Hi,

I am looking at getting a puppy, it will be 9 weeks old and is a staffy but I am worried it will not intergrate well with my cats. I have 3 cats who are all sisters and are a year old.

I have read some articles online which say I would need to get a male dog, is this true? I was also wondering if anyone has any tips on easy integration? One of my cats was the runt of the litter and it quite skittish at times, I am worried that they might get scared and then not come back and also with having 3 cats whether they would pick on the puppy.

I have also read that staffys are not the best dog to mix with cats, does anyone have any experience of this, as if this is true we may have to look for a different breed.

I really don't want to upset the cats, I am also worried as when we are able to get the puppy would be when we just get back of holiday and the cats have been in a cattery for 2 weeks, last time they came out of cattery they were off with us for a day or so. I don't want to upset them even more by bringing a puppy into the house.

Any advice you can give is greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Sarah

That actually seems like the ideal time to bring the puppy into the house. If the puppy is introduced the same day that the cats are brought home then the cats may not be quite so territorial. I would rearrange the cats things and make sure that they can get away, like jump up onto something, if needed and have a crate or something for the puppy to have his own space to feel safe. As for having to buy a male I have never heard of that before and I don't see any reason for it to make any sense so get the one you want. For the most part let the cats and puppy figure out their own limits with each other they will work it out. Good lick.

I will say that I would be very cautious about bringing a staffy pup into a house with cats. Will this be your first dog? If it is, you may want to consider a different breed. Staffys are definitely included in the "pit bull" group, and they take an experienced owner in order to turn out as good dogs. Also,as a pit, there are many spots that require you to take certain steps when you own them regarding fencing, insurance, etc. And you homeowner's insurance may very well refuse to cover you if they find out you have one.

But to give you an idea of why I am concerned about bringing this pup into your house: My family had a staffy/akita mix when I was growing up. One day we were out in the yard together, and startled a rabbit. The dog had that rabbit in two steps, and in the time it took me to see what was going and shout "drop it", I could hear the bones crunching as he bit down on the rabbit. So, you are bringing this puppy into your house. You don't really know what his personality is going to be like. If he turns out to be a dog with a high prey-drive, there is no way that you are going to be able to stop him if he decides the cats are snacks. So, if you want a staffy, then I'd strongly suggest going with an adult that has been screened by a rescue group so that you know what you are getting into. And if this is your first dog, I'd really suggest starting with a less-difficult breed.