Breaking the Myth on Boys!

About 75 percent of the families who contact me about a puppy ask for a girl. And while I love my girls, I wanted to take a moment and advocate for my boys because I believe historical stereotypes have made families concerned about bringing a boy dog into their homes. So here are some of the  common concerns people have and my thoughts on why you might want to reconsider bringing a boy home over a girl :)  

I'm Afraid a Boy Will Be More Aggressive Than a Girl!

While it's generally true that unneutered boys can be more aggressive than girls, it's not that cut and dry. And especially  when you take home a puppy from my AKC Champion lineage. Not only have my dogs been bred for the best health and overall qualities, one of the best aspects of both my boys and girls is how calm and docile they are. When you take home one of my boys, you will get a calm, sweet boy. Aggression in dogs is linked to how they are treated. A dog who is mistreated will be aggressive to protect themselves, so if you want a sweet dog whether a boy or a girl, treat them sweetly :)

A Boy Dog is Going to Pee or Mark in my Home!

When it comes to peeing in the house, gender doesn't have anything to do with it. Girls and boys are equally likely to have this behavior, but it can easily be trained out of them (especially poodles) but routinely taking your dog outside and creating a pattern. If an accident does occur, remove the odor in your home and get your dog back in the routine of going outside to use the restroom. Marking on the other hand is a behavior that occurs when males and even some females may do starting between 6 and 12 months of age. Dogs mark to tell other pets and animals that this is their territory.  The good news is that neutering your dog in most cases will eliminate this behavior. Ensure if you have a female dog in your home that she is also spade. And for single dog homes, this will likely not be a concern at all. And you can enjoy the benefits of having a loyal little boy in the home at your side.

A Girl Dog Will be More Loyal and Loving!

While most people think girls are more loving and loyal, the truth might surprise you. I've had poodles in my life for more than 50 years now and I have had lots of boys and girls. And while I have had many wonderful and loving girls, it has been my experience that my boys are almost always a little more loving and more loyal to me. What I've always said is while my girls love me, my boys are in love with me. That said, no matter whether you have a boy or a girl dog, how loving they are to you will almost always be the result of how you loving you are to them. So give them lots of love! 

Whether you pick a boy or girl from my litters, the one thing I can promise you is that you are getting a high quality dog with the best personality and health traits. But since the girls always get so much love from my families, I thought... Let's Hear it for the Boys!