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Which makes the better pet, boy or girl dog?
How does one go about making the decision to get a boy or a girl?
This is a hotly disputed subject and most people’s sentiments are just personal opinions. When it comes to these gender wars, people’s attitude about sex differences is based on their personal experience with their own pets.
They fail to acknowledge the difference in the personality traits of dogs. Every dog is unique with an exclusive set of genes and environmental experiences that make them who they are.
Does gender really make a difference?
Look at all the banter I have heard:
The females are gentler...The males are gentle
The males are more loving…The females are sweeter
The females make better pets...The males make better pets
The males are more loyal...The females are the most loyal
The girls are moody…
The boys are more dominant, the girls are more dominant
The ladies are friendlier
The Guys are easier to train
The boys are more aggressive
Girls do better with families of young children
Males are more playful or energetic than females
Males mark their territory, hump, or urinate in the house.
Dog owners of course, but what surprised me the most was that breeders tell potential puppy buyers which gender would be best for them.
Dog trainers also have an opinion on this too. Most of these views are based on previous dog experience.
Worst, I believe it is bloggers who truly don't know or understand dogs. They may be the most to blame.
Frankly no, but first let’s look at the facts:
Frankly, I was confused. Maybe the matter of gender preferences is
breed specific. I had to find out for myself, so I searched the internet for opinions based on particular breeds. What I found
should not have surprised me, but it is clear, there is no truth to any
of these views based on breed.
A quick Google search revealed that at least 715,000 sites on the Internet show information about dog gender. That’s no small number. That does not include all the sites that are breed specific. For those, I had to put in specific breeds: Which makes the better pet, boy or girl German Shepherds. That added to the sites, exponentially.
Rottweilers, Dobermans, Pitbulls, Chihuahua, Beagles, Shih Tzu, …. Well the list goes on. Neither makes a better pet, but there are some real differences in gender.
Every field has its special jargon so I've added a few words here that are appropriate when speaking about gender in dogs:
Bitch: Female dog
Dog: Male dog
Intact: Non-altered male or female dog; For females, intact means that the girl is capable of mating, whelping (giving birth) and mothering a litter of puppies; Intact males have not been castrated
Spay: To surgically remove the uterus and ovaries of a female dog.
Neuter: To surgically remove the testicles of a male dog.
The Truth about Girls Or "Bitches" (Appropriate name for a female dog)
The Real Truth about Dogs (Boy dogs)
I still didn’t answer my original question though and that was why do some people prefer one sex over the other.
So, I went on a search once more to find out how people decide which gender to choose.
Not surprisingly, most people make unconscious decisions based on gender.
So, is one gender better than another?
NO
Unless you purchase a dog for breeding purposes, both girls and boys make excellent pets.
If cost is an option, choose a boy. The neuter surgery is easier and less costly.
Choosing the Right Dog Breed Part Two
Size Matters Color Choices
Return from Boy Or Girl Dog to Dog Breeds Expert