TIP FROM CESAR MILLAN:  DOES SEX DETERMINE AGGRESSIVE TENDENCIES?

Dear Jubilee:

I am trying to understand what will be best for my family: a male or a female dog? Can you help me? Can you give me some information? I am concerned about territorial and aggressive tendencies.

Trying to Understand

Dear Trying to Understand:

In most cases, I don’t believe that the sex of a puppy has any bearing on whether s/he becomes territorial or aggressive. There is a man, Cesar Millan, who is doing an excellent job of helping people understand their responsibility to their dogs and the role that owners play in whether or not their dogs develop development territorial and aggressive traits.


Cesar clearly explains and demonstrates, in his weekly The Dog Whisperer program, on the National Geographic Channel, in a DVD (People Training for Dogs), and in his recent book (Cesar’s Way) how we owners create many of the problems, like these negative traits, that our dogs develop. He has many examples of how these negative traits are directly linked to the owners and how well they take charge of their dog(s). I recommend that you get his book and DVD and that you watch his program before selecting your dog. You can learn more about him on his website, http://cesarmillaninc.com/dsc.php

As for male vs female: I do not have a strong preference: both are smart, very trainable, and very affectionate. In my experience, neither male or female tends to be more aggressive or territorial. 

The best way to determine the right dog for you is to (1) research what the breed was developed to do and (2) pick a responsible breeder.  

Most breeds were developed for a reason. Some were developed to do jobs that required high speed, and they can out run you and just about anything else. Others were developed to herd other animals, and


Cesar Millan with Joyce Miller and Neisha

they tend to want to herd whatever they live with: other dogs, children, you and your friends, etc. Some were developed to be lap dogs and some were developed to hunt and kill their prey. It is important that you know what the breed you want was developed to do so that you can determine if you have the space and the resources to keep that dog happy and well exercised.

Once you have decided on a breed, then you need to find a good responsible breeder. For many breeds, you can go to the website of its national breed club and find a directory of breeders. A good breeder will ask you a lot of questions, and these questions are aimed at placing the right puppy in the right home. The better the breeder understands your life style and you, the better able the breeder is to select just the right puppy from a particular litter for your home.

I hope this all helps, and please do get Cesar's DVD and book: his weekly one-hour program on the National Geographic channel shows how his ideas work with actual case studies in real homes. I met him at the annual conference of the International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP), and I am very grateful that dog owners have someone like him helping them understand how to be a really good dog owner.

Thank you for your inquiry. Good luck in your search for the right dog for your family.

Jubilee