# male or female?



## rshkr (Feb 9, 2012)

is there a difference between a male and female if every other factor is the same, i.e. temperament, drive, coming from the same litter etc...


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

Size, gender characteristics. Lots of different personalities within each litter. They aren't rubber-stamped.
Colors and coats and vary greatly.
Here is Abby at 6 months








Here are her 2 brothers at 6 months


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## rshkr (Feb 9, 2012)

PaddyD said:


> Size, gender characteristics. Lots of different personalities within each litter. They aren't rubber-stamped.[/ATTACH]


let us put it this way, EVERYTHING is the same except for the gender. 
is there a preference between a male and a female and why?


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## GSDBESTK9 (Mar 26, 2002)

It depends on the dog but females are for the most part, easier to handle.


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## sashadog (Sep 2, 2011)

rshkr said:


> let us put it this way, EVERYTHING is the same except for the gender.
> is there a preference between a male and a female and why?


I would say I prefer female because they don't lift their leg on everything but my girl marks more than my boy... sooooo.... :shrug:


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## kiya (May 3, 2010)

Thats really a personal preference. 
I have had 2 males & 3 female GSD's. My males had a very high play drive compared to my females (all 3) had very high prey drives. I would prefer my next dog to be a male.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

rshkr said:


> let us put it this way, EVERYTHING is the same except for the gender. is there a preference between a male and a female and why?



Is this some kind of hypothetical thought experiment? Are you saying they're the same size, same build, same temperament? A very masculine, oversized female and/or a feminine/undersized male? 

If every single factor is the same with the exception of penis or vagina, then there can't be a preference unless someone is looking to breed. And I don't know why you'd want to breed a dog with no secondary sex characteristics.

I prefer males, but I prefer them because of their male-ness. Their goofiness, their lack of seriousness, their larger build and masculine heads. If there's no difference there's no preference.


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

We have had both and the only difference that i can see is the heat cycle of unaltered females. But then you have the VERY frequent marking of our current male. So????????

One female was VERY serious not so much the others, and our older male was a goofy friendly dog; but our current one thinks he should be a real K9 most of the time but loves little dogs, puppies and small kids (we have none of any of these!).


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## rshkr (Feb 9, 2012)

Emoore said:


> Is this some kind of hypothetical thought experiment? Are you saying they're the same size, same build, same temperament? A very masculine, oversized female and/or a feminine/undersized male?


i asked this question because i am a NOOB, and i am sorry.
i just want to know which is easier to handle base on gender, so i can tell my breeder my preference with regards to gender.
Again, i am sorry, i have no experience and have never owned a dog before.

thank you for all your responses.


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## GSDBESTK9 (Mar 26, 2002)

Just let your breeder know what you can handle and want and I'm sure he/she will match you to the right pup wheather it is female or male. If it is a reputable breeder anyway.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

rshkr said:


> i asked this question because i am a NOOB, and i am sorry.
> i just want to know which is easier to handle base on gender, so i can tell my breeder my preference with regards to gender.
> Again, i am sorry, i have no experience and have never owned a dog before.


Okay, no problem, the question you're asking now is different from the way you phrased it earlier. You're asking about choosing between male and female within a litter. You want to know the differences between same-gender siblings. I understand now. I thought you were asking, if two dogs were exact clones but one was a boy and one was a girl, what would be the preference. 

But males and females _are_ different. As I'm sure you know, males are generally larger. Males are generally less "serious" and take a longer time to mature, both physically and mentally. Males are generally goofier and sillier. It all comes down to personal preference. I personally like males because I like big goofy happy boys who are always a little bit puppy. Others prefer the smaller females that are (physically) easier to handle, faster to mature, and a bit more serious.


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## katdog5911 (Sep 24, 2011)

I have had several maile gsds growing up and 1 female gsd/mix. i never really thought about a difference....now i have Stella...8 month old female. So there is a difference in them?


