Hello.

I would be grateful if you could advice on the following.

We have bought two puppies SBT dog and bitch. they will be pciked up at around the same time and will be almost the same age (only a couple of days difference), but they are not related.

My question is:
Is it safe to let them sleep togheter? I would think that since they would otherwise miss their littermates they would find it comfortable to have a new companion and hofefully make them believe that they are brothers/sister?

Or should they sleep separately in crates with a fluffly toy instead? :o)

thanks in advance for your advice Dogfairy

I am afraid that when your bitch comes into season around 6 months of age neither will think of incest!

Get one of them neutered or be prepared to kennel the bitch for 3 weeks twice a year!

They should be able to sleep together as long as they are separated completely for the three weeks, twice a year, that the bitch comes into season.

I should think that their sleeping arrangements will be the least of your worries. ;) I would never recommend anyone having two puppies together.  Training one is a full time job for the first few weeks.  It will be very easy for the puppies to bond to each other and not need you unless you are able to give them individual attention.  For every ten minutes they spend together they should spend half an hour with you  or another family member.  Staffies are lovely dogs but they don't need to practice play fighting too much either. ;)

If you mean when you first get them (although personally I think you are mad getting two together :) ) the answer is probably.  There is a risk though that one litter may have some low grade infection that they have developed an immunity to and could pass it onto the other pup who would have no immunity.

Keep a very close eye and at the slightest sign of a cough or dire-rear/vomiting get them checked out by your vet.  Hopefully all will be fine for you though and you will have two angels for pups and never discover that 2 x 1 does not equal 2 in the case of pups.

you are a very brave person ;)
i have 2 pup's here at the moment wating to go to there new homes.  there are the last 2 in the litter and they are only here because 1 new owner is on holidays and the other is going on holidays this weeks. and i can tell you that there 2 are harder work than when i had the 6 together. and the longer they stay together the hard work they are getting.  i do spend time with both on there own to try and help the new owner's before they go but as soon as they are togerther again its like that never happend

sleeping wise i would crate them now as when she comes into season in a few months they will have to be kept apart and if they like there crates now that will be a lot user

It is possible to cope (just) with 2 pups together, I know, I've just done it - but I have to say I did doubt my sanity somedays and my 2 Staff boys have been very easy to train apparently! :-)

I crated the 2 of them together and they were very content with that and now I no longer have a crate, they sleep in the big bed together.  They do adore each other but are also happy to be walked and trained individually, as is their mum (I think they love getting the individual attention!) but it is very important to ensure that you spend time walking and training them separately so they bond with you, not just each other.

Hope you don't find house training too taxing, that was the hardest bit, especially with one of them.  Marmaduke just thought housetraining happened to his brother and not him, but that really was his worst fault, he's been brilliant in every other way.  You really do need eyes in the back of your head because you have to watch 2 of them, not just one, and believe me, they can widdle and poo just about anywhere and everywhere! :-) 

When the bitch comes into season, the dog will try to mate and even from a very young age, they can mate successfully so either kennel the dog during the season or ask a friend to look after him for the full length of the season (about 3 weeks).

Good luck!