Should I get a male or female puppy?

[BlindLemonChicken]

When a female is not spayed she will go Intl heat every few months and bleed so you will have to put a diaper on her. You will also have to be careful when walking her that she doesn't attract the attention of male dogs. Before my pup was spayed a French bulldog followed her on one of our walks and I had to return him to his home. He tried to mate her (which was hilarious but might not have been if he had been, say, a Rottweiler) and before that I hadn't realized she was in heat. Its not a fun time

 

[cluckmecoop7]

When a female is not spayed she will go Intl heat every few months and bleed so you will have to put a diaper on her. You will also have to be careful when walking her that she doesn't attract the attention of male dogs. Before my pup was spayed a French bulldog followed her on one of our walks and I had to return him to his home. He tried to mate her (which was hilarious but might not have been if he had been, say, a Rottweiler) and before that I hadn't realized she was in heat. Its not a fun time

Do most people spay their females?

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Do most people spay their females?

I believe so. Unless you are planning to breed the dog which I wouldn't recommend either unless you have reputable breeding stock (papered) and lots of experience with dogs

 

[cluckmecoop7]

I believe so. Unless you are planning to breed the dog which I wouldn't recommend either unless you have reputable breeding stock (papered) and lots of experience with dogs

No, definitely not breeding.
I hate it when people breed their dog “just once” or “because I like her looks”.

 

[Sussex19]

Another problem if you don't spay, is that they can get Pyometra; which is life threatening.
Not saying that it will happen, but it's definitely something to be aware of.
Our female was spayed before we got her as a puppy (she's a rescue dog) and I would have preferred it to be done a little later, once she reached full size.

 

[JadeFarms]

If I now exactly what breed of dog I want, need ,fits me best and fulfils my expectations then I will:
1-Find a reputable breeder that will have litters available that suits me( not easy and is very case related and some luck related).
2-I will go and see the parents of puppies and breeder before the puppy are born and ask them to go for a routine walk outside with them.
3-if no 2 is not possible or available then I will go and stay a few hours with puppies when they have some personalities showing( around 4 weeks and after) and observe the parents and puppies for a while.
4- If the breeder seems knowledgeable I will ask them to help me pick the puppy that suits me best and I try to notice which puppy shows interest in me while I am there and which one avoids me while I am there.
5- Some breeds of dog have very obvious different personalities between genders but none is better or worse , it is just different. Golden retriever is not one of those breeds.
6- Only then I will think about gender of my puppy if I have some tendency toward male or female dogs.
7- If I picked my puppy and find the breeder skillful I will ask them if they could let my chosen puppy stay with the parent until 12 weeks( a month more than others if they are picked by 8 weeks). In this way the parents have one more months to spend on training their only remaining puppy .
I started a thread a month ago about helping people to choose a breed of dog that suits them most:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...at-matches-your-life-style-and-needs.1541003/

You might find some helpful points or even you might want to try to find the most suitable breed for you by answering some questions in that thread. Nothing wrong with Golden Retriever I should say before if you know other breeds .

Agreed. Don’t forget health testing and asking the breeder questions too. A good breeder will not breed for money and tbh good breeders barely make money at all. Health tests are extremely important. With health tests, genetic health testing is not enough. It’s extremely important to do health screenings like hips, elbows, eyes, etc. I’m not super sure of the health tests recommended for goldens so make sure to do research on those.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I honestly can't say I see much difference with males vs females, other than males having more of a propensity for marking. So if it comes down to it, I would choose a healthy puppy that has a personality that matches my lifestyle (aka couch potato) over anything else. In my household I always want males (because it's easier for me to name boys, and I like bigger big dogs) and my hubby always wants females lol (he can't stand that our boy dogs want to pee on everything). Currently he's winning 2-1.

 

[cassie]

If she isn't spayed she will come in heat and attract males for miles. Keep in mind that if a female is spade before her first heat it greatly reduces her chances of getting breast cancer. If spade she won't get pyometra either.

 

[Alagirl]

If she isn't spayed she will come in heat and attract males for miles. Keep in mind that if a female is spade before her first heat it greatly reduces her chances of getting breast cancer. If spade she won't get pyometra either.

spaying too early comes with its own health risks.

In the US it is advocated to keep the unwanted pet population down.
Because everybody who wants a dog usually has at least 2.

 

[Folly's place]

All good advice! Is this your first dog? If you already have a dog at home, get one of the opposite sex, because it's less likely that there will be difficulties between them later.
Look at the Golden Retriever club pages, about genetic diseases they might have, and that breeders can screen for. And meet the parents of your prospective puppy! Also, a puppy who has lots of old relatives is a good choice from a health standpoint.
All the best...
Mary