# Female vs. Male German Shepherds.



## Heagler870

All my life I have only been raised around male German Shepherds, so naturally when I got my first GSD puppy I got a male. After he passed away I got another male and adopted a male, so I have never owned a female GSD. I have a few questions to those who have owned both. I have heard this myth or fact I don't know, but I have heard that female dogs will listen to male owners better than female owners and vice versa with male dogs. My first dog Marshall always listened to me and never payed attention to my fiance'. When I was raising him though my fiance' didn't live with me at the time so basically the only command Marshall would listen to from Joseph was "Sit." When I got my next puppy GSD Riley he is a male, he listens to me better than he listens to Joseph. When we adopted our other GSD Apollo he was supposed to be Joseph's dog. Well, turns out Apollo doesn't really listen to Joseph, he will but he minds me better. We both work with the dogs and when Joseph is working with them with treats they mind him, but when no treats are involved they don't much. 

Secondly, is there a masculine and feminine difference between males and females? I haven't ever really been around a female GSD so that's why I'm not totally sure. I know typically they weigh less than males. 

And Thirdly, are females more caring and drive to please? I guess this could go with any dogs really? I know I was having a conversation with my cousin's wife over Thanksgiving and she said her husband would only have famale labs because he swears they are more eager to please. I don't know if any of this is true or just opinion. I'm sure it could be a little of both.


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## Stosh

Well in our house, yes it's true- our female is much more obedient for my husband and our male is more obedient for me. She doesn't really give a rat's butt what about pleasing me, but the male just adores me, is much more affectionate in general and has been a lot easier to train. There's not only a difference is size and weight between the two, there's a definite difference in the overall masculine and feminine appearance. There's no doubt which one is the male


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## gsdraven

Heagler870 said:


> I have heard this myth or fact I don't know, but I have heard that female dogs will listen to male owners better than female owners and vice versa with male dogs.


In my case, this is true. I'm a single female and have owned a now 3 year old female since she was 3 months old. Her two favorite people on this earth are my ex-boyfriend and a male fellow rescue volunteer. When they are around, I don't exist despite the fact that I train, feed, walk and play with her every day. She may be weird though as she loves all men despite leaving with two females and not having much exposure to them. My male fosters, however, hang on my every word and could care less about the guys.



> Secondly, is there a masculine and feminine difference between males and females? I haven't ever really been around a female GSD so that's why I'm not totally sure. I know typically they weigh less than males.


I think most females just looks slimmer than males in the face as well as body. They have softer features too.



> And Thirdly, are females more caring and drive to please? I guess this could go with any dogs really? I know I was having a conversation with my cousin's wife over Thanksgiving and she said her husband would only have famale labs because he swears they are more eager to please. I don't know if any of this is true or just opinion. I'm sure it could be a little of both.


 I think this depends. My male fosters definitely want to please me more than my Raven my female but she would do anything for her guys. I think the desire to please depends on the training and relationship between the handler and the dog.


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## Jax08

My female only listens to me. Anyone else she does if she has too. She pretty much ignores DH. I do think that males want to please more than females.

Yes, females are supposed to look feminine and males are supposed to be masculine. I believe that is in the breed standard.


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## Myamom

I've only owned females...and they've all been way more bonded to their mom


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## JKlatsky

1. Well at our house, our girl is Daddy's Princess- but he is also her handler. We have 4 males and those are evenly split between me and my husband as to who they listen to better. It seems to me that they listen best to who puts the time in with them and who best understands and responds to what they are trying to communicate. 

Secondly. Yes. There is a definite difference between male and females and their should be. It's called secondary sex characteristics. From this website...
Illustrated Standard of the German Shepherd Dog, OVERALL STRUCTURE



> Secondary sex characteristics are also important. When a bloodline begins to degenerate, it seems that one of the first elements to go is sex definition. A male should look like a male, and act like one too. He can be twenty or more pounds heavier than the bitch, and he should have a proportionately larger, heavier skull, with a heavier neck and shoulders. He should also show a little swagger, a touch of canine machismo. Even a male on the smaller end of the scale can be intensely masculine if he has the attitude. The bitch will be smaller and more refined, but not in any sense of weakness. Femininity is not fragility. As usual, it is probably preferable to err on the side of strength. A very refined family may produce exquisite bitches, but it may also produce exquisite, effeminate males. Likewise, a family of strong, doggy bitches will probably also produce powerful, masculine males. The latter is preferable (Fig 8).













And for an example these are my 2 siblings (so same lines) male and female 10 months apart.


















