After you have picked your pup’s breed and breeder, the next and extremely important choice to make is the pup’s gender. It’s all really personal preference. I prefer to train females and my cousin prefers to train males. Every dog trains and learns differently. Both sexes have pros and cons. Here’s a list of basics to help you weigh your options before you choose.
Pros: Females mature much faster which means they will advance in their training at a much younger age. They are extremely eager to please. They also form an extreme bond with whoever trains them.
Cons: The biggest issue with a female is their heat cycle. With my luck, it seems they always come in heat during the first part of duck season and the first spring competition hunt of the year. In my personal experience, when a dog comes in heat (even the best dog) a few screws come loose. During this time, you’ve got a choice. You can either try to work them (and lose your mind) or kennel them and set them back on their training. Even a trained dog can get exceptionally rusty when kenneled for several weeks.
Pros: Male dogs are dependable after they mature. Males don’t have heat cycles. They become very protective of you and your family.
Cons: They can be extremely bull-headed while training. Their attitude can be a challenge for a beginner. Especially when they hit puberty and have an extreme case of “I am in charge”. Another issue with male pups is the fact they get distracted by females. I have noticed if you don’t let them “sniff” out the situation it will drive them crazy until you do. In turn, they will drive you crazy too.
I hope this helps you make your choice. Remember it takes two years for any dog – male or female – to mature. So don’t stress, you’re not doing anything wrong. Just take your time and be patient. As always God bless.
