Which dog gender is more loving

Male vs. Female Dogs: Vet-Reviewed Behavior Differences

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When youre ready to bring a new dog into your home, youll need to consider what breed best suits your family. But would the sex of the dog also be a deciding factor?

There are indeed differences in physical appearance and temperament between males and females. That said, all dogs have unique personalities.

Here, we discuss a few of the differences between male and female dogs, which might help you decide which sex will likely make the best pet for you and your family.

Male and Female Dogs 101

Of course, there are notable physical and temperamental differences between male and female dogs. But you should also be aware of how owners can influence their dogs temperament, particularly in how the sexes are treated.

For example, we humans tend to have certain expectations concerning how we approach and deal with our pets depending on their sex. We may treat males more rough and tough, with wrestling and tug-of-war type exercises, while females may get a gentler approach.

Essentially, how our dogs mature and grow from puppyhood to adult dogs is shaped by how we train and socialize them. This doesnt always mean they will act specifically male or female.

That said, certain common traits tend to show up in each sex. Just bear in mind that there are always exceptions to the rule!

Male Dog Overview

Personality / Character

Several factors directly impact a dogs personality. Besides training and socialization, there are hormones, whether the dog has been neutered, and of course, the breed.

Personality traits used to describe male dogs include that they tend to be goofy, energetic, and more affectionate toward humans than female dogs. They are also known to take longer to mature and can remain full-grown puppies for years! However, if your male dog is unneutered, you may be dealing with more aggressive, territorial, and sometimes frustrating behaviors.

A neutered male will be less fixated on unspayed females (naturally). While they probably wont be as aggressive or territorial, depending on the breed, you might still find your male urinating to mark his territory and protecting his family from anyone he considers an intruder.

Appearance

This is also breed-dependent, but for the most part, males tend to be larger and heavier than females. Their builds can be stockier, with larger bones and thicker muscles than what you find with females.

Since this depends on the breed, though, particularly with mixes, you might find larger females than males in a litter (especially if the parents are two breeds of notably different sizes).

Training

Male dogs can be harder to train than females, and its thought that this is due to how much longer it takes for them to mature. Many male dogs are also known for their boisterous, zany personalities, which might make it more challenging for them to focus during training.

But bear in mind that this is just a generalization, and youll likely find some male dogs easier to train than some female dogs.

Health & Care

Male dogs can encounter health conditions related to their reproductive systems, many of which seem to occur in unneutered dogs. Therefore, experts recommend neutering dogs, which can help prevent these health issues, includingtesticular tumors.

That said, caring for your male dog, such as feeding and grooming him, isnt much different from caring for a female dog. How much you need to feed your dog depends on their current weight, age, and activity level. Male dogs, usually being larger, are more likely to eat more than females.

Pros

• Playful, energetic, and silly
• Protective
• Physically larger (which can be a pro or a con)
• Neutering being less expensive and less invasive than spaying
• Affectionate

Cons

• Unneutered males being more aggressive and territorial
• Showing more dominant behavior
• Taking longer to mature
• May be less easy to train
• Might be too boisterous for young children

Female Dog Overview

Personality / Character

Female dogs are often considered calmer, gentler, and more independent than males. They can be affectionate, but male dogs tend to seek affection more than females.

While this might be a stereotype, its thought that female dogs are more maternal and nurturing. But this depends on the individual dog and the breed. Its also said that females might be more attentive to their owners than males, and they typically mature quicker.

Appearance

Females tend to be smaller and lighter in weight. Since they arent quite as heavy boned, many female dogs will look more svelte than male dogs.

Training

Females are believed to mature faster and be more attentive, so they may be easier to train than males. Theyre also thought to be easier to house train and tend to be less vocal than male dogs.

Health & Care

Like with male dogs, unspayed females might encounter reproductive issues, such asmammary tumors and pyometra. Beyond this, male and female dogs can encounter similar health conditions regardless of sex. Grooming also comes down to the breed.

Pros

• May be easier to train
• Typically more independent
• Mature faster
• Maternal and protective, therefore often great with children
• Tend to be calmer and gentler

Cons

• May not be as affectionate
• Spaying being more invasive and expensive
• Unspayed females requiring extra care when going into heat

Which Sex Is Right for You?

For the most part, a dogs breed and temperament are more important than their sex, so it doesnt matter which one you adopt. But if you already have a dog in the household, its generally recommended that you get a dog of the opposite sex. Two male or two female dogs are more likely to jockey for dominance. This process is easier if you bring home a puppy rather than an adult.

Theres a saying that female dogs love you and that male dogs are in love with you. But the validity of this depends entirely on the individual dog; you will definitely find some female dogs that are more affectionate than some males.

So, take into account your family and your own personality, and use that to guide you to the right dog. Focus on activity levels, trainability and other traits rather than solely on the sex of a dog.

Featured Image Credit: valery.kruk, Shutterstock

Male Dogs versus Female Dogs: Which Makes a Better Pet?

Should you get a male dog or a female dog?

