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Also depends on how many dogs you have. I think if you have 2, 3 or more they tend to be less centered on just one person. Anyone else agree/disagree with that?
Mine are all love slugs (that word is supposed to have a "t" instead of a "g" but the forum edits it out!) They'd go with anyone, not turn to look back at me, just walk away, tail wagging and head up.
Living with multiple dogs, I will say that the boys are all completely inclined to be suck-ups. :) They ALL want to share our skin, ALL the time. The girls, on the other hand, as much as we adore them, are more inclined to demand our time and attention when THEY want it, and the rest of their time is spent organizing (or DISorganizing) everything to THEIR liking.

They don't call 'em bitches for nuthin'. ;)
 
Ive never owned a male dog. Always had female, that why I stick with them cause I know what they are like. Chloe is my best friend. She is now 8 years old and is stuck to me like glue. I bought her when I was 15 all by myself, and raised her myself, with little help from my parents! She is the biggest suck in the world. and is soo well behaved.

When we got Cedar, Ryan and I both wanted a girl. We always had female animals, so it felt right. When the breeder asked what we wanted and I explained why. She said she much prefers the males over females, for the same reason all you have explained. They are more "love you" then the independent "Love me" females! But I never believed it because I have my Chloe who is my big baby! Well I should have believe it, because Cedar is the total opposite of Chloe.. lol she is very independent. All about herself. and Stubborn as heck.. I think when we get another dog it may be a Male.. Just to try it out, cause Ive never had one, and ive heard so many great things!
 
Also depends on how many dogs you have. I think if you have 2, 3 or more they tend to be less centered on just one person. Anyone else agree/disagree with that?
Mine are all love slugs (that word is supposed to have a "t" instead of a "g" but the forum edits it out!) They'd go with anyone, not turn to look back at me, just walk away, tail wagging and head up.

Hmm, I think you do have a great point here. Sam was always completely stuck to me like glue and quite content to totally ignore Jeff's existence. That was actually a major reason we started looking for a second dog, because we felt Sam was becoming WAY too dependent on me. That all changed once Dillon came on the scene and they are definitely both total love slugs (LOL love it) and will take it anywhere they can get it haha
 
Discussion starter · #24 ·
Mine are all love slugs (that word is supposed to have a "t" instead of a "g" but the forum edits it out!) They'd go with anyone, not turn to look back at me, just walk away, tail wagging and head up.
:lol: LOL! Oh my goodness - that was funny. When we went to visit the dams yesterday, one of them wanted to go with us! But I love that, cause it also means they accept everyone with welcoming arms too - instead of charging and keeping them away.

This will be our first dog, so I'm hoping he will bond very closely to me. My husband thinks the puppy will be "his" dog. But I know differently!!! He is going to end up being my little shadow - I just know it. I will be feeding, walking, grooming, and training the little guy so I think he'll end up favoring me (secretly hoping anyway!). Shhhh...
 
In my house, Brody and Klondike follow me EVERYWHERE! Wherever I am....they are there too, ano matter what room I get up and go in to.
Not with Lexi....she is much more independent. I LOVE it when she is pregnant...the hormone's going on, and she is much more into wanting loves and hugs. :) She is extremely SWEET, but also does things HER way, and when she wants to. Also, she loves both my Husband and I, but she definitely is a DADDY'S GIRL, while the boys never leave my side....even when Dan is home from work.
 
I have to say the "love you" "love me" generalization fits in our household. Fergus gives love, Lily demands love. Fergus cuddles, nuzzles, and makes happy faces/noises in response to petting, Lily registers no emotion when being petted but will swat you if you stop. She doesn't cuddle or show that she likes the attention other than the smack you get when you don't give her the petting she wants.

Don't get me wrong, I completely adore them both, but I have to say that Fergus is easier to love than Lily.
 
We always seem to end up with boys over here, but I will say that the temperament of the puppy and the early socialization are all infinitely more important than the gender when it comes to a home with kids. I'm not necessarily disagreeing with any of the male/female generalizations that have been made so far, but I think sometimes we see things in dogs because we expect them or because we have certain ideas about genders. The difference between an even tempered dog and a high-strung dog is a lot bigger than the difference between a male and a female.

Temperament testing is incredibly important, and it's even more important if you're bringing a dog into a home with young kids. The litter should be socialized to young kids for weeks before they go home with families, and the kids and owners should interact with the puppy a great deal before the papers are signed and the checks are written. If the breeder is excellent and responsible, he or she may already have a kid-friendly puppy i mind for you, and those recommendations are really good if the breeder knows what he or she is doing.

