How to Determine the Gender of a Puppy

Sexing a puppy gets easier the older the puppy gets. It is much harder to determine the gender of a newborn puppy than it is a puppy who is eight weeks of age. It is easy to mistake the umbilical cord stump, or belly button, for a penis. But with practice, you will be able to tell the boys from the girls.

Instructions

    • 1

      Gently lift the puppy and hold him belly up. The puppy will be squirmy and wiggly which will make a closer look a bit more difficult. Stroke the puppy gently on his chest so you can calm him down.

    • 2

      Find the umbilical cord, or belly button. If you know where the belly button is, there is less of a chance you will mistake it for a penis.

    • 3

      Look just under the belly button, if the puppy is a male, you will see a small, rounded penis. Young puppies cannot expose their penises, so do not attempt to make the penis come out of the body. It cannot.

    • 4

      Look carefully between the puppy's legs. If the puppy is a female, you will see a leaf-shaped vulva with a vertical slit, which is the vagina.

    • 5

      Compare litter mates if you still have trouble determining the gender of a puppy, the two sexes should be obvious in their differences.