# Determining Gender on Puppy



## GSDadmirer

I know this seems like a crazy question. I have sexed several puppies, I know the obvious things to look for. However, this last litter who is a week old today I am dumbfounded on one of the puppies. At birth it looked like a female but it was further forward than a vulva would be, but further downward than a penis would be. I would say inbetween. It was shaped like a vulva, although at a week old its hard to tell. Has anyone had any experience having a puppy look like both a male and female? Being located between a penis and a vulva?

Thanks! 
Megan


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## lhczth

I have heard of this in horses and seen pictures. The foal had a vulva like a mare, but inside was also parts of the male's parts. They are called hermaphrodites. Never heard of it or seen it in dogs.


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## selzer

I haven't. I wonder if you google it. Well, just be careful how you phrase that for the search engine or you will be receiving strange e-mails into next year.


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## MrsWoodcock

selzer said:


> I haven't. I wonder if you google it. Well, just be careful how you phrase that for the search engine or you will be receiving strange e-mails into next year.


Agreed... but ugh i wouldnt know anything about that... 

HAHA jk


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## shannonrae

I have seen a hermaphrodite dog. Vulva with a very small penis inside. 
Now, and even weirder question . . . pictures?


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## robinhuerta

Never seen a dog....but have seen several cats that were "hermies".....
We had one at the vet clinic where I worked (many years ago)...we called him *HERMAN*...get it?....*HER-MAN*.


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## GSDadmirer

LOL herman...very clever...ok here are some pictures...now from the pictures it looks very obvious that its a girl...but the vulva sticks out like the males and although in the pictures it looks pretty far down its about half way between where the other girls vulva is and where the males are. Ive had people look at pictures and say obvious girl then see the puppy and question...go figure. Ive been leaning toward it being a girl simply because of where its at and how its shaped but its just very different from the others. Im a little (actually a lot) embarrassed that I cant tell...but sometimes we have to suck up our pride and ask questions eh?

Some pictures are from one hour old and some are from one week old.


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## selzer

MrsWoodcock said:


> Agreed... but ugh i wouldnt know anything about that...
> 
> HAHA jk


Yeah, well, I had to google virgin teflon for work once, and you know, every extenze type commercial started popping up all over the place. Guess I should have used PTFE.


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## robinhuerta

It's a she......and she has an "outie"....
Just have her checked to make sure it is "in working order" and there are no deformities....so you can feel at ease.
Personally.....I think she will be fine.


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## GSDadmirer

robinhuerta said:


> It's a she......and she has an "outie"....
> Just have her checked to make sure it is "in working order" and there are no deformities....so you can feel at ease.
> Personally.....I think she will be fine.


Thanks! I appreciate the help  obviously these arent german shepherd puppies, I forgot to mention that in my post, although im sure from the pictures everyone could tell, but i appreciate the help none the less. 

thanks again


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## Franksmom

I know in human babies we've seen things like this at work and the Dr's always do a blood test to determine male/female, and one time we were very surprised looked very much male and was female.


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## aManicCookie

Franksmom said:


> I know in human babies we've seen things like this at work and the Dr's always do a blood test to determine male/female, and one time we were very surprised looked very much male and was female.


At work a while back we had a child born who had questionable gentials. It appeared to be a female, with a vulva however...it ended up being genetically male and was all male... However it had a severe hypospadias.

I'd definitely go to the vet and have them look!


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## wyominggrandma

We had a true hermaphradite at the clinic last year. It was a Pug and the people assumed it was a male because there was a "penis" he urinated otu of , but was between the penis and the vulva. Named him Sam. They had been taking it to another vet who said it was a male and a chryptorchid since no testicles showed. They brought it in to be neutered and once inside looking for the testicles, they found a uterous/ovaries. The vets took out everything, sent the goodies to the Lab and she was actually a female with an overdeveloped cloritas.
Very rare in dogs. Was kinda cool to be involved in that surgery.


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## BowWowMeow

Franksmom said:


> I know in human babies we've seen things like this at work and the Dr's always do a blood test to determine male/female, and one time we were very surprised looked very much male and was female.


The fact is that we, as a species, have more than 2 biological sexes. When babies are born with "ambiguous" genitalia many in the medical profession rush to figure out their "correct" sex within the binary system of female/male. This construction of biological sex categories is social. We understand sex to be male and female but there is actually quite a bit of variation. At least one in every 2000 babies is born with some variation. 

Many people born this way identify themselves as "intersex" and the medical profession uses the (controversial) term "disorders of sex development" or DSD. If this is something you are interested in learning more about you can read more here: What is intersex? | Intersex Society of North America


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## Jax08

MIL's dog had something similar. They thought she was male until she took her in to be 'neutered' and they found he was a she.


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## KZoppa

she looks like the lab puppy they just adopted down the street.... The lab is a female as well but is questionable because of the unusualness of her organs.


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## Barbara

*My female is a hermaphrodite*

I have or thought I had a female GS who was born Jan 21 of ths year. I took her in this morning to be spayed. Vet called and said surgery went will, however she has a penis inside her vulva and has testicles or sometype of deformed ovaries, She also has a uterus. I was told she is both male and female. I agreed to allow the vet to send in her "organs" to Madison Wisconsin to be tested and studied.

I am on my way to go pick her up in the next hour.

Any future problems that I might have in the future? I have a 10 year old shephard from the same breeder and did not want a male. WE love our little Heidi who may need a new name. Her legs seem large for her frame?

Please feel free to give me your thoughts. My vet has never seen this, however I have found from the net that there is a strain in the GS? Will not devulge the breeder as Heidi comes from a championship line of grand champions.


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## SchDDR

BowWowMeow said:


> The fact is that we, as a species, have more than 2 biological sexes. When babies are born with "ambiguous" genitalia many in the medical profession rush to figure out their "correct" sex within the binary system of female/male. This construction of biological sex categories is social. We understand sex to be male and female but there is actually quite a bit of variation. At least one in every 2000 babies is born with some variation.
> 
> Many people born this way identify themselves as "intersex" and the medical profession uses the (controversial) term "disorders of sex development" or DSD. If this is something you are interested in learning more about you can read more here: What is intersex? | Intersex Society of North America


Then add the fact that gender is entirely separate from sex, and it gets really fun and complicated.


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## Lilie

My BF works for a vet. A GSD puppy was brought in (years ago) to be PTS. It's vulva was set basically in the same place as your pup. I did not see it as a youngster, so I can't say it looked the same. The breeder did not know and the vet could not verify if the pup would have problems as it aged due to the location of the vulva. 

My BF was interested in the pup as a pet, so the breeder agreed to let her take the pup as long as she signed a spay contract, and was not given the AKC papers. 

The dog is now around 4 years old and very healthy. They didn't find additional sex organs when she was spayed. Her vulva is just set further towards her belly then normal. When you first look you think she is a male that has been altered.


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