Dog v bitch, does it make a difference?

[WildFigs]

I've had both dogs and bitches and have never really found it makes any difference to temperament- individual personality seems to count for more. But I'd be really interested in other people's views on this- do you think you can generalise about dogs v bitches? (Bearing in mind that there will always be exceptions even if you can.)

I have girls and boys (all rescue dogs, two of each). I only had boys until recently, and girls are way harder work, lol. Just my experience.

I find the boys are more simple and happy to please, girls are more independent

I’ve had lots of dogs of both sexes of the same (terrier) breed over the years and I do find the bitches harder work (more “stubborn” if you will) but my latest dog is a bitch don’t hasn’t put me off!

@WildFigs Depends on the breed imo and the environment the dog will be in. Pet owners sometimes find bitches easier as there is not the testosterone posturing some males can do, but bitches can also just be that bitches!

I’ve always had German Shepherd dogs so can only comment about them. If you want a home loving dog as a protector, who will (never) leave your side this is the breed for that. They are not called ‘Velcro dogs’ for nothing! I’ve not been to the loo, had a bath or shower or left a room unaccompanied for many, many years!😁 Mine was brilliant with my DS as a baby and sat by his side from the day he came home from hospital at 7 days old. She also ‘knew’ I was pregnant and was very protective.
The male GSD is more of an “action dog” louder and more visible in the guarding sense of the word. Was totally devoted to my DH and was def a one-man dog. Both M &F dogs need a lot of exercise can be bouncy and have a long teenage time when they can be a bit trying. For a loyal and loving companion, you can’t beat them tho!

My experience is that girls tend to be a bit more independently minded. This can make them slightly harder to train, but there's but there's not much in it. I've also found that once trained, girls are a bit more loyal. And if two girls have a fight, they definitely hold a grudge, and it can be difficult to resolve 😂 These are just my experiences.

So, I have 1 Male dog and within my friends and family I know 4 Male dogs and 3 female dogs.

The girls are less clingy and more likely to sit amongst people nicely and relaxed without mithering for attention, they are calmer when they greet people,

The girls all seem to have bigger appetites than the boys and all the girls are slightly chunky.

All the boys are constantly high energy, harrass visitors and are very very excitable.

Girls are less tolerant and more likely to get annoyed, boys just want attention constantly

Girls seem to keep themselves cleaner or maybe it's just because their not as high energy as the boys

Boys are very very loving and all seem to absolutely adore their owners and family. The girls just seem to tolerate their owners and families 🤣

The girls come across as aggressive on walks as they bark and lunge at other dogs where as the boys just excitedly try to run to other dogs to try and play

None of these dogs have ever met each other aside from my dog who spends time with them all separately

The dogs I've owned have all been more laid back than the bitches of the same breed, but the dogs are also more independent and protective of us

I've had both dogs and bitches of various breeds. I find that dogs get more attached to me and are keener to please, but can be more suspicious of strangers. My bitches have always liked men better than women and behaved better for them than for me! Currently have a terrier bitch who adores me,flirts dreadfully with men, but really really wants to please me - so I'd say it depends on the dog (or bitch!).

Temperament is not determined by sex of dog but you will get a lot of contradictory ancedotal evidence. Which will not have much value as it is purely opinion.

Main issue will be size of the dog.

The breeding of the dog will have way more impact than the sex

The sex of dogs will have a difference in its disposition. The pedigree of a dog and bitch in a litter will be the same, the disposition of each pup will not be the same, sex will play its part along with environmental factors, the behaviour of the dam, the way the pups are treated from birth etc. It is very much not just the breeding.

I have found that during adolescence dogs behaviour is far worse than bitches i.e. they push boundaries more, training goes out the window far more than it did with my bitch.
That also could be breed difference, though.

I wanted a Boy Whippet as heard they were eager to please and less stubborn than Girls

I had Hobson’s Choice- A Girl
Girl Whippets are good hunters ( obsessive) and definitely know their own minds-

They can sulk if they have something done they don’t like-
Boy Whippets want to please you.

Girls want to please themselves!

Girl whippets are harder work, more neurotic and nervous ime 😅

Nope masses of studies that show that sex does not make a difference.

It will of course influence the individual dog but not in the same way for each dog eg not all females will be calm and all males will be bossy.

You can see on this thread the differences that people observe and put down to sex - it is down to the dogs not the sex

My dogs are rescues and I've been brought up with rescues although they've all been Border Collies apart from a (gorgeous) mongrel who had an Old English Sheepdog as his father and a Border Collie as his mother and a German Shepherd (also gorgeous).

I've had about an even mix of males and bitches throughout my life and currently have a bitch and a male (both neutered) and I've always found that the bitches are a bit more "wise and intelligent" and learn quicker and they're also bossier and more dominant (my current girl especially) and males are more kooky and daft and like to pretend they're not as clever as they are.

Dafuq!
How. DARE. YOU!!!!!!!!

@KeenOtter It will of course influence the individual dog but not in the same way for each dog eg not all females will be calm and all males will be bossy.

So you admit it will make a difference - dogs dispositions are different, sex being one of the factors which will influence it.

If it was just the breeding then all the pups would be the same, you are suggestion same pedigree = same disposition - this is not true.

There may have been anecdotal evidence but if you raise a litter from birth, it is easy to see which are the dogs and bitches, not by the size but by their behaviour.

I have trained a dog and bitch from the same litter and known them since the day they were born, they were different from the very beginning. They were treated the same, fed the same, whelped the same, lived in the same bed/area, trained the same etc etc - they were very different and its majority was because they were a dog and a bitch. The hormones alone made them different.

In Breed types It does seem to make a difference

Whippet Girls are notoriously different to Boys

At Whippet shows you get Boy owners who shudder at the thought of Girls.

I’ve not owned enough to make a study of it, but people I know who have had Whippets 60 yrs say boys are generally “Easier”.

Girls in the same house if they suddenly decide they don’t like each other can fight badly.

I've always preferred dogs to bitches but every animal has their own personality. I prefer dogs mostly because I prefer my pet not to bleed on my sofa 🤣 plus, I find once neutered they tend to lose a lot of the negative behaviour that puts people off dogs (scent marking and humping). My mum has a dog and a bitch of the same breed and they are very different in personality, the bitch is much more neurotic but the dog is very dominant and resource guards (both have been done). I just have a dog and he's a clingy little thing but that's his breed and upbringing.

I can't say I've noticed a difference that comes down to sex with my dogs. But my Maine Coon cats certainly live up to the stereotype of male being a big affectionate teddy bear and the female being more standoffish.

Although I'd say individual personality counts for quite a lot, I'd also say this rings true for all of mine so far. Only had two Dogs, current Goldie is a Dog, and lots of Bitches, but whilst the girls were all loving they were definitely more independent with it. The boys have both been very people focused and eager to please. Conversely, the girls were much more likely to walk close by and not run off but both boys have been goofballs that would leg it as soon as they saw so much as a squirrel in the distance (and no doubt really regret it if they got lost)

@Stressfordays I had a non rescue Bitch spayed after First season ( when vet advised) mainly as she hated being sex pestered - Seasons are messy, but it was because she hated being hassled ( we kept away from public places during fertile time) but the lead up and after she found stressful.
I don’t want responsibility of finding excellent homes, either- no matter how gorgeous Whippet puppies are.

I’d find it hard to let them go.

Spayed girls seem happy.

As a trainer I find the girls more driven, less distracted and more motivated but also much more of a handful. That is fairly universal throughout the breeds.

My girl is the best . So I guess I'm biased.

Boy dogs piss everywhere too and shag everything 🤷🏻‍♀️