# New Spoo - Boy or Girl - Pros and Cons??



## FireStorm (Nov 9, 2013)

I have generally preferred male dogs, and always left them intact until they were older. The main reason I have for preferring males is that I don't believe in spaying or neutering young, and I would rather deal with an intact male than a female in heat. I know a lot of people worry about obnoxious male behaviors, but boys can learn to be gentleman (intact or not). 

As for having one male and one female vs. two males, I think it just depends on the dog. If you have a really "hard," dominant temperment type male, then I think sometimes they'll tolerate a female better than another male but if both males have more laid back temperments they may be fine. I had two very hard male dogs for a while, and it took some careful management to prevent dogfights.


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## glorybeecosta (Nov 11, 2014)

I prefer females, no peeing on front legs, no leg lifting, and find them easier to house break. Had ne male, never had a problem, but he squatted to pee all his life. Have had 2 to 4 at one time all females. Maybe because I like to dress them up, they were toys


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## BorderKelpie (Dec 3, 2011)

I'm fairly gender neutral. lol

In my experience, generally, the girls love you, the boys worship you. But, I do have the exceptions to the rule here, too. 

Since I also have herding dogs, I have noticed a tendency of mine to choose females to work and males to cuddle. The girls just seem to be a bit more driven in my breed (Kelpies) or maybe I just stumble into cuddley males and intense females. 

Personality is the most important consideration, plumbing doesn't matter in the long run. Choose the pup that fits you and your family and then look underneath to see what he/she is.  (that's how I ended up with a little boy for my next working dog. This could prove interesting. He is wonderfully intense with an off switch. So far, loving it)

Best wishes for finding the perfect new family member!


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## Streetcar (Apr 13, 2014)

Pyometra can be a real concern in unspayed females. My spayed female dogs did not have weight problems. I did not do juvenile spays so maybe that's why we never had a problem with incontinence. If you're going to get a bitch puppy then you may want to either send away any unneutered males for three to four weeks twice a year on average or some other way _successfully_ manage a full separation (closed door may not be sufficient).

A good breeder may be expected to require you to have a management plan in place until the female is spayed.


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## Streetcar (Apr 13, 2014)

On gender, I've always had females until my current and first Poodle (Toy) and I'm really loving having a boy. He has such a wonderful, fun, naughty at times way about him in a very Poodley way. There have been a couple surprises to deal with, one that caused me a red face to ask about, but it's all worked out . I got him as an adult and he was already neutered, so no choice there. He's still all boy, through and through, however!


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## tnedator (Aug 1, 2013)

Ok, from what I'm reading (in this thread and others) is that in general, boys might be a little more clingy (the mini male we lost a few years ago and our current spoo follow that mold) and the females a bit more independent. 

I think I'll try and talk my wife into just going with whichever one the breeder thinks will match our personality, even though I must admit it always amazes me that that can be determined at 8-10 weeks of age. 

One last thought/question. Is there any pattern to wanting to run and play in the yard between girls and boys? We are hoping to find another high energy dog to run and play with our current spoo (either with me throwing toys/balls or on their own in the yard).


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## Naira (Jan 9, 2015)

If I'm honest with myself, there seems to be a consensus on multiple poodle groups I am in that males are more loving, goofy and easier to live with. 

I've had two females and one male. The two females were extremely cuddly, affectionate and never met a stranger. Literally will go to any friend's house that I take them to and love all over them like they have known them for years. Both were very STUBBORN about certain things though and "bitchy". 

My male would let you hold him but couldn't relax with you touching him. He would move away. He peed on his front legs for 15 years and had been lifting his leg since he was 3 months old. He wasn't that accepting of new people, especially strangers but I think that was more of his individual personality. 

My girls have by far been the easiest to housetrain. Naira is a goof ball, but all in all has been a very serious and mature puppy. She is no nonsense and really doesn't get into any trouble whether I am watching her or if she's at a friend's house or not. She is the kind of dog you can leave loose in a new environment and come back and nothing has been disturbed except her toys. 

I guess my reasons for not wanting a male are silly. 1. The possibility of peeing on the front legs. 2. Female dog anatomy is more erm.. Aesthetically pleasing to me lol. 3. And of course the personality differences I mentioned above. 