3. No. They're not. At least not any more than males- they're all individuals. The most biddable and compliant dog in my house is my 18 month old male. My female wants to please in OB for the most part...but can be stubborn as **** in some situations. I actually personally think that the females can be less forgiving in the training than the males. And they call them bitches for a reason....Just saying.  Although I would say that the girls are fun to own and train too! Sometimes more of a challenge and they all come with personalities.


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## Myamom

In the mornings...my husband calls Ava to go for a ride with him to take the kids to school (rides are her FAVORITE thing to do). She gets all excited...but WILL NOT go down the steps with him...keeps looking at me...and I have to tell her....it's ok..go ahead...lol. 
They also won't leave the bedroom if mom is still asleep...no matter who else is up and about. 
Definitely mom's girls...lol.


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## BlackGSD

I'm female and I have had both male and female GSDs. I get along with females MUCH better than the males. All of my dogs of both sexes listened to and bonded to ME. A dog not listening to a member of the household is not a matter of the sex of those involved, it is a training issue. 

A dog having more of a desire to please has nothing to do with the sex of the dog and EVERYTHING to do with it's individual temperment. 

I have found that females tend to be more serious, where as males act like perpetual puppies, like life is one big party/game. That is why I tend to like females better. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE puppies! BUT I want an adult dog to ACT like an adult, not a puppy.


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## onyx'girl

I've got two females and a male. I think they all defer to me, but the male is more biddable and not so serious. 

It really depends on the lines/temperament vs sex. My one female is large and looks like she could be male, though her head is not blocky. My other long coat female has a blocky head, so looks somewhat male too. My male looks MALE!
I personally prefer males. 
I had two males (together), then a female and senior male together, then two females and a male(all together). All listened to me over my DH because I am the one that feeds, trains and plays for the most part.
But when DH is outside, they want to be out with him(feeding the chickens is a routine and the dogs look forward to it every night) They will obey him for the most part, but he doesn't give the German commands that I do in training, he tends to repeat his words before they comply.


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## Pattycakes

I've only had female GSD's and I have to say...my first GSD adored my boyfriend. My new GSD also adores my boyfriend...but will mostly listen to me. She is always seeking me out.

Yes, there are major differences between the males and females physically. 

I do believe females are more apt to please and work harder for their handlers.


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## Zoeys mom

I've been a mostly male owner myself, but Zoe our female only listens to me and my kids. Our male lab also only listens to me,lol though both love him they are my dogs


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## ChristenHolden

My 1 year old female minds me much better. Daddys all fun and games and treats jus because. And she she favors me more. She is a mommys girl. And a daddys brat. She is also not very affecinat she likes her lovings but don't demand it. When in the house she prefures to jus lay in her kennel and watch the front door. Even with her door open and us in another room she comes says hi gets some lovins then she runs and jumps back in her kennel to resume her watch dog job . She is very very independant and not at all velcroy at all. Tho she does whine a bit after one of us leaves but only cuz she wants to go for a drive :rollseyes:


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## LaRen616

Sinister is my first and only GSD and he is a male. 

I absolutely love how big he is, how silly he is, how intimidating he is, how all he wants to do is please me, how sweet he is, how he follows me everywhere, how he enjoys cuddling, how he loves other dogs, how gentle he is with "his" kitten. 

If all males are like that then I only want males. :wub:


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## Samba

Yes, sometimes the females do respond to the men better. In our house, I do lots of training and activities with the dogs. The men here are just not that involved. None of my females would ever choose the guys over me. They won't even let the men put them outside until they have laid eyes on me first. 

I have, in general, found the females to be different from the males. I don't know how to explain it. My male is a big doofus kinda guy. The girls more complex.


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## GSDAlphaMom

*Samba*_ 'I have, in general, found the females to be different from the males. I don't know how to explain it. My male is a big doofus kinda guy. The girls more complex.'_

Samba is exactly right. I have always had both and always will, love both equally but if I was ever forced to only have one dog it would be a female.


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## LaRen616

Oh, haha, I was so wrapped up with describing Sinister that I forgot to tell about males listening to women better.

I got Sinister when he was 11 weeks old, at that time my boyfriend was living with me and he was unemployed so while I was at work he spent that time with Sinister and training him. When I got home from work my boyfriend always showed me how he was training him so that I would use the exact same methods when I got home and started working with him. My boyfriend trained him during the day and I trained him at night. Even though my boyfriend spent a little more one on one time with Sinister, it was very clear that Sinister favored me. 

My boyfriend and I were together until Sinister was 13 months old, when he left Sinister showed no signs of caring. We have been apart for a little over 7 months now, he still sees my ex about once a week sometimes once every 2 weeks for one on one time but he doesn't listen to him like he used to. When we are all in a room together Sinister will choose to sit by me or follow me or listen to me and not him.


