Are you ready to take the big step of buying your first puppy? But you can't decide between a male and a female? When trying to decide on a new puppy, perhaps you want information about the differences between the male and the female puppy. Following are a few good tips.

      In our opinion, there are no distinct differences that would make one a better pet over the other.

      In personality, there are no specific differences between the male and female. Puppies of any breed have a loving, sweet personality that makes it difficult to distinguish any differences based on gender alone. There are sometimes subtle differences between litter mates. For example, one puppy may be more outgoing, more of a little clown or rascal, running full speed ahead to check on new situations, whereas another puppy may be a bit more reserved and tend to check out things more slowly when new situations are encountered. The differences are based on the individual puppy's personality rather than gender. When it comes to puppy training, there are few noticeable differences.

      Perhaps you will want to spend some time with both a female and a male puppy before making that decision so that you have a good idea of that puppy's personality. We have observed hundreds of puppies, and from watching them play and interact with each other, it is hard to tell the males from the females as far as aggressiveness, passiveness, and playfulness.

      Aesthetically speaking, the males and  females are both very beautiful and charming. Some people believe that little boys shouldn't be groomed as beautifully as females or wear bows in their hair...but on the contrary, male puppies can and should wear bows and get all decked out, just like the ladies. In dog clothes, good colors for boys are blue, green, purple, black and red.

     Neuter / Spay Surgery: We highly recommend that you have your pet spayed or neutered. This surgery is normally performed at about 6 months of age in both males and females. For females, the spay surgery is a bit more extensive, considering the uterus is removed. For males, the neuter surgery is considered a much simpler procedure with a very quick recovery time. When spayed, females will no longer have their heat cycles or "period" to deal with. Male dogs, when neutered, lose the unpleasant habits that some male dogs are known for.  Neutered males play very well and make great companions with other males as well as other female dogs.

     Let your new puppy become a member of the family and train him/her just as you would your toddler. Potty training is foremost and there are many aids to puppy training on the market today. Dog crates and scatmats are two popular ways for training your puppy. Until your puppy is trained, help him to learn where he can use the potty and where he cannot. By the time he is a year old, it will be much easier for him to go longer periods of time between potty sessions, and life for you will become much easier.

     Remember, having a new dog is a responsiblity. So, be sure to have her/him neutered and you'll be off to a good start. Have fun pampering your new puppy and come back to visit us often at PuppyCratesPlus.com

(By the way, the cute little pup above is none other than "Bo," First Dog of the United States.)