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## iBaman (Oct 25, 2011)

I prefer male animals PERIOD. They're so much less...bitchy. Give me a goofy snugglebutt over a super serious workaholic any day =3


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## CeCe (Jun 1, 2011)

I strongly favor females. I love their elegance and grace. They tend to be more ladylike. For example my male puts his whole muzzle in the water bowl when he drinks and splashes water everywhere. My girls gently lap up water. My male is also more bold and boisterous, and while he is much more cuddly and sweet, I kind of really like the "bitchiness" of my girls. My male also snores and passes gas. Most importantly, my girls are so much easier for me to handle as a 5'5 woman.


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## Holmeshx2 (Apr 25, 2010)

There are generalizations but they are just that it's not something consistent across the board. Males tend to be larger more powerful big cuddly goof balls. Females tend to be smaller "daintier" more serious etc... I agree that if you don't already have a strong preference just let your(reputable) breeder know what you are looking for, what your plans with the pup are etc.. and they will find the dog you can handle and you can learn with. With being a first time handler you are going to what a dog that can handle your mistakes without screwing up the dog and a good breeder can match you with that.

I asked my breeder for a male preferred black and tan and assumed a regular coat. I am the VERY proud owner of a long coated sable female and could not be any happier with her. (except for now that shes in heat lmao) She is not a very small female she's actually a nice size with really thick bones. She is the most cuddly dog you have ever or will ever meet and is such a clown she keeps us laughing constantly even when she does something to make us furious she still can make us laugh. She shows me from time to time just why they call them bitches and we butt heads but it quickly goes away. I love my girl to death and wouldn't change a thing and I generally love males. There are times when I sit here trying to figure out what I want in my next pup color coat etc.. however I just tell myself to shut up and stop trying to control everything and let my breeder do her thing because she hit it dead on the first time around. She has great drives and with an amazing handler the sky would be the limit with her however she does great with me and handles every mistake I have made (I've made alot.) Only thing I don't like with females is them going into heat however once they get fixed no need to worry about it anymore. 

BTW as far as being easier to handle this girl over here is solid muscle and many of times has gotten the better of full grown men.. definitely not a feminine dog at all lol.


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

I favor males. I like large heads with a masculine frame on my dogs. I like that they can take hard corrections and in my experience, bite better than the females. I hate worrying about heats. I also like their personalities. They can let things roll off their backs and don't hold grudges. My male is the coolest guy around, but can come alive when he needs to. My girls are another story :wild:


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

CeCe said:


> I strongly favor females. I love their elegance and grace. They tend to be more ladylike. For example my male puts his whole muzzle in the water bowl when he drinks and splashes water everywhere. My girls gently lap up water. My male is also more bold and boisterous, and while he is much more cuddly and sweet, I kind of really like the "bitchiness" of my girls. *My male also snores and passes gas.* Most importantly, my girls are so much easier for me to handle as a 5'5 woman.


Mine too, but I knew that before I married him.


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## rshkr (Feb 9, 2012)

thank you for all your responses.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Sorry, but this is a real peeve of mine. Dogs don't have gender, people have gender. Dogs have biological sex characteristics. People often anthropomorphize when it comes to dogs' sex characteristics. For example, someone in this thread says female dogs are "more ladylike." That is actually impossible since dogs don't have gender. 

The example of water dripping everywhere is something I've seen across the breed--gsds in general are very messy drinkers. We could interpret female movement as more graceful because they are smaller but it is not because they want to be more "ladylike." It is because their bodies are smaller and easier to maneuver. That said, there are many large female gsds who aren't at all graceful and also plenty of smaller males who are graceful in their movements. That has more to do with lines than anything else. 

I have had both males and females and not noticed much of a difference and would not choose based on biological sex. I do hate the leg lifting stuff but one of my females also did this.


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## OriginalWacky (Dec 21, 2011)

BowWowMeow said:


> Sorry, but this is a real peeve of mine. Dogs don't have gender, people have gender. Dogs have biological sex characteristics. People often anthropomorphize when it comes to dogs' sex characteristics. For example, someone in this thread says female dogs are "more ladylike." That is actually impossible since dogs don't have gender.


