Another question, how much will gender matter?

Maybe Californian females are more chill.

And it seems like there are enough exceptions listed on this board for me to think the broad generalization overstates the situation. And who knows what goes into that generalization. Females with only other females. Females with males and females. Etc. Family situations, training situations, etc. Raised as a puppy with the other gender, rescued, etc. I think there are enough parameters to keep from knowing cause and effect in gender.

So we all can really just share our experiences . . .

I will always have females. I have found every male that I have owned to be way too needy and emotinal and very sensative to the silliest things. Dont get me wrong I love my male dogs, but for now one I will be sticking to female dogs. I find that they are a little more independant, Also even though that is the case they are still all very cuddly and they do not let the most juvinile things upset them. But that is just my experiance with male and female dogs.

Really? Because - not counting you and me - it seems that 4 people on this thread say that females are more independent and males seem more laid-back.... only one person says otherwise.

You can add me to the side of males being easier. More laid back, less independent, less "serious," more love buggy.

This is from all the dogs I've had my entire life plus friends & family dogs which included, altered and intact, raised from puppies and rescues, kept with male/female female/female and male/male.

I was talking about the generalization of having more than one female and how her female would get on with a female vs a male. Which is what I thought the OP was asking about. And I counted several that think females can be fine together and you don't have to get a male for it to work out.

So maybe we are having two different discussions and aren't even talking about the same thing.

I understand hesitation with rescue dogs, but don't forget that breeders often have show prospects that don't work out. These dogs are generally older but still in the puppy stages. Good breeders will have well socialized and well rounded dogs, and you can talk thoroughly with them about the personality of the animal and whether or not it would be suitable for a young child.

I hate to be a downer, I am just worried that you may bite off more then you can chew with a puppy. Like others have mentioned, puppies will try and play with your child's toys, and they go through the shark stage. Those puppy teeth are brutal and could harm your toddler.

You could

I hope I don't offend anyone, but the title of this thread has been bugging me and I needed to say something.

What we're really referring to in this thread is the sex of dogs, not their gender, as they don't have a gender.


When it comes to the actual topic of the thread, I'm firmly in the "it doesn't matter" camp. Each dog is an individual, and that matters more than what their reproductive organs are. Finding the right fit for your family is going to involve meeting lots of dogs and finding the one whose temperament and energy level work best for your lifestyle.

I agree with this a million percent! I think that you should REALLY think it over before bringing a puppy home with a child that is not even two years old yet. What if the puppy starts to bite your child? What if the puppy goes to the bathroom on the floor where your child is crawling, napping, eating? It happens. I also would NOT bring home a "free puppy" with a toddler in the house. You could be exposing your child to all kinds of diseases, parasites, etc. That is extremely irresponsible IMO.

I wouldn't be worried about getting an adult dog that would knock your son down, I would be worried about getting a puppy that will use him as a chew toy.

I've raised male and female pups together 3 times, two of those pairs were littermates. I have to say that the female pups were the ones who woke me up at night, were the nervous nellies (barking and going off the deep end over minor noises), and were the instigators of most of the fights that they had with each other.

I got King and Molly when they were about 9 weeks old. I was shocked at how different they were. King, from day one, slept all night, not a peep out of him. Molly would pant, pace around, and wanted out every 3 hours, max. The panting and huffing puffing was very annoying, to the point that King began glaring at her and growling at her when she would walk into my bedroom. It wasn't that she actually had to go, she just couldn't sit still that long. That hasn't changed much. King sleeps all night, and every couple of hours, Molly wanders the house. She knows better than to wake King up, so she just passes through, and goes out through the doggy door. A few days ago, the neighbors started a car up with no muffler, and Molly went off. King was stretched out on the couch and ignored her at first, but after a while, his head popped up, and then the ears went up. Molly saw him staring at her, and went back to bed.

When I had the other pair of littermates, they both slept ok, but the female pup seemed to get upset much more easily than the male pup did, even though the male was very hyper in general. With the two unrelated pups, it was the same way. She whimpered when she heard other dogs, any really loud noise, birds, etc. The male pup was much more laid back.

Personality wise, the males took the prize, it was no contest. If I do the two pups thing again, depending on the breed, I might just get two males next time.

I have observed over the years that females tend to be more independent, investigative, etc... and males to be more clingy, glued to your side, petting addicts. This only applies to their GENERAL personality. They are equally as loving, loyal, and enjoyable and there are positives and negatives of both.

As far as getting along, I don't think mixing the sexes makes a difference. If properly socialized at a young age, a puppy will more than likely get along with your dog. I think it's more of a question of what your current dog will tolerate and that (in my opinion) will be a matter of matching personalities.

My only advice is to take your time acquiring the right dog for your situation. Do a lot of research on how to pick a puppy, introducing the new dog etc...

I would also encourage you to get a rescue dog. If you speak with your local shelter, often they will have dogs/puppies who they have background info on and/or have been fostered with other pets and children. Also, often times they will allow if not require that you bring your dog to meet the new one to make sure they can get along. If they don't have a dog that meets your needs, you don't have to adopt one right then. Just keep looking for the right match.