It’s not uncommon for people to believe that a female dog will make a better pet. We get a lot of calls for people wanting that “special little girl”. For whatever reason they don’t think that females will exhibit “alpha” behaviors like humping and/or marking. A lot of people think that females are more passive and friendly and that they don’t take part in fighting over dominance, which could NOT be farther from the truth. If you check out the structure of dog packs, the females determine the pecking order and rule the roost. The result of that behavior is that the females become more stubborn, independent, and territorial than the males. These females are much more intent on exercising their control by participating in that “alpha” behavior like humping. Most fighting will usually break out between two females.

Males tend to be more affectionate, exuberant, attentive, and even more demanding of attention. The males are very attached to their owners, tending to be more dedicated, reliable and less temperamental. They are more sociable, more accepting of other pets, playful for years, and take quicker to children. Most boys are easily motivated by treats/food, words of praise and are so eager to please that training actually becomes easier. Their playful nature, however, can make males more easily distracted. The boys are more likely to act silly and more puppy-like, always wanting to play games, no matter what their age. The boys are fun-loving until the day they die, whereas girls tend to be more standoffish and dignified the older they get.

Neutered males rarely exhibit secondary sexual behavior such as marking and lifting their legs or humping. Once the testosterone levels recede after neutering, most of these behaviors will disappear if they ever existed.

So before making your decision on that age old dilemma of male verses female, hopefully this will give you some helpful info to think about.

Littermate Syndrome

Littermate Syndrome refers to behaviors that develop when two puppies from the same litter are raised together.  The Behaviors include attachment to each other, difficulty bonding with humans and other animals, aggression, separation anxiety and reduced independence in training.  I have seen it happen and other times not…but something to consider!