Labradors - male or female?

[rainbow32]

Hi,

Was automatically going to get a girl, but then I've just seen some adorable lab boys. Completely gorgeous! Then I started wondering why I was getting a girl, no question, in the first place.

I know girls are usually smaller, but are they less playful \excitable? I know a lot depends on the individual dog and of course, their training, but just wanted to hear some of your views and experiences.

Thanks!

I would always get a bitch as I can't abide when male dogs cock their legs to pee.

My brother's male lab certainly isn't excitable (possibly the laziest dog in existence?) but my god he humps everything. EVERYTHING. Even just the air sometimes.

Bitches are supposed to be better with kids and less prone to aggression. With a lab I don't think it's as important though as with other breeds.

I've got a lab boy. He's 5 months now and is calm and patient on the whole. He has the odd daft five mins of excitement but settles very quick. He does like to hump his bed every once in a while but I believe birches do that too.

Mine is working breed. Needs at least 2 45 minute walks a day at moment to keep him nice and settled or he will find mischief ie pinch socks etc. I expect to have to up his exercise as he gets older. Certainly not a lapdog breed and very strong so training essential. That applies to both male and female though.

Hope that helps.

I prefer boys, I found them less...opinionated and more eager to please.

But, I'd take either sex from the right breeder, that's way way more important than boy or girl.

Oh and humping everything in sight is a training issue not a sex issue - and bitches do it too.

I have one of each. A dog who is three years old and a bitch who is two.

They are both fabulous, wonderful dogs and i love them both to death, but they are very different personalities.

Dog is super affectionate, loves a walk (or3), is a food magnet but, safly, is as thick as mince 😅

Bitch is loving, but more independent, takes herself off to her bed in the kitchen rather than stalking me around the house all bloody day, like dog does, very easy to train and very intelligent. However, she is the one who rolls in something disgusting at every opportunity.....

Just like children, they all have their own personalities and quirks. If i had to pick dog or bitch in the future, i honestly do not know what i would choose. Probably dog. Or bitch. One of tyem anyway 😆

I'd go with the breeder's opinion of which puppy would best suit your family. There's not a reliable enough difference between dogs and bitches to make a dog's sex any kind of predictor of temperament or behaviour.

That's great! Thanks for all the info

I actually had a bitch growing up and she was adorable. Mental, but lovely. She was lab x whippet. This is probably why I always assumed I'd have another bitch.

These dogs are just so beautiful though. They're actually cockadors, so if anyone has any experience with this mix, I'd be grateful. Pretty much the only thing that's putting me off is the spaying....and the humping......and just that general area tbh It can be a bit, y'know, well...there Are they harder to train? Are they more likely to wee indoors?

I've had one of each. The male was a bit more needy and in need of constant reassurance, strokes and company. The female was much more independent but also a lot more affectionate, she liked to give love more than receive it.

The male was much more playful indoors but the female much more playful outdoors.

Both very excitable and playful! I'd say the female was slightly less destructive, but also slightly more prone to injury and illness.

I don't think there's a lot in it really.

This is my boy, Gus.
We did originally want a bitch, but we just fell in love with him after seeing them all at the breeders.
He is the softest, silliest, soppiest boy ever! I think the 'hyperness' really depends on how you train them. He can have hyper moments but is extremely clever, & so easy to train it's been a pleasure, constantly getting compliments about him. He's never cocked his leg to pee, never humped anything. Amazing round kids too, best decision we ever made.

*spraying

J, love Gus!

He is very much suited to his name.

I have a lab bitch. She is mad but so loving and as others have said she is very independent. I wouldn't get a male purely because of how strong they are and despite diligent training, every lab I know pulls on the lead when excited about a walk. I couldn't hold a large male safely.

A cocker x lab could be anywhere on a spectrum between the two breeds, both physically and in terms of temperament/potential breed traits. That said, the two breeds aren't too drastically disparate so you're unlikely to have any nasty surprises. Expect a very active dog, particularly if the cocker is from working lines, that will need a reasonable amount of mental stimulation as well as exercise.

It's not a common purposeful cross though so I'd be querying to intent behind the litter. The Champdogs list of questions to ask a breeder is well worth reading through and utilising when you visit any breeders/litters.

Check all relevant health tests are in place as well, particularly as there are a number of conditions shared between both breeds which can't be avoided just by crossing the two. Both should have had their hips scored (with results in single figures) and current BVA eye tests. The lab should also have had their elbows scored with a result of 0:0. Both parents should have had DNA tests for prcd-PRA, exercise induced collapse and macrothrombocytopenia. The lab should also have had a DNA test for retinal dysplasia.

Thanks, Lettuce.

I think we've found a female cockador now. Have checked all the tests have been done and I'm going to visit in the next few days. A tad excited

Make sure you see proper paperwork for all the health tests, don't just take the breeder's word for it.

If both parents are registered with the KC you can look up their basic health test results (hips, elbows, eye tests and some DNA tests) here on the KC site.

Power and weight can be drastically different between male and female. Then with a bitch you'dbe dealing with a couple of seasons and a spay a much bigger op than castration for a boy.

Temperament and biddability comes from studying the breed lines well especially with such a cross and my eyes are watering at whats involved with a cocker bitch whelping lab type pups! Why would you even!!'

I dont agree that they have similar temperament but they can both be very high energy dogs.

A five month old lab pup (because of joint damage liklihood) should be having only 25 mins PER DAY. The rest can be used doing training or some play as long as not joint jolting. No up and down stairs or on/off sofas and beds or in and out of cars withouth being lifted.

A lot of dysplasia can be environmental. Please take care of their joints.

And yes bitches will hump too. They all like the feeling and often its an excitement thing and can also be
a dominance thing