Boys vs. Girls

GIVE A BOY DOG A CHANCE

One of the sad aspects of rescue is how noticeable it is that girl dogs are favored over boy dogs.  Now please, I don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea that you cannot write to me about a girl dog for fear that I will judge you.  I get that people want what they want, like what they like, and need what they need; no one has to justify anything to me.  And the girl dogs need forever homes too.

I’m mainly writing this article because oftentimes, I’ll have a girl dog up for adoption, and everyone is writing me about the girl, and no one is writing me about ANY of the boys, in spite of them being super cute, great dogs.  And, as a rescuer, I do tend to be “boy heavy” due to there are more boy dogs in shelters that need saving.  So this is just me, standing up for the boys right now.  Boys are perceived erroneously by the masses and I want to dispel some of those misconceptions.  And trust me, this is based on what I’ve heard, seen, and observed over the years.  And I’m also not speaking about your owned dog that you’ve had for years and years.  I’m speaking primarily of the large group of rescued dogs out there that are available for adoption.

A)      Myth 1) Girl dogs are better dogs.

Mmm.  OK.  Why?  People feel that girl dogs are better dogs but they’ve never had a boy dog before.  They’ve always had girl dogs.  Dogs vary from individual to individual, and instead of looking at the sex of the dog, trust the rescuer, if that rescuer appears to be solid and knows his/her dogs.  The rescuer should be disclosing of that dog’s personality and other aspects.  There are wonderful boy dogs out there and instead of putting dogs in a sex category, read each dog’s bio carefully and keep an open mind.  Ask questions.  Again, dogs are all individuals.  Look for a dog that fits your family (with the rescuer’s help) and try to take sex out of the equation.  Remember, all dogs are not the same.  And the “best fit” for you and yours could be one of the boy dogs listed.  Many people look only for girls in their search and do not give a boy dog a chance at all.

B)      Myth 2) All boy dogs mark.

Not true.  Marking also varies from dog to dog.  In some dogs, it is just very genetic that they will mark everything in sight on a walk, but never dream of marking in your house, period.  Other boy dogs don’t really mark much on a walk at all.  But when I think of “marking,” I’m mostly concerned with my house, and for the purpose of this article, from here on out when I say “marking” I’m referring to inside.  So are you ready for this?  MOST BOY DOGS DON’T mark once they are neutered, or, once you catch them in the act once or twice and correct it.  And marking has nothing to do with “potty training.”  It’s simply placing their scent onto stuff.  Sometimes it’s dominance; other times it’s claiming a food container or a pet bed.  So let’s not confuse the difference because one of the huge pluses that I have observed is that boy dogs hands down “potty train” faster than girl dogs.   They also tend to go out and handle their business and are done with it, while oftentimes, girls dawdle.  Yes, older girl dogs have it down, like age three or four, but I’m talking about when dogs are still young.  Again, as a rescuer, I can only speak of the generalizations that I have personally seen – others, may have a different experience.  But I have seen the boy dogs potty train VERY FAST and again, this is just another plus about the boys.  So back to marking, though a boy dog may initially mark in a brand new environment, and only once or twice to put his scent on the new environment, most of the male dogs (both large and small) that I’ve had in my rescue do NOT mark in the house.  So as adopters, I truly believe that we need to move away from this belief.

C)       Myth 3) Boy dogs are more aggressive.

Well, let’s see.  Let’s say that you have four categories….unaltered male, unaltered female, altered male, and altered female.  The most aggressive dogs hands down are the unaltered males (as a group).  That’s where you get most of your dog bites.  Boy dogs should be neutered to take away the testosterone factor.  But in the world of rescue dogs, exceptions excluded, I’d say that a neutered male is probably going to be LESS aggressive than the spayed female (again, as a group).  Just like any other animal in the animal kingdom, females tend to rule the roost.  They tend to be more protective, more dominant, and ultimately, more “aggressive.”  And again, I’m NOT saying female dogs are aggressive.  I really do not wish for anyone to misunderstand me here.  This is just me, trying to dispel some of the myths that are out there about boy dogs.  Most of your average homes have had what, maybe a few dogs?  Rescuers have had hundreds, over the years, and I have seen lots of bossy and even “bitchy” behaviors among the girls.  A great majority of my “dog fights” were started by a girl dog.  For those of you who have a girl dog already?  Instead of looking for ANOTHER girl dog (many many do) go boy!  The “dominant” female, submissive male relationship is a great one!  Even if you do not consider your girl dog to be “dominant,” the girl/boy duo is most often a straight-forward relationship, that in the world of dogs is very comfortable to them, and, it works!  Consider a boy dog for your next adoption!

 

THE PERSONALITY OF BOYS:  Again, it varies from individual to individual, but I just love love love the boy dogs.  So many of the boy Chihuahua and little dog types are SUPER SWEET, and warm in their personalities.  They are SO loving!  And also so quiet!  The larger boy dogs (again, those that are neutered) can be so dog friendly and playful with other dogs, both male and female, and, also quite “issue-free;” the boy dogs are so easy going in their natures!  Boy dogs are GREAT dogs that are just pretty darned super friendly if you ask me!  Don’t get me wrong, I love the girl dogs too and own girl dogs myself, but I just don’t feel the need to speak up for them right now.  What I’m seeing right now is that the public is not considering the boy dogs all that much and I am hoping that by writing this article, I can get more people interested in those dogs that seem to fit the greater needs category right now to find a loving home.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING THIS!