can advise is watch them and make sure any fights or niggles do not get out of hand .
They may grow out of it , and sort out their differences or decide who is top dog
But I do know people whos Staffys dont and this happens all the time between them. Enough to warrant vets attention . :(
I hope they sort it out between them - they are young after all :)
Can I ask what made you choose Staffys after having Labs ? JUst being nosey - I love them :D
Lel

it was a case of always liking them but never haveing enough money to get 1 but l8 last year i had the money and i new of a litter and ended up buying the 2:) there are fantastic dogs and we havent had many problems with chewing etc:)

Kes
my pup hasnt chewed anything yet either ( except my fave shoes) and my last Staffy never chewed anything either in all his 14 years
You do hear some *horror* stories about Staffys which could put you off if you didnt do your research . I think they are brill and full of character .They have loads of energy but love their home comforts too.
Brillant with kids if you have any, and just generally love people. I can picture myself forever with a Staffy :)
What are your two called by the way and what colours and lines are they from .
Gus is black with small amount of brindle and white chest.
Lesley

my 2 are roxy and kes :) roxy is a blue with a white bid and white tips to her toes and kes is black with a very small amount of brindle and a small white bib (kes been the trouble maker)

after reading your posts i think its a case of one of your bitches trying to be top dog. you have got to teach her that you are top dog in your house. ive got 4 staffs up until recently i had five. 3 girls and one boy they all live quite happy together although i never leave them alone together. they have little squabbles between them but its never amoounted to much. im top dog in my house and they all know where there places are. when the bitch thats going for the other one goes for her let her know shes been naughty put her out side for a few moments and then see what shes likeif she does it again put her out again. if mine have an argument i ignore the one that starts it staffies hate being ignored and she will evetually learn its not on hope this helps all the best gwen

Fully agree with what Gwen has said.
You need to assert your authority as top dog and the instigator needs to know she is doing wrong. Like Gwen said take her out of the room or make her go to her bed. When you let her in again warn her before she starts. If she starts again then back out etc. You will be shocked how soon she will learn BUT remember she has learnt only while you are in the room and top dog. NEVER from now on leave them alone together. They are no longer little pups and they are starting to mature and approach those "teenage" years.

hi i was reading the other post's and iam a owner of a 6month old male staff pup,he's a lovely dog very loyala nd loves lots of cuddle's but just latley he's started chewing!! and i mean chewing he's eating the walls!!we have really told him off and he no's as soon as you open the door he's in trouble,but he still does it??so today i came home and yet again he had been chewing another part of the wall so he got told off and i shut himoutside and put his bed in the outhouse and he was on his own (as i own another dog who's a staff x)he didnt like it.so my plan is to shut them out there when i go out now..emma

Hi Emma,
Did you tell him off when you caught him in the act of chewing, so that he knew what he was being told off for? Or did you tell him off after the event - because he'll have forgotten and have no idea why you're cross with him! :(

He may be learning that when you come in you're going to be angry with him........and he'll be very confused.

Hello Emma
Is your pup used to a crate at all?
If so could he be put in his crate when you are not there?
Is your other dog destructive? If not then when you are not there either put the pup in a crate or the outhouse - assuming the outhouse is suitable eg draught free, light, free from damp etc.
Even if they are not kept separate for destruction it is my advice when you are not there to keep them separate for safetys sake.
Even though they get on well now your pup will soon be trying his luck with the older male. There may be no signs of this when you are there but it will happen at some stage and you may come home to seriously injured dogs or worse :-(
I know it is sad to think that your two much loved pets could do this to each other but it happens.
Under NO circumstances leave them in a confined space eg. the outhouse together. :-)

thx 4 all the help things have quietened down a great deal to the fact that both will now play on the rug in the front room and not try and kill each other:) roxy can can still be abit funny about coming into the front room but once she's in there things seem to be ok:)

thx again
kes

Emma

I agree with the point Jeangenie has made: just because a dog looks guilty does not mean it understands what you are cross about, he is simplu responding to your body language/voice. It is so important to protect walls and furniture with an anti chew spray, Vicks, oil of cloves etc, and then the pup will not need to be told off and will not get into the habit of chewing which is perhaps the main point, but also he will need things to chew, have you tried giving him a stuffed Kong and interactive toys when you are out?

It's important to remember that dogs just don't have human concepts of guilt, etc - they may learn to associate your return with you being cross, but not out of guilt. They just think that is how you are when you return and will look submissive to try to appease you.

Lindsay

Hi Kes and Les

right kes you have big trouble on your hands, i had 2 bitches and 1 dog about 6 months ago and they all got on ever nice the bitches would sleep together and would cry if not kept together. the bitches were 2 and 3 so more of a age gape than you have with yours, they had a pecing order and the older was the boss but about 6 months ago they started having little fight's not much at the beginng but in the end we had to keep them apart all the time, they would only have to see each other and they would go mad (both still loved the dog).

the problem with bitches is that they dont give up. in the end we gave one to my brother in law, now they get on well as long as they are not in the some houes together

i think that your dogs will only get wores as they have started to fight so young

all the best

Natalie

out only problem now is the fight are confined to 1 room in the house THE FRONT ROOM:( they will are happy in the garden together and often play together racing round the gatden they will sleep together normally in a big heap in the middle of there bed:) but bring them in the front room together and its just a matter of time b4 i will go for the other:( normally the same dog starts it :( we have started to throw her out if she starts and leave her in the garden 5 a while when she comes back in shes as good as gold and bothers no 1:(

I don't know much about staffies but i was just wondering if it could be due to some kind of jealousy, as it only occurs in the front room, where no doubt they spend most of their time with you in the evenings. It could be related to dominance, but the fact that it only occurs in the one room makes me think it is related to the people in it. Does it happen when you are not in the room with them?

Was just wondering....do you think this could be jealousy on the part of your dominant bitch?
As in...she knows the living room is 'your' place and is trying to keep the other bitch out so as to get more attention from you?

Just a thought...

Hope everything works out for you

Good luck

Lisa

until they both came into season they would both sit on the floor together or on the sofa nut once the season started the 1 whos seems to be the top bitch dcided that the other wasnt allowed any where near and pushed out off the room :( now the seasons are over they both come in the room but yet again 1 dog has to stay at the other end of the room and if she trys to get close to ant 1 is warnder off ir attacked:( now then most of the time we are both in the front room with them but if i go out and leave them with my other half things seem to be a little bit quieter and the both seem to sit together or near each other with out any problems:) now the dog that has been pushed away when we are both in took to me more than anyone else in the house where the other is more 4 my partner but when im in she will jump all over me and pester the livin day lights outta me to play and lick me to death:) do i have come to the point of thinking that she thinks every 1 in the house is hers and the other is not allowed to have any 1:(