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## Lilie

My first GSD was a female. She was a wonderful dog and undoubtedly my dog. In an effort to describe her I'd have to say she was like a Grandmother. Always there to take care of you, to watch for you and to make sure you don't need anything. I had a deep respect for her, but never had to worry about her. 

Trying to describe my current male GSD would be like describing a Best Friend. Like you share a private joke. When you look at him, he looks at you like he is saying, "Hey did you see what he just did? LOL!" 

I see no difference in the training ability between the two sexes, they were both very trainable. When the light went on while training the female it was more like, "oh yea, I got it, lets move on". When the light goes on with my male it's more like "Hey! I got it! Lemme do it again and again and again and again!"


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## Navah

I have had two females (I am female) and both of them listened mostly to females. Our current dog actually ONLY listens to me and ignores my boyfriend which we are working hard on as it frustrates him.

My other female only listened to females and if a male asked her to do something she would bark at them and walk away. She hated men (she was a rescue, but I don’t think any man did anything more than a female. She was unsocialized and was a bit aggressive in barking way at strangers and men we knew)

I really think it depends on the owner. Most GSD's are one owner and have a favorite human in the household. The GSD's in my house have always been mine so they always listened to me more.


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## Stosh

I agree with Samba! That is the perfect description for my male!! I find the females more intense, less relaxed.


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## Andaka

I am female, and I prefer males to train and live with. They seem to be more interested in doing what I want them to do. The girls are more "yeah, whatever".


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## Samba

While I have bitches who were rather independant in training, the most biddle and conscientious to her duty is a bitch. I think it is her breeding and the traits selected for as far as working.


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## JustMeLeslie

My male and female both follow me everywhere(velcro totally). My female is a little less attentive to me. She will come brush me every once in a while but Victor stays with me always. They both listen great with commands but Victor absolutely excels at listening to me. My husband has to repeat commands with Victor. Jamie is still a puppy so she is still working on her commands. She still does the squirmy puppy thing. When my husband is home she just fawns all over him. She absolutely just adores him. She loves me too but she is more affectionate with him. Victor is more with me. I have always had males dogs bond to me. Only one female(non GSD) has ever bonded to me.


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## Chicagocanine

I think a lot of differences in personality/temperament are more different between individual dogs rather than male vs female.
Yes the females have a feminine look vs. masculine, as well as generally being smaller. However some females show this more than others. People have told me Bianca looks more like a male, she is not as fine boned as many females and doesn't have as much of a feminine face. Which is fine with me because I like the more masculine appearance anyway.

As far as personally, I've owned more females than males but never had any dogs that didn't listen to me well. All my dogs obeyed me and were closer to me than they were to anyone else in my family, which is to be expected since I am their trainer and provider. The main differences in that area were individual to the dog or to the breed such as my terrier was less biddable than my Golden Retriever (although once I found the right motivation for the terrier he was a very fast learner and eager to work for me!) I generally prefer females but I haven't owned a male GSD except for two fosters, they were both pretty goofy and flighty but I chalk that up to their age (both around a year old.)


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## Whiteshepherds

I see subtle differences between our male and female but nothing that would make me like one sex better than the other. Both of ours are fixed, I don't know if that makes a difference.


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## PaddyD

My female is bonded to me but listens to my wife almost as well. She is a feminine GSD although when strangers see her their first thought is that she is a young male.


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## mel hunter

I've always had males and they were very affectionate and listened well to both me and my husband. I just got an eight year old female who I am fostering. She is a little nervous around my husband but is slowly warming up. Also, and this is what I'm interested in...my male is very protective and barks to alert to anything out of the ordinary...my female rarely barks and doesn't seem as interested in what is going on outside...is this typical for a female?


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## Myamom

I think it's typical of a dog in a new home...she needs time to adjust  

My foster didn't bark for months.


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## GSDAlphaMom

mel hunter - it's really about individual dog rather than gender. I have 1 male and 3 females and the most protective of the bunch is one of the females. The females are smarter and the males are needier. (kind of like people . That's not to say both genders aren't smart, they are but females are at a higher level. Both genders are velcro as well but I find the males to be needier.

Your female is a rescue so her background has shaped much of her personality.


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## pawpaw

I have always had male dogs before. i got my current female from a shelter about 11/2 years ago so I don't know her background. She listens very well while we are inside but when we go out she only obeys if she wants too. She is devoted to me but seems very wary of other men. She bonded instantly with my daughter when we went to visit awhile back and even slept beside her bed instead of mine where she usually sleeps.


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## tdc

I had a female shepherd, and she acted like I was her husband. You could not get near me at all.....she would give the person a warning growl. If you didn't back off....she would get in their face with teeth and very mad......the female shepherd takes to their male owners like a husband. She was very protective of me on her own.


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