Cedar Ridge Beagles
c/o Toni Perdew
crbeagles@gmail.com
(the best method to reach me is via e-mail)
Bedford, Iowa
Click
here for additional contact information.
Our premises are monitored via video
surveillance for your puppy's safety!
Toni Perdew
3005 Lexington CT
Bedford, IA 50833
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Which is a better pet: a male or female puppy/dog?
We hear this question a lot, and
we think there isn't a whole lot of difference...certainly not
enough to eliminate one gender from your search for the best puppy.
During my research to answer this question
for people that inquire about our puppies, I noticed that some of the
online opinions that were alike were breed specific (meaning that if a
person raised Breed X puppies, his opinion matched other people that
raised Breed X puppies). So evidently, there are some male/female
differences that might be more true within a certain breed than within the
dog population as a whole.
There are many opinions about male and
female dog dispositions ... often conflicting.
Here are some of the opinions we have seen posted on web pages:
-
Males are friendlier.
-
Females are friendlier.
-
Females are more easily trained, while
males are more playful and forgetful.
-
Males always hike their legs to urinate,
and we don't want that in the house (this we know is NOT true).
-
If you neuter a male at 4 to 6 months, over
90% won't hike their legs.
-
Males are more likely to try to exert
dominance over their owners. (Hmmmm...I am not sure this one is correct at
all!)
-
Males and females are both able to be potty
trained, so it doesn't matter which gender you buy.
-
Yada, yada, yada.
See what I mean?
We recommend that you do your research
before deciding, BUT keep in mind that the research and opinions (some
biased) on the Internet are "in general," and are blanket statements for
the entire dog population (from Pit Bulls to Chihuahuas). Because beagles
are so uniquely loving and friendly, we feel many of these biases don't
apply to many beagles. Still, seek out the biased and unbiased opinions
that are available online, and just keep in mind that some of those are
opinions and some are breed specific.
So, since others are throwing their
opinions out on the 'net, I guess I will, also. :-)
Note: These opinions are with the assumption that your beagle will be
spayed or neutered at an early age.
-
Both male and
female beagles can make loving pets. Much of their
disposition/behavior is determined by the environment of your home and how
the people in your home behave with the dog...more so than what influence
the gender has.
-
Males "will
often" mature to a few pounds heavier than females. This is not always
the case, but in general, is true.
-
Both males and
females should be neutered/spayed at between 4 and 6 months to avoid
hormone-specific behaviors that are not desirable in pets (both
personality and habits). In general, if males are neutered before 5
months, they will never lift their legs to urinate, for example.
-
Male dogs are
supposedly more playful/energetic than females, according to most references on
the 'net. However, we have found this to be the opposite of the
truth with our beagles. Our males are more laid back, while the females
are more go-go-go. HOWEVER, this
generalization is for unaltered (not spayed, not neutered) males and
females. Spaying and neutering kind of "evens the playing field."
-
Neutering a
male is less expensive than spaying a female. If cost is an issue,
consider a male. Both males and females recover quickly, and the
surgery is more stressful for the owners than for the dogs from my
experience. :-)
-
When choosing,
keep in mind your current dog's breed and gender, if you have a current
dog. If your current dog is of a breed that tends to be aggressive, it
might be best to wait until he has passed on from old age before getting a
new dog. Beagles are widely accepted to be a breed with an exceptionally
easy-going disposition. But if your current dog gets aggressive toward
other dogs, don't expect it to change its ways when you bring a new puppy
into the home...especially if the new puppy is of the same gender.
For More Information About Spaying/Neutering
Visit this page
for information and many links and opinions. We highly recommend
spaying/neutering for any dog that will be a pet. It can prevent health
problems down the road, avoid training problems, and also can spare your home
from damage caused by hormone-induced behaviors.
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