I'm with you there. Female dogs do often tend to look daintier, but it's not because they want to be ladylike or whatnot. 



> The example of water dripping everywhere is something I've seen across the breed--gsds in general are very messy drinkers. We could interpret female movement as more graceful because they are smaller but it is not because they want to be more "ladylike." It is because their bodies are smaller and easier to maneuver. That said, there are many large female gsds who aren't at all graceful and also plenty of smaller males who are graceful in their movements. That has more to do with lines than anything else.
> 
> I have had both males and females and not noticed much of a difference and would not choose based on biological sex. I do hate the leg lifting stuff but one of my females also did this.


I don't tend to lean either way, I appreciate all the dogs that come into my life for themselves. There are pros and cons to each, and it's up to the person to figure out what they are looking for and will put up with.


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## CeCe (Jun 1, 2011)

I should have said that females seemed more ladylike-my girls are 55 and 62 lbs as opposed to my 95lb male so I understand what you guys are saying. Now, I've seen several breeders online who charge significantly more for male GSD pups then for females. I suppose males might be in higher demand.


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## Holmeshx2 (Apr 25, 2010)

BowWowMeow said:


> Sorry, but this is a real peeve of mine. Dogs don't have gender, people have gender. Dogs have biological sex characteristics. People often anthropomorphize when it comes to dogs' sex characteristics. For example, someone in this thread says female dogs are "more ladylike." That is actually impossible since dogs don't have gender.
> 
> The example of water dripping everywhere is something I've seen across the breed--gsds in general are very messy drinkers. We could interpret female movement as more graceful because they are smaller but it is not because they want to be more "ladylike." It is because their bodies are smaller and easier to maneuver. *That said, there are many large female gsds who aren't at all graceful* and also plenty of smaller males who are graceful in their movements. That has more to do with lines than anything else.
> 
> I have had both males and females and not noticed much of a difference and would not choose based on biological sex. I do hate the leg lifting stuff but one of my females also did this.


Oh how true!!! Jinx is not huge shes around 70 lbs but built like a tank (not fat) just thick boned and muscular has been a little tank since she came home. As far as like trotting etc.. she's pretty nice to look at for fluid movements but this dog is a brute! Not graceful at all if something is in her way or there is a challenge presented to her she would rather use brute force to resolve the issue at hand.. oh what that doesn't work??? ok just throw more weight into it eventually everything will work out! LOL


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## kiya (May 3, 2010)

If you heard the way my female belches & farts you would not be thinking ladylike at all.


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## katdog5911 (Sep 24, 2011)

Stella is the messiest water drinker I have ever had! Nothing ladylike about how she gulps!


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

Emoore said:


> I prefer males, but I prefer them because of their male-ness. Their goofiness, their lack of seriousness, their larger build and masculine heads. If there's no difference there's no preference.


Yes, yes, I prefer males for these reasons as well.


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## Stella's Mom (Mar 8, 2011)

I have only had females, but I am now inclined to get a male after seeing some at Shutzhund. I like their big heads.


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## Zoeys momma (Jan 5, 2012)

Dont know...whatever anyone wants to call it..call it..everyone will have their own opinions and rights to them
My zoey is definitely dainty, lady like , dont care what its called-compared to all her brothers... Huge difference..
Again my opinion , my experience
Xoxox


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## Good_Karma (Jun 28, 2009)

I have very limited experience with dogs, but I have found my male to be easier to train than my female, but that could be because my female is part Border collie.

If you plan on speutering, a neuter is a less invasive procedure than a spay. Although the recovery time is probably about the same.

If you plan on doing a sport like agility, the smaller body size of a female could work to your advantage. Likewise with activities like long distance running. The smaller weight of a female might be better on the dog's joints than the heavier male body over long distances.


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## Gracie's My Girl (May 27, 2011)

I think it all boils down to finding a reputable breeder who will match you with the right dog. Start by figuring out what you want and go from there. 

