# Male or Female Pups (Pros & Cons)



## MBornadams (Aug 31, 2011)

Hello Everyone!

We're still in search of a new pup...and wanted to know if you can share some of your stories about Male vs Females...Pee pad training, how does a male train...don't they lift their legs up? 

I am finding it hard to find a puppy available now that we are interested in....Christmas babies is what I'm coming up with...Is it hard to house train during the winter? I know it's idea to train during the spring, when they can go outside more often.

If a dog is house trained with a litter box, will they have problems going outside?

Thanks for any advice you can share...Have a great week!

XO,
Marie


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## DonnaC (Jul 31, 2011)

Again, buy the puppy you love. I had heard all sort of things about males and females -- we always had females, and I had always been told they were better because they don't spray or "hump" and are less aggressive. When I decided to take Baxter, the fact that he was a boy was really a sticking point for me. But, really, everything I had ever been told was just wrong. I had him fixed before he was six months, and my understanding is that if you have that done around the six-month mark or slightly before, they will likely never "spray." He still squats to go potty like a sweet little puppy. He did hump, but so did my little Libby, so I am not sure what to make of that. Libby was far more aggressive than he has been so far. I think so much depends on the individual puppy.

I have heard people say that females can be more "difficult" because they can be moody and not as playful as they get older. Can't speak to that. Libby can be a bit "passive aggressive" and moody sometimes -- but she's been that way since she was a baby, AND (most important), I think we read a lot of things onto our animals that aren't there, so I take most of it with a big grain of salt. Fall in love with a puppy and then choose.


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## Becky Chittenden (Feb 4, 2009)

Go with the puppy you like best. I prefer males and my husband prefers the girls. No matter, we love them all.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

I was told that with Havs, there isn't that much difference temperamentally between girls and boys. I was able to get a puppy sooner, because my breeder had a waiting list for girls, and a litter of 5 boys, and I didn't care.<g>

As far as lifting their leg is concerned, if you don't let them sniff around on vertical surfaces where other dog have peed, they won't learn to lift their leg. Kodi is almost 2 1/2 and has never lifted his leg.

As far as spraying and humping is concerned, girls do both too... neutered or not. They ALL need to learn that marking is not appropriate indoors any more than peeing is. Humping is up to you. Most humping is just playing or getting overexcited. (not sexually, just in general) Some people think it's funny, and let their dogs do it. I didn't want Kodi doing it, and discouraged him strongly every time he started. (then distracted him with something fun) He learned very quickly that it wasn't acceptable behavior in our house.

The ONLY "bad" thing about a girl rather than a boy is spaying is more expensive than neutering a male, and it is more invasive surgery, so it sometimes take a little longer for them to get over it.

So pick your puppy based on the one you fall in love with, and forget about color AND sex!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Oh, and a puppy who is properly trained to an indoor potty will NOT have a problem learning to go outside. Most of them gravitate in that direction naturally anyway.


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

I really like the advice go with the pup you like best, that being said I have a female after almost 30 yrs (my last was a Collie who was a great girl for herding the children), she is as stuborn as my other girl. I have had mostly boys they are stupidly in love with their human, my girls love their human but when they feel like it, and are a bit more reserved. Personally I like the boys but it will never stop me from getting or seeking out a girl if I thought she would make a better fit.

As for housetraining the dog does not care it comes down to your comfort level and where you live. You could train a dog all spring successfully until summer or winter comes around and you find they do not like to get wet!!!! Again go with what feels right to you.


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

Just a note, I have a new neighbor who has a female pitbull who is in season and they have brought in a male, normally I would not have ask about if the dog was in heat etc., but my dogs who never hump people are doing it to each other all the time the last two days!!!! They are wearing themselves out!!!! My Lhasa is whining like a stud puppy and my girl is immodest!!!!! Yes they are all 'fixed', go figure. I am hoping it will all end soon. My point is most of the time if your dog is neutered or spayed it should not matter. But there can be an exception or two.


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## DonnaC (Jul 31, 2011)

We also discouraged "humping." Ick. Baxter has just never lifted his leg, so I think that train has left . . . .


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## Jplatthy (Jan 16, 2011)

This is my PERSONAL experience ONLY.....but I have one boy and 2 girls....the boy was much harder to train and he had alot of "pee" accidents in the house. He is also much more of a baby than the two girls but also likes to cuddle much more than the two girls. Neither of my girls are stubborn and they both like to be petted and like lots of attention but they usually never want to get in my lap unless they are not feeling well. Again...this is my personal experience only..........and I didn't start out caring either way.....I happened to find my male Smokey first.....Sissy came second and Misty we took from someone who could no longer care for her.....good luck! Keep us posted!


