Choosing a Puppy – A Guide For New Dog Owners

It’s not difficult to tell the sex of the puppies shown above.   The girl, on the right, has a smaller and more feminine face.  The boy dog, on the left, already looks a chunky lad.   If you have no preconceived ideas on whether to have a male or female dog it’s as well to bear in mind some of the differences.

Choosing a boy – they are usually a bit more independent and, although there are exceptions to every rule,  they can be dominant.   It might make them a bit harder to train as they  have a lot of other things beside you on their mind.    ‘Did that Westie growl at me?    Mmm, that yellow lab is coming on heat.    Who took my bone?    There’s been another dog in the garden…….grrr.  I’ll get him next time……. Males are more inclined to bother about territory and are not always as sociable with other dogs as you might like.    Unless you are wanting a stud dog, it is advisable to get your boy dog neutered as soon as he is old enough.   We prefer dogs to be mature before they have the ‘snip’ but your vet will advise.

An un-neutered male dog can easily turn into an alpha male – it’s a whole different lifestyle he has in mind and a bitch in season somewhere near will set his heart racing.    Keeping him in and away from the object of his desire will make him frustrated and this sometimes leads to aggression.   Just don’t go there, if he’s been neutered he will be more sociable and easy going.    Some male dogs have an in- built tendency to fight – just like humans – you don’t get many women leading the troops into war!

On the other hand, males are generally very loyal and have a keen intelligence, they are quick-witted all their life.    Boy dogs seem to prefer female handlers and vice versa but this isn’t always the rule.   Most of our best-ever lifetime favourite super-special dogs have been boys.

Choosing a girl – the female of the species is more sought after and girl dogs usually command a higher price than boys.   (I know most people call female dogs bitches, but I don’t like the negative connotations – oh, she’s a real bitch!   Why?   Perhaps it’s because bitches can be fiercely protective.)   They are definitely more companionable  and unless they are in season, they don’t have the same tendency to roam.    Our female dogs are intelligent and almost obsessively faithful with us.  We are part of the their pack and they want to know where we are, what we are doing and why.    They are reasonable by nature and like their comfort zones so it isn’t hard to leave them for a while, so long as they have toys, bonios, a bit of classic Fm and their favourite teddy.

No doubting this is a young lady

Some people avoid having a girl dog because they come in season, generally twice a year, and this is a little messy and there’s a risk of unwanted puppies if the dog gets out.    You can have your girl dog spayed, again we prefer them to be adult and have had a first season before this is carried out – your vet will advise though.   It’s an expensive operation, far more costly than neutering, but your dog will recover quite quickly.    You don’t have to have your dog spayed though, this operation was hardly ever carried out in years past.   Many people believe that it is more natural and healthier for the female dog to keep her ovaries intact even though she will never be bred from.   You will have to keep her in for the duration of the time she is in season though.  The alternative is to send her for a short holiday at a boarding kennels whenever she comes on heat.

So what’s it to be?   Girl dog or boy dog?   One of each maybe?