Keeping a pup from the litter

Hi,
I have a 5yo pure bred red Australian Cattle Dog bitch who has just had a litter. We would like to keep one of the pups but are unsure as to which sex we should keep.

The mum will be getting desexed and we will have the pup desexed as well. Would it be better to keep a male of female puppy?

Thanks for your help



Hi
Generally it's better to keep a dog of the opposite sex from the resident dog. I would really advise keeping a male pup.

Although you're going to have your dogs spayed/neutered, with two females there is still the potential for trouble when the puppy matures. Interestingly, two females are probably the most problematic combination, as if they start to fight they are very serious about it.

Two males may posture and make a lot of noise, but they don't usually seem so inclined to make their point. A male and a female will likely get along pretty well.

Of course, this doesn't mean that two males or two females CAN'T do well together. In many instances it works out fine, but as a rule it's easier if you have one of each.

Dogs aren't like humans, and your momma dog will have no lingering 'maternal instincts' when your puppy grows up. She won't make allowances for bad behavior, or 'take it easy on her' because it's her daughter!

Best of luck.