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

I have two boys, one girl and each one is very special in his/her own way. The boys were incredibly loving but so is Ruby. She prefers to be in my lap or close enough to be petted whenever she can. As for peeing, Milo does lift his leg, ever so gently, like a ballet dancer. He pees on the ground and most of the time all at once, not like typical boys.

Pick the one you love, male or female, it doesn't matter.


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## katkoota (Feb 25, 2010)

I agree with what others mentioned.

My childhood 4 legged friend was a female. She used to lift her leg when peeing just like some would expect from a male fluff to do. 

Now with Crystal, she doesn't lift her leg. Snowy does when we go for walks (not inside). I did not train him not to lift his leg whenever he smelled the poles, trees and stuff like that. You can train them at young age to only lift it when wanting to pee , not more. But I did not do it. My family didn't do it with our first female dog (poodle) too. It doesn't bother me. 

Crystal is moody. I have to admit. Snowy on the other hand is more of a happy go lucky type of boy <3 

Remembering our first female poodle and now Crystal tells me that it depends on the individual dog more than gender. So go with the dog that you love , individually, best 

That said, I see myself drawn to male pups more. I don't know, but my havanese will sure be a boy <3


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## motherslittlehelper (Mar 18, 2010)

Go with the one who picks you.  When we visited Augie's breeder to select a puppy, I had my heart set on a little black and white girl. Friends had warned me about all the 'nasty' things that males did - leg lifting and such. However, when I held the little girl I had been interested in, there was no connection. And then I held the little black and tan BOY with the eyebrows. He snuggled right in. We brought him home Dec 21, 2008. He was started on newspaper training by the breeder. We continued that for awhile because he tore up pee pads, even in a tray. When I read about the potty tray (UgoDog) on the forum, we transitioned him to that. He would go potty outside when we happened to be outside with him, but used the potty tray otherwise, and was pretty much totally trained to outside at 8-9 months. Our winters are very wet in the Pacific NW - the potty tray worked well for us. Augie has never lifted his leg; he doesn't hump; he wasn't neutered until 17 months of age. He has been such a sweetie, that we again chose a boy for our second Hav. Finn is a humper, however. We don't allow it to go on without intervention. And it usually happens outside when the two of them have been chasing each other and I think he just gets over-excited. So far he hasn't lifted his leg; he is nearly 6 months old. 

For me, it was much, much easier bringing a puppy home in December than it was in May. I like to garden and do yard work, so it was just easier to have a small puppy in the 'off season'. We don't have a fenced yard and have a lot of stray dogs, cats and other animals that go through our yard. So that is why I chose to go with the potty tray in the beginning, and went that route again for Finn.

I should add that Finn is just as much of a sweetheart as Augie is, loving and outgoing, while definitely having his own unique personality. That is so much fun - seeing the different personalities. I have noticed that with my birds as well - that they each have their own different personality, all males by the way.!


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Welcome!
For me? Hands down a boy. I never wanted a boy after I got Bella, my first. I ended up getting a boy and noticed a big difference in how loving the boys are. My third one is a boy too With my boys, they are extremely loving, velcro dogs, laid back, and sweet. My girls is more independent, stubborn and bitchy at times. As far as housebreaking I think the rainy months are harder to housebreak than the snowy months. If it snows, you just want to shovel a spot. Good luck!


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## Atticus (May 17, 2011)

I agree I "wanted" a female but fell in love with Atticus and would never look back. However not lifting his leg would be a plus,as that's one reason I didn't want a male. All my other dogs did lift their legs so it would be great,especially for my perennial gardens!


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## CrazieJones (May 28, 2011)

Yep. Pick the one that connects. There were a few girls among the litter. OMG, they were so yappy. Then I saw my little Roshi - quiet and mellow. Just chillin' among his mates and sniffin' around on his own. After a few minutes of holding him, he fell asleep in my arms. Done deal. 
Roshi started humping at 8 wks, but it only happens when he's in his playful and excited state. Nothing sexual. He also started to lift his leg when peeing last month when he turned 5 months. However, I think he just copied the other boy dogs in daycare and has no clue why he's doing it. LOL. He first squats, pees, and then lifts leg. Weirdo. 
He just turned 6 mths yesterday. House training is all about consistency and how well your hawk eye works! Yesterday, he was given a bit too much freedom, and he ended up pooping in front of my closet. Today's he's leashed to my chair in the office - accident free. 
Just go with your heart!


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

pick the best pup.


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## Pooch (Nov 23, 2010)

Agreed, pick the best pup for you. Fionn is a male and he is very lovable and social. Not sure that has anything to do with him being male or not, likely just his temperament. As far as peeing goes, he's 5 1/2 months and he squats. He's shown no interest in leg lifting so I think he'll always squat, which I don't mind at all.


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## MBornadams (Aug 31, 2011)

Thanks so much for your input! It's so helpful! 
Have a great day!
~~Marie!


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