I've said this many times -- persoanlly I prefer boys but like girls too. I think people think they want a girl as they won't get marking and because as Sandy says, a lot of very incorrect assumptions about differences between males and females. For me the ONLY argument for girls over boys is in giant breeds where the males slobber a lot more and can get really huge; I have personal experience of this being true!
Here's one controversial perspective on boys/girls: I know one trainer (NOT Tara or Lisa I hasten to add!
) who strongly feels two females should NEVER be homed together as one will almost always end up needing to be rehomed. By contrast I strongly disagree with that view, but her real experience as a trainer for many years is that in two-dog homes, two girls greatly heighten the risk of problems, where as two boys, or a girl and a boy, will be more likely to succeed. She thinks the dynamics change again with three or more dogs and conflict is less likely even if it is two girls and a boy. I feel with cavaliers, conflicts are less likely anyway, whether boys or girls. Anyway it's one trainer's perspective!
As much as my pup is growing on me. I still prefer a female over a male. He does seem to love me, but potty training is still a PITA, maybe because he is from a shelter. My preference is for a pup that is not so clingy that seems to fit the males of Cavaliers more. He may be from a shelter though he has gone from "back off" to a clingy pup that would rather cuddle all day with me. We're having such crazy weather here and a "velcro" pup heating up your lap hot enough to make popcorn!
Pinkpuppy, hmmm, a couple of points here. First, if he is the age you said he is *just a baby* -- and housetraining takes a long time and is always a pain (do not expect a mostly housetrained dog til he is 6-9 months, and a housetrained dog til he is age 1). It is the main reason I tell people to carefully consider whether they want a puppy because there's not just the housetraining, but the chewing, and the need for a lot of extra attention -- these are all puppy things.
I'm a bit confused about what you are saying about him being 'clingy' though. This is totally normal breed behaviour for a cavalier, and while boys are actually often more affectionate and closely bonded than females in this way, as you can see in a lot of the boy/girl discussions on the board, it is only a minimal difference and the 'clinginess' aspect is pretty much the same (ily actually climbs in my lap more than Leo fro example!). I had thought this was the type of closeness and 'clinginess' that you were actually *looking for*, in your responses to many people's posts in the past about cavaliers behaving in just this way?
Second, I wonder did you have a read through the information on cavalier breed traits here and in some of the guidebooks and club sites before deciding on a cavalier? I know many people are sold on their appearance but as with any breed it's always a good idea to know what you are in for! :lol: For example:
http://board.cavaliertalk.com/showthread.php?p=224196
It's just that you are describing a very normal set of behaviours. If you want a dog that doesn't want to constantly be on a lap and next to you and following you everywhere, a cavalier is definitely NOT the dog to get. The key point and potential breed 'negative' (depending on your perspective) I always make to every single applicant for a rescue, and to everyone who asks about the breed, is at the very top of my guide:
Potential negatives:
'Clinginess': Cavaliers have hundreds of years of breeding in them to make them want close human companionship all the time -- one original role for the dog was to keep people warm, and thus a dog that wanted to always be with (and preferably, on the lap of!) humans was needed. A cavalier will want you in eyesight at all times and will follow you around the house throughout the day, often right at your heels. You cannot just put it out in the garden and shut the door -- a cavalier will love the opportunity to play in a garden if you have one but by nature will find it very alarming and distressing to be left out on its own. Leaving them in this way can create some serious anxiety and hence behaviour problems.
They are not following you around because they are overly needy, or spoiled, but because it is their very nature to do so. Some breeders say, own a cavalier and you will never go to the bathroom alone again!
More seriously, if this level of constant, necessary closeness is a disconcerting thought, a breed more independent and aloof will probably suit you better.
Note that cavaliers and other toy breeds generally are ALL bred as companions and these small breeds are not a good choice for those who do not want to offer as well as receive what it says on the tin: constant companionship.
Maybe you weren't fully aware of this? Your puppy doesn't sound like any of his behaviours relate to whether he was a shelter dog (and he is way too young anyway for this to have had much if any affect and had barely spent any time in the shelter as is, going by your background on him, to have any of the rescue behaviours you'd see in institutionalised dogs. He can't have been more than 8-10 weeks in the picture you posted. Difficult behaviours in rescue dogs come from dogs kept months or years in difficult situations. He was simply in more of a kennel situation for a brief two weeks or so, wasn't he?).
I think if you are finding the level of companionship he demands from you a worry at this point, you might want to take some time for an honest appraisal and consider whether it's the right breed for you -- he WILL be like this for the next decade of his life, and in my experience, the boys want and need far more close contact and interaction than the girls. Just something to think about, as difficult as it may be, as the prospect may be a bit daunting of 10 or more years of this kind of 'clinginess' if a puppy seems a bit overwhelming in this regard already. It is only just beginning, as many of us can confirm!