If I came across the right male re home I certainly wouldn't turn them down but would prefer to seek females. Actually, if I could just keep buying Naira over and over again that would be great lol.


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## Naira (Jan 9, 2015)

tnedator said:


> One last thought/question. Is there any pattern to wanting to run and play in the yard between girls and boys? We are hoping to find another high energy dog to run and play with our current spoo (either with me throwing toys/balls or on their own in the yard).



I don't think so at all.


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## BorderKelpie (Dec 3, 2011)

tnedator said:


> One last thought/question. Is there any pattern to wanting to run and play in the yard between girls and boys? We are hoping to find another high energy dog to run and play with our current spoo (either with me throwing toys/balls or on their own in the yard).


My girls seem a bit more likely to run and play and bounce off the walls. Including, lately, the senior we foster/failed. lol She is following the girls into all sorts of trouble making now. *sigh* I'm glad she is blending in now, I think.


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## tnedator (Aug 1, 2013)

BorderKelpie said:


> My girls seem a bit more likely to run and play and bounce off the walls. Including, lately, the senior we foster/failed. lol She is following the girls into all sorts of trouble making now. *sigh* I'm glad she is blending in now, I think.


I reminded my wife (who has started leaning towards a male) that with our Minis, it was our female that couldn't get enough of playing catch and me throwing toys for her, while our male mini never really was interested in that. Our current male spoo would have you do it all day long. Every day shortly after I come home from work, it's out in the yard to throw toys for him to chase.


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## princesspenny (Feb 16, 2015)

I prefer females myself but i think if you have a dog already whichever blends best with your current dog is the best choice. I think most say that male/female combos work together best but i know many who have 2 males without issues if they are both neutered. Boys tend to be goofy and girls more straight forward but i'd say play/energy is equal. I have 3 females right now and other than dealing with heats its a perfect fit for me.


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## tnedator (Aug 1, 2013)

princesspenny said:


> I prefer females myself but i think if you have a dog already whichever blends best with your current dog is the best choice. I think most say that male/female combos work together best but i know many who have 2 males without issues if they are both neutered. Boys tend to be goofy and girls more straight forward but i'd say play/energy is equal. I have 3 females right now and other than dealing with heats its a perfect fit for me.



Since I will be being him/her from a bed with a spay/neuter contract, dealing with heat won't be an issue. 

Since I hear female/female can result in more intense fights, should I be at all concerned for my seventeen year old female mini if I get a female?

I think my wife is leading male, I'm leading female or whichever dog we hit it off with when visiting litter..


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## FireStorm (Nov 9, 2013)

My Spoo is a male, and he is very drivey and high energy. He would play ball until he dropped if we let him. He lives to work really, so I think the energy level and play drive probably just depends on the individual.


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## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

Several years ago I had a fourteen year old female standard, a six year old male, and was mulling over the addition of a new pup. I had no gender preference. I was more interested in the temperament of the individual pup and that the parents were health tested. By the time I got the pup, my female had died. I ended up with a male pup. He and the nine year old chase and wrestle every chance they get.


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## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

I agree with Charmed you need to think temperament versus gender, I have two female puppies 6 1/2 months Miss Pia Maria , 13 months Princess Beatrice and oldest Flower who will be 14 years old the end next month. They are all mellow, I chose the pups in deference to the older girl, the pups are neither dominant nor submissive, also not too high energy.


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## princesspenny (Feb 16, 2015)

tnedator said:


> Since I will be being him/her from a bed with a spay/neuter contract, dealing with heat won't be an issue.
> 
> Since I hear female/female can result in more intense fights, should I be at all concerned for my seventeen year old female mini if I get a female?
> 
> I think my wife is leading male, I'm leading female or whichever dog we hit it off with when visiting litter..


Some people have issues with females together..i never have. I think it just depends on your dogs temperaments. My dogs are 14, 7, 4months. My old dog just ignores everyone because shes old lol, and my younger two play together awesome. My 14 yr old and the puppy have almost the same temperaments, one of the reasons i got my pup is because my old dog is so perfect and my pup reminded me of my oldie when she was a pup. My middle dog is actually my old ones daughter that i kept from a breeding and they just love eachother. So everything worked perfect in my home of 3 females 

I dont see an issue with getting a female puppy when you have an older girl.


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