Is it Better to Have a Boy or a Girl Dog
Ask 50 people this question, and you’ll likely get 50 opinions. Some of the most common theories are that females are easier to train, are better with children, have less bad habits than males, are more affectionate and are more eager to please.
There’s only one problem with this viewpoint... The exact same things are said by many people about male dogs! And even though I have my own opinions on dog gender characteristics, I understand that few traits are truly analogous to males or females. I have had males that were a breeze to train and were very affectionate, and I’ve worked with males that took longer to catch on and were a bit standoffish. And some of my female students have exhibited precisely those same vacillating characteristics. The bottom line is that personalities and behavioral traits of dogs are extremely varied. For example, I too have it in my head that females may be a bit easier to train, but guess what? Male dogs are the preeminent winners when it comes to titles and prizes. Another human tendency is to assign “maleness” to a boy dog, and “femaleness’ to a girl.
These theories appear to be pretty much baseless as well. Ultimately, if you do your part in the first 9 months to a year with your new dog, either gender will work out to be a wonderful, rewarding pet that you love and adore.
There is one consistent trait with male dogs however: They tend to be bigger!
Presented by Gregg Flowers of Dog’s Best Friend, 941-779-6169
www.DogsBestFriendFlorida.com