Male or female?

[Blitzen]

You sound like you are very well prepared for a CSV, Enid. Good luck with your 'little teethy thing'.

Saschia, like Enid, I plan to socialise my pup extensively when I get it, a couple of years from now, too. I think I have decided on a male, part of the reason being that I like the bolder look of a male, and also because I don't like to castrate or spay for no reason, and I plan to work him in Schutzhund, I won't have to be careful with a female season/ phantom pregnancies etc. My german shepherd female is going to be spayed soon because of her constant suffering from phantom pregnancies and it breaks my heart to have to do it to her. I don't want to go throught that again.

[Joanna]

Enid, I have one remark – please distinct behavior during the meetings and dog shows from the daily one.
My bitch is generally sweet (ok, let’s say – much more calm) during the shows. She allowed Ibona (met first time in her life) to lay down on her during the waiting by the ring but wasn’t so nice during the walk.
I've noticed the same change in almost all csw I've met.
Circumstances have really strong influence on the level of tolerance.

I think the main think to consider is to choose a puppy wisely. I have a female and, unfortunately, she has a strong need to prove she is the most important one in the neighborhood. She is not self confident enough to don’t have this need (and I was not good enough to eliminate this behavior). I can allow her for contacts with puppies but I have to be careful when they’re older than 3 months. My observation of csw showed me males are more tolerant for young dogs.

Anyway, I’ve chosen a female to protect plants in my garden

Oh, I forgot - beware - feamales THINK!

[saschia]

Envoyé par Joanna

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Anyway, I’ve chosen a female to protect plants in my garden

Oh, I forgot - beware - feamales THINK!

You mean so that she doesn't pee on them? Both my previous female and also now Frei pee like males, but Frei avoids doing anything of these in our garden (that' her own idea, I don't know if she is so clean or just saves for marking outside). Most funny is when she is peeing standing on one leg and than she decides she might as well poo, now doing that on one leg is quite a job, I must say

[Joanna]

Envoyé par saschia

You mean so that she doesn't pee on them?

I hoped they doesn't but life showed me I was totally wrong in this matter. Dewi can reach as high as a male! Fortunately, she does it outside

[Enid Black]

Hi Joanna!
We were not in a show, we were in a meeting for fun, in the countryside, dogs had plenty of space to stay away one from the other and did not have the stress of a ring show .
I recognise, anyway, that you are right: behaviour in public is veeeery different from behaviour in private ...

I've noticed it too: males become a complete bunch of gelatine with puppies, while it is easier for a female to growl to a puppy. But I've read that it is quite normal, indeed. I love seeing males with puppies, they're absolutely wonderful.

And I know that females think! I've thought a lot about taking a male or a female, and in the end, we opted for a female for a series of reasons, these being the principal;

1. Females are smaller. I will be the one in charge of the dog for most part of the day and I am 1,65 tall for 57 kg and not very strong. So the question is: do I want a dog I can possibly bring out for a walk even when it is adult or do I want a dog who will take ME out for a walk (flag-on-the-wind-style I would say!) at 13 month old?

2. Males tend to be difficult in their first 2 years. We are completely newbies to dogs, and I do no know if I feel brave enough to face it without a previous experience. I do not want to make a dog suffer because I am not ready.

And, anyway, that's only the beginning, because, as I said, my partner desires a male in the future, so I think we'll be owners of two teethy things... but we'll see how it goes with the first one! .

Sincerely, we are choosing our puppy on the base of the character of the parents AND of other siblings. I choose home-breeders, who will ensure continuous contact with human beings, and I'm trying to go and visit the breeders themselves.

[Joanna]

Enid, I had no intention to give you arguments pro or contra - I've just shared my observations, that's all. You know what I want to stress (it's necessary to meet different single dogs with it's owners separately to see "what this UFO is like")

Moreover - to make all you smile - Dewi is not big - she is about 28 kg. I'm not small - 70 kg. She managed to make me fall very easily - long leash, my boyfriend's car and not paying enough attention
Rgds!

[Enid Black]

You know Joanna, You're absolutely right ...

In the end it's all about luck!

But I like to share these kind of reasoning: I think it's useful to put everything out!

[saschia]

Enid, you are right. I hope you will have also the necessary luck and to meet you then (or even before) at some wolfdog meeting!