Good luck! We just picked out a puppy (a boy) for my sister's family, so I know just what you're going through.

Also, dogs seem to bond most with whoever feeds them, trains them, plays with them, and sleeps near them. That's more powerful than anything gender related.
 
Also, dogs seem to bond most with whoever feeds them, trains them, plays with them, and sleeps near them. That's more powerful than anything gender related.
Ehhh... maybe. But as I said, living with multiple dogs, and often several breeds at a time, the "generalization" is in fact much more often the case than not, and a phenomenon that nearly every breeder with a number of dogs that I have talked to has experienced, as well.
 
Ehhh... maybe. But as I said, living with multiple dogs, and often several breeds at a time, the "generalization" is in fact much more often the case than not, and a phenomenon that nearly every breeder with a number of dogs that I have talked to has experienced, as well.
I was referring to the gender of the human. Have you noticed that your girls bond with the dogfather and the boys to you? I'm inclined to trust your experience on that one.
 
I love all my dogs equally, but do tend to adore the boys! In my house the girls would go home with any man willing to take them!!! Maybe that's b/c one doesn't live here !!!! lol

I tend to prefer the appearance of the males personally...I try to match up pups temperaments to families more so than genders ...and I always have more reservations of the sex I don't get in a litter!!!!

If I was to have to choose a pet golden only, my choice would be a boy every time!
 
Discussion starter · #31 ·
Temperament testing is incredibly important, and it's even more important if you're bringing a dog into a home with young kids. The litter should be socialized to young kids for weeks before they go home with families, and the kids and owners should interact with the puppy a great deal before the papers are signed and the checks are written. If the breeder is excellent and responsible, he or she may already have a kid-friendly puppy i mind for you, and those recommendations are really good if the breeder knows what he or she is doing.
What a great discussion! Our breeder does temperament testing before she decides which pup(s) would be best for us. She will narrow it down to 2 or so and then we will all make the final decision together. She doesn't let anyone visit until the pups receive their first vaccinations (I think she said around 5-6 weeks). But we live fairly closely, about an hour away, so we are going to visit weekly with the kids until we take the pup home. I think that'll be the best way for the breeder to get to know us, for us to get to know the pups, and for the pups to get to know my kids.

I am getting SO excited! I feel like I did when I was pregnant - thrilled, nervous, and can't wait to meet the new little one!!! Only 2+ months to go.... :)
 
They don't call 'em bitches for nuthin'. ;)[/quote] LOL I have me one of them!

I find this thread very interesting it blows away all of the myths I believed about males. While I think my Bailey is the exception to the rule Charlie on the other hand is the most self centered demanding little furry devil I ever did met but I adore her, it's all about her all the time:bowl:
 
I picked a male this time because our last two dogs were females and were sassy! They had a mind of their own - They were mixed rescue dogs. We want a new experience and that why we are choosing a male.
 
I was referring to the gender of the human. Have you noticed that your girls bond with the dogfather and the boys to you? I'm inclined to trust your experience on that one.
No. My girls have always been so "high-schoolesque. They seem to know that if they flutter their eyes at men they'll get whatever they want. Zoom, for example, has The Dogfather buffaloed and convinced that she is starving. So, he shares waffles with her. He spoils her rotten. Yet, when I am home, it is me that she wants to be with and "impress." That comes from my heartfelt belief that a dog loves most the one they perceive to be their "leader", and that is definately me. And while The Dogfather ADORES Tommy, and considers him "his", Tommy also looks to me and always wants to know where I am - not in an overdependent or anxious way, just an "okay, there she is".

As far as gender of the dogs, I'll maintain my stance that boys are the "I love you" dogs and the girls are the "Love me" ones. I've just seen it time and time again. And it's NOT a "bad" thing. It's just a thing. :)
 
This is so funny reading all of your posts and remembering why I choose a female pup in the first place.

Our friends have two older goldens, a male and a female. When we told our friends we were getting a golden pup they immediately responded, DON'T GET A MALE!!! They love their old boy of course but said he was very hard to raise, very stubborn, very hyper, and didn't grow out of his puppy ways until he was well over four years old.

They went on and on about how their female was the best dog in the world and that we just had to get one. She is calm, gentle, very obedient, and the biggest love bug ever.

Well, we choose a female and she is the best dog in the world and I have two kids of my own and care for three more in my home. She loves them to death.

Now that I look back I know why my friends male was much harder to raise, he was never fixed. All he ever wanted to do was get his groove on and couldn't focus on anything else until he was much older and lost some of his mojo.

I don't think it had anything at all to do with him being a male. It had to do with him being an intact one where as the female was spayed at less than a year old.

