Male vs Female Dogs

[The Mystery Machine]

We are beginning to explore the possibility of getting a puppy. I know it's just a matter of preference, but what gender do you prefer in a dog??

We've always had males, but my last dog wasn't bad about lifting his leg unless we were outside, so that wasn't really an issue. I'm a little unsure about dealing with a female dog coming into heat, but I guess that's what spaying is for!

I read that boy dogs are more "I Love You" and girls are more "Love Me". We are definitely more concerned about personality, so I'm curious to know everyone's experiences.

Thanks!

I have a male and female and prefer the female over the male.

My male is a squatter when he pees 80% of the time.

They BOTH kill my grass. It is a good thing they are cute.

 

[LilyWDW]

I have had male and female dogs (more males though) and honestly, I have not seen that much of a difference with them. It is more about breed then gender, especially if you are getting them fixed.

 

[pigletgirl]

No preference here. Sometimes I think females tend to be more dominant. But again, it's more about the dog itself and not the gender.

 

[luvwinnie]

We've had two girls and a boy and they defy stereotypes. Only the girls marked (including our Ella now) and the girls have humped also! But not our boy.

 

[kacaju]

Males I find are normally more loveable, goofy type dogs then females. We show dogs so my daughter likes the males over the females because the collies blow their coats after coming into season, so it is harder to keep showing a dog that keeps blowing their coat.
Right now we have 1 male and 2 females. Our 4 year old is MY dog...she follows me everywhere...the male is my daughters and the new female is just a crazy thing right now.

 

[superme80]

I have only had one dog, and it was a she. She was very sweet and lovable. Your personality description describes my cat though! She is what is in it for me. My male cat we no longer have was sweet and lovable.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Males I find are normally more loveable, goofy type dogs then females. We show dogs so my daughter likes the males over the females because the collies blow their coats after coming into season, so it is harder to keep showing a dog that keeps blowing their coat.
Right now we have 1 male and 2 females. Our 4 year old is MY dog...she follows me everywhere...the male is my daughters and the new female is just a crazy thing right now.

Awww...you have collies? I have to say I am in love with that collie personality.

I have a border mix and she is of course velcro to dh or myself. But that sensitive personality is just so adorable.

 

[MrsDuck]

DH has had females and now we have a male. He is a big cuddly monster (doesn't understand how strong he is!). He hasn't humped EVER and usually squats. He is a big mama's boy.

DH says that his female family dogs were sweeties but definitely had the "love me" attitude. He also said they're less needy though than our current pooch.

I agree with those who said pick based on personality!

 

[IDoDis]

I also think it's more about the breed. We have two male Shelties and they both have different personalities. One is an attention hog and the other is more timid, yet they both have the typical Sheltie traits of loyalty, agility, and barking! Right now, one is at my feet and one is lying to the left of me. If I get and go upstairs, they will both surely follow me. DH said he can always tell when I'm coming downstairs because my "entourage" run down a few steps in front of me. They wait on the 2nd landing until I get there, and then run down the rest of the way.

The dogs I had before these were girls. As far as loyalty goes, both the Border Collie and the Australian Shepherd mix were as loyal as they come. The Border Collie was an outside dog (not by my choice -- I was 11 when I got her and had to keep her outside), but when I moved out on my own later on, she was a loyal, loving inside girl.

All of my dogs are/were herding breeds. I don't know if that had anything to do with it.

Here are my current Sheltie boys when they were pups. They are 6 now.

 

[bellebud]

I think gender doesn't matter as much as breed and their place in their litter.

If you can observe the puppy w/ other puppies, I think that's a great indicator of what they'll be like.

When you get one, post a pic

 

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

I've always had female dogs until last October we added a male golden retriever puppy to our household. We already had a 5 yr old female golden.

Honestly I really don't notice a difference between the two genders as far as lovability goes. They are both loyal and cuddly and wanting attention all the time. They were both about equally easy to train. Like everyone else my male squats to potty too so and he doesn't mark things. All my pets are spayed and neutered so being heat etc. haven't been an issue so I can't really comment there.

The only difference I have noticed is in introducing a 2nd dog to the household. In the past I've always brought in a female puppy with a female adult dog. They've gotten along but there were always some "issues". This time bringing a male puppy in with a female adult was super easy! My older dog took right to him and there has never been a single growl between them. They share every toy, treat, food bowl, everything. I don't know if it is a personality thing, a breed thing, or a gender thing. I did read prior to getting him that it is easier having opposite genders and I can say that it does appear at least for me to be true! They have been the best of friends since day one!

 

[HLAuburn]

Must be a golden thing! Both of ours squat as well.

We've always had male dogs. My boys love me and always want to please.

OP - what kind of puppy are you looking for?

OP here: THANK YOU all for the replies! I think it's funny that's it's pretty much split down the middle.

We had a male golden retriever and he was the best.dog.ever! Never "humped", had an accident, showed aggression...and he was the perfect mix of being affectionate and independent at the same time. It didn't have any of the "bad" male traits, but I know personality depends not only on the breed, but the individual dog too.

We are considering a soft coated wheaten terrier. DD has allergies, so we are hoping a dog that sheds less will be better for her. They seem to have sweet dispositions generally, but if we decide to get a puppy, most breeders want you to pick a gender even before they're born.

Thanks again for all the replies!