Sunday, January 22, 2012

HE VS. SHE

Growing up, my parents convinced me that female dogs were sweeter and easier to potty train than boy dogs. It was only after volunteering to foster dogs for Animal Rescue Foundation that I realized that my parents were mistaken. I should have known before then because one of my best childhood friends had a boy dog named Tippy. He was a dachshund mix and quite a character. We all loved him and he was as sweet as he could be and housetrained.
My parents weren't the only ones working under the wrong assumption when it comes to females vs. males. Almost every week someone tells me that they must adopt a female because female dogs are:
1. sweeter
2. easier to train
3. get along better with other dogs

All three of these traits are 50 percent true and 50 percent false. It all depends on the dog and not the gender.

Since there seem to be more male dogs in shelters than female dogs, I realized fairly quickly that I would be fostering male dogs.

What I have discovered is that boy dogs are usually delightful (provided they are neutered) and are no more difficult to train than a female dog. As for getting along with other dogs . . .

I have a dominant female dog of my own and I can't bring another dominant female in to foster. Dominant male dogs are no problem, provided they are neutered. But a spayed dominant female can still be a prickly creature. Two spayed, headstrong female dogs can glance at each other and the fight is on!

So let's hear it for the boys. I still love the girls, of course, but I have learned that the boys often steal my heart and I remember them fondly long after they have been placed in forever homes.