This may be a daft question but....

My parents want a cavalier and there is a boy tri colour available at the rescue. However, I have only ever had a girl. Can anyone advise me on the differences? (Not the anatomical ones, I have just about worked that one out!!!).

For example, do boys smell worse? (He will be neutered). How likely is he to want to mark his new territory? Which sex do folk generally recommend for first time cav owners?

Thanks for your help!!

I prefer boys myself, all else being equal. No, they don't smell more -- I have a very stinky female who squats into her own pee and she needs more washing than either of my boys. On is pristine and never wets himself and one sometimes gets his belly or front feathering. Male urine can smell quite strongly though if they are unneutered.

There are a lot of threads on this topic -- it is a popular question! -- try using 'search' and you'll find quite a few! Or someone else here might remember a few recent ones and link to them.

Not the anatomical ones, I have just about worked that one out!!!

Click to expand...

No problems on the smelly front....definitely my girl tends to be more stinky because her privates get a bit of pee smell down there. Regular wipes help keep that at bay. I don't have any problems with Jake marking. He has marked in the house only a time or two in five years, except for housetraining accidents.

The dog we are considering is an ex welsh puppy farm stud, so he has only just been neutered at 5 years old. Is that more likely to make him mark?

I always recommend a dog (male) to new owners

In my experience the girls tend to get middle-aged & sleep most of the day as they get older, whereas the boys are better companions, still alert & interested in what you are doing, & where you are going, well into old age.

As Karlin says, unneutered dog's can have strong smelling urine, but I find a daily tummy rub with a wet wipe & non rinse shampoo ( I keep a made up solution of baby bath solution in a bottle, keeps them smelling sweet & will help a little with fur staining, also helpful for emergency cleaning of dirty bottoms)

An adult dog will probably be tempted to mark new territory, common sense measures such as spending the first few days watching him, allowing easy or frequent access to the garden and immediately rewarding when he performs in the right place, & crating or using belly bands when left unsupervised should soon sort that out.

I'm sure your parents will find him well worth taking on

Best wishes,

Margaret C

Most dogs will only try to mark for a short period til they recognise their home as their home and as Margaret notes it is manageable. Girls can mark as well! If he's an ex puppy farm stud the main challenge is likely to be housetraining, not marking. But like all dogs of any breed or background, they need lots of positive encouragement and rewards, never punishment. He is likely to have had a very harsh life to date.

These dogs are very rewarding though -- and if you look in my cavalier breed rescue section there is lots of advice on homing a rescue pinned at the top.

Thanks Karlin. I am pretty in awe of the work you do and wish I could help.

Our minature schnauzer was a puppy farm bitch from the same rescue (Many Tears - do you know it?). So we know how messed up they can be. I have also learnt the art of rewarding positive behaviour!!! We have only had her 3 months but she is getting there!! x

We often list Many Tears dogs by linking to them in the Breed Rescue section of the site. If you have a female, you will pretty much know what to expect! And the differences in gender in this breed are pretty subtle and wouldn't influence my choice, really. I have two boys and two girls and their similarities (breed) are far greater than their differences (gender).