We are constantly asked: should I get a male or female?
** COPIED** Did you know there is a definite difference between a male and a female? While there truly is!
Male vs. Female
Does a male or a female make a better pet for you and your family?
It’s not uncommon for people to believe that a female dog will make a better pet. We get a lot of calls from people wanting that “special little girl”. For whatever reason, they don’t think that females will exhibit “alpha” behaviors like humping and/or marking. A lot of people think that females are more passive and friendly and that they don’t take part in fighting over dominance, which could NOT be farther from the truth. If you check out the structure of dog packs, the females determine the pecking order and rule the roost. The result of that behavior is that the females become more stubborn, independent, and territorial than the males. These females are much more intent on exercising their control by participating in that “alpha” behavior like humping. Most fighting will usually break out between two females.
Males tend to be more affectionate, exuberant, attentive, and even more demanding of attention. The males are very attached to their owners, tending to be more dedicated, reliable, and less temperamental. They are more sociable, more accepting of other pets, playful for years, and take quicker to children. Most boys are easily motivated by treats/food, and words of praise and are so eager to please that training actually becomes easier. Their playful nature, however, can make males more easily distracted. The boys are more likely to act silly and more puppy-like, always wanting to play games, no matter what their age. The boys are fun-loving until the day they die, whereas girls tend to be more standoffish and dignified the older they get.
Neutered males typically don’t exhibit secondary sexual behavior such as marking and lifting their legs or humping. Once the testosterone levels recede after neutering, most of these behaviors will disappear if they ever existed.
So before making your decision on that age-old dilemma of male versus female, hopefully, this will give you some helpful info to think about.
- we love our females! We feel that they make better working/hunting dogs because they’re focused always on the task at hand. Most of our girls have been raised from a young age together and because we set the structure and boundaries we never deal with dominance issues or “alpha-like” behavior in our females because WE are the leaders (I don’t personally believe in alpha theory). They’re easier to train and mature quickly. Though they can be harder to housebreak. Female dog fights are horrendous, they go for the kill. The fights are harder to break up, and usually end in bloodshed from one or both sides, and once females fight they almost always will fight again later.
- We also love our males! They are goofy and happy-go-lucky. Though they perform well in sports, their testicles definitely call the shots in regards to focus and distraction. Even after being neutered, they still tend to wander and lose focus. They’re also slower to mature. Typically males are easier to housebreak. Intact males will usually fight more over in-heat females. But male fights are easier to break up, they don’t typically “go for the kill” and they don’t usually go back for round 2 later.
Whatever you choose make sure you understand the natural order of canine packs. And be ready to set structure and boundaries at a young age, regardless of gender.
Sara Kello @ Lady Oak labradors
Ladyoakkennels@gmail.com
www.ladyoaklabradors.com