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Males or females?

Sharon 7

Well-known member
Hi everyone.
Its been ages since I have been here, glad to be back!
I was wondering what are the differences (if any) with Male and females?
Toilet training is one thing I am concerned about, as we have only ever had female dogs.
Any information on this would be much appreciated.
 
I asked this question way back when I wanted a female but was offered a male. The majority said a male was more affectionate. I think with Cavaliers you can't go wrong with either sex.

I found toilet training very easy, only took 4 weeks and, in that four weeks, accidents only happened when I thought the kids were keeping an eye on him. But when he got a little older and learnt to cock his leg, he did it in the house a few times, only on the lino thankfully. I panicked a bit and wanted him neutered but it was a very short lived faze, maybe less than a week, I can't remember. I'm glad I didn't have him neutered.

Last week out of the blue he cocked his leg in the house, only a little sprinkle. I told him off and put him outside while I cleaned up. Boy did he know he was in the dog house, when I let him in, he kept cuddling up to me! I just ignored him for a bit.

I'd go for a boy again.
 
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I have 2 males and a female and i honestly have found no difference. Maybe the only thing i have found with the males i have fostered is that sometimes they cock their leg inside usually on the curtain in the sitting room and on the other dogs bed. This i think is to do with scent or marking their territory. I then usually find my males will then come and cock their leg where the other dog has..
 
I'd say that if a puppy/adult you like comes up, then go for it, regardless of sex. only being able to compare female springers with my male cavaliers, the boys are more affectionate, but not all. Teddy and Joly are and Izzy was, in your face fussy, but Monty is much more laid back, possibly becuse he's the underdog, though.

People I've spoken to, who have had lots of cavaliers, in the main say they prefer their boys. This includes show people who actually have more bitches, but this is so they can continue their lines. I have spoken to two people, single ladies, who prefer girls, because they don't like to see boys' bits, but with so much coat, they aren't obvious.
 
Having both boys and girls, I truly believe there is a small difference in temperament. Our boys seem to be slightly more affectionate and clingy than the girls. Having said that, the difference is quite small, so I say go with whatever dog strikes you as being the "one" and don't wory about the sex. Over the years I personally have come to prefer the boys because of the slight difference in temperament.

The only thing you have to watch with the boys is leg lifting. If you watch them carefully, though, and correct them if they do, it's no worse than the girls. The only time we ever have trouble in our house is when we have a girl in season. And even then it's only once in a great while.
 
I like both males and females -- who wouldn't? :lol: but must say I prefer boys as well for the same slight differences.

Housetraining is going to be about the same. It varies more by individual dog, not gender, and results depend also on the degree of time and attention the owner puts in. Every accident is a small slide backwards and will delay success.

On the issue of neutering, personally I would never, ever, risk not neutering males, for so many different reasons (that is setting aside that most reputable breeders especially in the US home pet cavaliers on strict spay/neuter contracts anyway). My primary reason would be safety for the dog -- from seeing the ratio of unneutered males in the pound to either neutered males or females and seeing just how many darn males we get roaming around my neighbourhood every time a neighbour's bitch goes into heat -- I have NO idea where some of these males appear from, some obviously not remotely near our area as I have never seen them, and they become total pests, they FIGHT, and also wander around into the streets -- it is a nightmare and such a risk for the dogs. Some neighbours have taken these poor loose males to the pound -- safer than wandering around and a more humane death than being hit by a car. :( When I worked in general rescue, at any given point about 75% of ALL dogs in the pound here would be unneutered males. :yikes Many of these were picked up in gangs, following some poor female in heat. So in other words -- lifting a leg is never the main reason I'd get a male neutered, and wasn;t for either of my boys -- keeping them safe as possible was.

The other issue I'd have with unneutered males is the level of extra responsibility for the owners -- some can handle this but most never even think about how they manage their intact male (if they were out walking an intact female in heat, they'd be a lot more cautious!). Too many owners let those males run off lead. Unless you are going to always keep an intact male on the lead, at arm's reach, there's a good chance that male is at some point going to get the chance to mate with a female in heat. It takes two to tango and the responsibility for yet another litter of unwanted puppies will lie just as squarely with the owner of the male as the female. And vets will tell you that many of the uneutered males they see will need prostate surgery by the time they get to be around 8-9 -- not a time when I'd be wanting to put a dog through surgery. This has been a real issue with a couple of my older male rescues -- they needed surgery, and needed a neuter to prevent the prostate problems worsening but they were of such an age that I felt terrible having to make decisions.
 
I have spoken to two people, single ladies, who prefer girls, because they don't like to see boys' bits,

:rotfl: Well that's a new one for me! However, boys do insist on flaunting their bits too sometimes... :lol:
 
:rotfl: Well that's a new one for me! However, boys do insist on flaunting their bits too sometimes... :lol:

A few years ago I had a family come to view some puppies, the father was adamant about having a girl, when I asked him why, he told me that "if the boy was on it's back having it's tummy rubbed and got "excited" my daughters are of an age that I would find it embarrassing explaining this to them"! :eek::eek: To this day that is the weirdest reason I have been given for wanting a dog over a bitch!!

I too have to say I prefer my boys to my girls, I love my girls :lotsaluv: but my boys, Hmm, just can't quite explain it but there is a slight advantage to them for me!! Both sexes are equally easy to get along with, both are equally trainable, attentive, Etc, the boys just have the slight edge for me!
 
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