Male or Female

Information to assist in picking the sex of your new puppy.

There seems to be some disinformation circulating about the differences between selecting a male or female puppy.  Some of the reasons given for people wishing to have a female puppy, which is the most popular request we have seen, need some clarification.

The choice of either a male or female puppy is ultimately up to the potential new owner, often it will be based on the fact they previously had a dog of the same sex and were happy with them.  This is a very valid reason, but perhaps new owners should consider a dog of a different sex for the new challenges provided and the wider experience that may be gained.

Often people will be looking for a female puppy as they consider they will be more gentle and quiet dogs.  This is not always true, the breeding of the animal and how it is handled will usually dictate how the animal behaves.  Dogs from both sexes may be gentle or aggressive, this will be determined by the animals nature, also, if handled gently, most dogs will respond in kind.  If possible look at how the puppies parents behave and how the puppy interacts with other puppies and people to decide if they will be suitable for you, don't base your judgement on sex alone.

A trait of male dogs that is not often considered is their protective nature. A male dog will naturally tend to protect a female (person or other animal) even if they are not the dogs owner. I have observed this many times. A male dog may be owned by a male person but if they perceive a threatening action against a female, they will attempt to protect the female, even against their own owners. Unless trained otherwise. This seems to be an instinctive reaction. I'm also of the opinion that often bonding with an animal of the opposite sex is better as the interaction appears to be more natural.

People are often concerned about male dogs marking their territory and leg cocking.  This may be an issue if the dog is not desexed but if desexed, there is a marked reduction in territory marking and this should not be an issue.  All dogs will attempt to do their business in the same area and leg cocking is not normally an issue of concern.

The cost of desexing animals is very different for the sexes, desexing females is normally around four (4) times as expensive as desexing a male.  The procedure is much more intrusive.

There can be great joy gained from puppies and dogs of both sexes.  They are all individuals and every animal has their own personality and quirks.  Choose one that suits you.