Did you know that most experts in the dog world use the word dog for male dogs, and bitch for female dogs?

For example, I do that.... now. But many years ago, when I was just a teenager, a kennel manager instructed me to "Exercise the dogs for 10 minutes each."

Now there were eighteen dogs in the kennel building, so this chore took a few hours. Toward the end, I happened to walk past the kennel manager with a little sweetheart named Millie at the other end of my leash. Imagine my confusion when the kennel manager shouted, "I told you to exercise the DOGS!!! Millie is a BITCH!!"

So.... to eliminate any confusion with terms... should you get a boy dog or a girl dog?

Speaking very generally about male dogs...

Males tend to be more stable in mood than females less prone to emotional swings. An elderly gentleman said of his big male dog, "He's as reliable and predictable as rain in Seattle. Summer or winter, morning or night, I can always count on Ringo to act the same."

Many male dogs are bolder and more aggressive than females. For example, most police/military dogs are males.

And yet in some breeds, it's the female who tends to be a bit "sharper" while the males are described as "affectionate goofballs" or "big ol' softies."

Male dogs have genitals that are easy to see, which makes some owners feel self-conscious. When you roll them over to rub their belly, there's "something in the way." Male dogs may become aroused and/or lick their private parts. Again, some owners find this embarrassing, especially when Grandma happens to be visiting.

A male dog is either unneutered (also called intact) or neutered (also called castrated or de-sexed).

Neutering/castration is surgery that removes the testicles from the scrotum, so the dog can't breed or sire puppies.

See my advice on the pros and cons of neutering a male dog.

Speaking very generally about female dogs...

Female dogs are more prone to mood swings. They can be sweet and loving when they're happy but a bit on the sulky side when they really, really don't like something.

Now mind you, I'm a proud member of the fairer sex myself. But I must admit that female dogs are experts at giving you That Dirty Look when something isn't to their liking.

Female dogs are often less physical than males, less "in your face" than male dogs. Females are affectionate, absolutely, but often on their own terms. They may request petting, then assert their independence by walking away when they've had enough.

Female dogs are opinionated and often manipulative. If they don't want to do something, they may try to work their charming wiles with you. If that doesn't work, they may become passively resistant or slink around with their tail down and ears back. Or give you one of those patented "looks." Some owners find this exasperating, while others find it amusing.

A female is either unneutered (also called intact) or neutered (also called spayed or de-sexed).

Neutering/spaying means surgically removing the uterus and ovaries so the female can't have heat periods or become pregnant.

See my advice on the pros and cons of spaying a female dog.

Which sex is better for YOU?

When you start looking for a puppy, you'll find many breeders recommending males as better pets.

Well, not so fast. There's a practical reason for this breeders want to keep more females (for breeding) than males, so they always have more male puppies to sell. It's in the breeder's best interest to persuade pet buyers that males make better pets.

There are some Special Circumstances that might point you in the direction of one sex or the other.

Consider your size preference.

If you're looking for a medium, large, or giant breed with a medium or high risk of aggression toward people and/or toward other dogs... a female is more likely to be a bit smaller and physically easier to handle.

Consider the other dogs in your household.

First, if your current dog has a high risk of aggression toward other dogs, I recommend that you stop right now.

I can't tell you how many owners have called me after bringing home a female Rottweiler when they already had a female Akita or Alaskan Malamute or American Bulldog. Then I'm called in six months later because the two females are at each other's throats and the household is in chaos.

Are you surprised that those two dogs are female, rather than male? Yes, males have more of a reputation for fighting with each other, and yet many male-on-male fights are more posturing, shoving, skirmishing, and a few bites at each other. Whereas for sheer ferocity, female-on-female battles can be the worst of all. They tear viciously at each other and they are slower to forgive or forget.

It isn't fair to your current high-aggression dog to upset his or her world by bringing home an "invader." More importantly, it isn't fair to a new dog to put him or her into a situation where fear, stress, or injury could easily occur. The moral is, keep a high-aggression dog as a single dog.

If your current dog isn't really aggressive, but is a bit on the jealous or pushy side, make sure your new dog is the opposite sex AND a breed with a LOW risk of aggression (like a Lab or Golden Retriever).

If your current dog is good with other dogs, make sure the new dog is a breed with a LOW (or maybe MEDIUM) risk of aggression. If it's MEDIUM, go with the opposite sex, to be safe. If it's LOW, either sex should work.

Remember that when you mix the sexes, you either need to neuter one or both dogs, or else you need to be very careful to keep the dogs apart when the female is in heat.

Consider other dogs in your neighborhood.

If your next-door neighbor has an aggressive dog, you may want to get the opposite sex to avoid fence-fighting.

If an aggressive dog roams loose in your area, and you're unable to get its irresponsible owner (or Animal Control) to stop it, again you might be wise to get a dog of the opposite sex, else your daily walks may become stressful.

Of course, Murphy's Law says that if you take great pains to do this, you might find that on the day you bring your puppy home, your neighbor's dog (or the bully who roams loose) will die and be replaced by a dog the same sex as yours!