My next golden will probably be a male but certainly a fixed one. The only thing I don't like about males is their desire to hump everything.

It all comes down to each individual dog and how they are raised and very likey hormones can play a role.
 
I find that the boys are so layed back and harder to train, then my girls who have Spunk, attitude, high drive and learn so quickly. But I love both, and will always have 1 of each.
 
What a great discussion! Our breeder does temperament testing before she decides which pup(s) would be best for us. She will narrow it down to 2 or so and then we will all make the final decision together. She doesn't let anyone visit until the pups receive their first vaccinations (I think she said around 5-6 weeks). But we live fairly closely, about an hour away, so we are going to visit weekly with the kids until we take the pup home. I think that'll be the best way for the breeder to get to know us, for us to get to know the pups, and for the pups to get to know my kids.

I am getting SO excited! I feel like I did when I was pregnant - thrilled, nervous, and can't wait to meet the new little one!!! Only 2+ months to go.... :)

How exciting. :D
I temperament/aptitude test at 7 weeks, and find it trememdously helpful for the new owners to see why we think a particular puppy is best suited to them, (and vice verse). A number of breeders whom I respect also do structure/movement evals.
I will say that I allow visitors a day or two after birth. If it is a family with children, I love being able to have them see their new puppy right from the start, and for so many, none have ever held a newborn. They sit, "Indian legged", and are allowed to hold a neonate in their laps. (Obviously, very small children cannot, but Mom or Day can and they are allowed to gently pet. I've never had a problem.) I think that the ability to engage at such a early time in the process is very helpful, to both kids and puppies. For families who live a distance away, I've had kids send me disposable cameras, I've taken pics of the puppies (I KNOW I know, I stink at pics...) and mailed them back. It's a big deal for them - getting mail, having pics to show their teachers and friends. I also do an email group including all buyers. That's fun!
 
This is so funny reading all of your posts and remembering why I choose a female pup in the first place.

Our friends have two older goldens, a male and a female. When we told our friends we were getting a golden pup they immediately responded, DON'T GET A MALE!!! They love their old boy of course but said he was very hard to raise, very stubborn, very hyper, and didn't grow out of his puppy ways until he was well over four years old.

They went on and on about how their female was the best dog in the world and that we just had to get one. She is calm, gentle, very obedient, and the biggest love bug ever.

Well, we choose a female and she is the best dog in the world and I have two kids of my own and care for three more in my home. She loves them to death.

Now that I look back I know why my friends male was much harder to raise, he was never fixed. All he ever wanted to do was get his groove on and couldn't focus on anything else until he was much older and lost some of his mojo.

I don't think it had anything at all to do with him being a male. It had to do with him being an intact one where as the female was spayed at less than a year old.

My next golden will probably be a male but certainly a fixed one. The only thing I don't like about males is their desire to hump everything.

It all comes down to each individual dog and how they are raised and very likey hormones can play a role.

I would bet that it's more about lack of consistent training. All of my intact males are very easily trained, and while loopy when there are girls in season, they are still easy to live with and work well when asked. In fact, DOING stuff with them when the girls ARE in season is helpful and gives them something else to focus on. NONE of them have ever wanted to "hump everything".
 
My next golden will probably be a male but certainly a fixed one. The only thing I don't like about males is their desire to hump everything.
Lol, we have a no humping policy around here, as do several members. I can honestly say my males dogs do not hump- I've had five males and 2 females. I also prefer males as they are infinitely easier to train IMO. Finn's breeder says the girls have to ask "why?" every few days while the boys are asking "how can I please you?" . In my limited experience, this is true ,although I adore all goldens very much. I love what PG said about "highschoolgirl-esque" as both my girls had/have that element too. They're a little more bossy and me-focused than the boys. . . But. as others have said, they're easier too in that they're not needy at all or velcro like the boys.
 
I would bet that it's more about lack of consistent training. All of my intact males are very easily trained, and while loopy when there are girls in season, they are still easy to live with and work well when asked. In fact, DOING stuff with them when the girls ARE in season is helpful and gives them something else to focus on. NONE of them have ever wanted to "hump everything".
I didn't mean that literally. Intact boys do hump though, heck altered boys still hump. My neighbors dog won't stop humping my girl and he's been fixed for seven years. Yes, I agree you can train them not too but again it's a lot of extra training. My friends dog is trained very well in obedience, he was just harder to train for my friends than their girl was. Also, his hyperness was just something they had to deal with by giving him lots of extra exercise. For them the male was harder all around and I wonder if he would not have been so difficult if they would have fixed him.
 
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