Springer Spaniels of McCormick
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Males vs Females |
One of the more common questions asked by families that want to purchase a puppy from our kennel is———-WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND—-A MALE or FEMALE SPRINGER PUPPY? I tell them to “NOT” to overlook a male puppy because of the “OLD STIGMA” associated with the males——nasty, dominant, they only have one thing on their minds etc. I was caught up with this “stigma” up to 15 years ago and I was ALWAYS a female dog owner. I went outside our kennel, to a kennel up by the Canadian border in Washington, to breed our females. I loved the personality of her lead sire Trace. He was very patient with the young puppies, loved to be with humans, especially children and wasn’t so independent and stand-offish. He was the reason I started to change my mind about springer males. Here is another reason—————-
One of our neighbors came to view one of our litters, several years ago. They ONLY wanted a female. We had 3 females and 3 male puppies. We were out in the big play pen, so I pointed out the 3 females. As usual, the females were off doing their “own” thing. Don’t get me wrong, the females did come up to socialize but there was a little male puppy that kept following the family around. Sandy and her husband Dan kept asking me—’is this a female?’ After about the 3rd time, I laughed and said ‘no, that is the little male that keeps following you around’. Dan sat down on one of the large landscape rocks, picked the little boy up and immediately the little boy cuddled up to him. Dan looked at Sandy and they both asked if they could take him home for the day and see how he interacted with their 3yr old, 5yr old and 9yr old children. About 4 hours later, Sandy called and asked if they could keep him overnight? I told them I would bring some puppy food over. The next day, both Sandy and Dan said they definitely wanted him. They both said that the children played with him (his name is Rusty), all day. That afternoon, Sandy’s parents came to visit. Rusty made a point of getting between the grandparents and grandchildren. Didn’t growl but kept pushing the grandparents away from the children. Both Sandy and Dan noticed what he was doing. They made a point to go over to him and make it “okay” that the grandparents were allowed to touch the children. That is when Sandy and Dan called to ask if he could stay the night. Sandy made a bed for Rusty in the children’s room. The next morning, she entered the bedroom to an 8 week puppy being protective. He growled at her. Sandy immediately yelled at him and said NO!!!!! That was the last time that Sandy ever heard him growl. Rusty is now 14 years old. IN Sandy and Dan’s words, ‘Rusty was the extra pair of eyes, the babysitter and the protector of their 3 children–also he bonded and was very loving and kind to the children’.
Most families don’t want a male because they don’t want a “nasty” male around the house—-hiking and marking his territory, flowers etc. To eliminate this problem. YOU NEED TO NEUTER HIM AT 3-4 MONTHS OLD (no later than 5 mths). Old school is—-don’t neuter a male before he is 6-7 months old. Guess what—–he comes-into-his-own, he gets the scent of females and that my friends, is the time he starts marking his territory ( HIKING HIS LEG. )
NEW SCHOOL IS—– neuter them at 3-4 months old (no later than 5 months). They could care less about the scent of females, they may squat to eliminate for the rest of their lives (this doesn’t hurt my feelings or my roses feelings), but YOU GET A NICE MALE SPRINGER WITHOUT THE “MOOD SWINGS”
PLEASE DON’T OVERLOOK A MALE PUPPY. MANY, MANY FAMILIES THAT WANTED A FEMALE ONLY have emailed to share similar stories about their wonderful male puppies. I tell everyone with doubts to do their homework—-talk to their vet, and other families with male springers that were neutered at 3-4 months old.