I only have experience with a female GSD. She has lots of personality, is very engaging, and has an average amount of drive. That is 100% a result of her genetics...not gender. However, I have to agree with what others have said about females. She is a bit distant at times. She has no problem going into the next room and relaxing for a couple hours without bothering with me. Personally, I like this. I need the space!


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## rshkr (Feb 9, 2012)

i've read somewhere that female is more protective of its human family while male is more protective towards property, is this true?


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

Whoever said that should meet Whiskey  He is protective of his handler more so than his home. He tends to monitor people outside our fence line if they are lingering around, but if I'm around, he stays right next to me. He will also mark around my property. 
Wiva is protective of the home and is less protective of people in general. She loves people if I'm around, but she will get defensive and a little nasty if I'm not in the immediate vicinity. She will get very nasty if strange dogs try to come to me. 
Puddi defends her handler and not the home. She usually stands by me barking at the stranger and will look to me for guidance. She could care less about the home. 

I've had females that protect the home and not the handler. I've had males that could care less who came inside the home. I think it has more to do with the traits of individual dogs. You could get a dog with no defense that doesn't bark!


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## rshkr (Feb 9, 2012)

qbchottu said:


> Whoever said that should meet Whiskey


whoever said it i'm sure is not talking about your dog or anyone's dog in particular. i'm looking for a general consensus, general observation with regards to the statement that i have read.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

My male is all about me, he is protective of his house and me.

My female is still very young but she is protective of my house.


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## qbchottu (Jul 10, 2011)

rshkr said:


> whoever said it i'm sure is not talking about your dog or anyone's dog in particular. i'm looking for a general consensus, general observation with regards to the statement that i have read.


Hence my clarification at the end: "I've had females that protect the home and not the handler. I've had males that could care less who came inside the home. I think it has more to do with the traits of individual dogs"

In fact, the majority of the posts have told you that it has more to do with the individual dog and _most_ people have posted examples of their personal stories to refute "general consensus" statements. So if you want generalizations, you can get that by googling "male vs female traits". If you want people's opinions on a forum, personal experiences factor in. Isn't that why you asked here? To get an idea of what other people experienced with male and female GSDs think?

Anyway, let me repeat what everyone else said: 
Find a good breeder, give your breeder a complete overview of what you are looking for in a dog and what you plan on doing with it. Work with the breeder to find a puppy that suits you and your family instead of getting overly boggled down by male vs. female.


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## meldleistikow (Oct 24, 2011)

I have had two females and just got my 3rd male GSD pup. I don't really see that much of a difference and I don't prefer one to the other. All my GSDs have been equally good and gentle with kids. None of my dogs have been markers and only one of them was spayed. It is still too early to tell with this pup though.

I do think the females (in my experience) tend to be more protective, especially of children. When we are outside of the home, my female is on much higher alert when the kids are with us. If they get too far away, she will start to whine. My males have been more interested in things like toys and playing. I had to teach my females to play, but the males were always begging for toys and playtime. 

This could all be because of their personalities too. I have loved them all. None of them have been perfect, but they have all been great dogs. I would tell the breeder what personality you are looking for and have the gender be secondary to that.


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## robinhuerta (Apr 21, 2007)

It completely depends on the individual dog.....not it's gender....


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

iBaman said:


> I prefer male animals PERIOD. They're so much less...bitchy. Give me a goofy snugglebutt over a super serious workaholic any day =3


I would not get a female GSD for this reason.
I've got one drama-queen dog and that's enough for one lifetime. She loathes other females. She's the queen "B" of the house, and in fact doesn't even think she's a dog. She sees herself as a people. 
She ignores everyone but me, unless there's food involved, then she'll ***** herself out for food and then it's back to my side. When I'm sick she's the one who'll demand to be let back into my room so she can lay on the bed and watch over me. I'll miss that when she's gone, I know (she's 10yr. old this year). But I won't miss the drama this diva brought with her. 

I don't think you can tell if a female puppy will be this way, or not, when it grows up. Libby was such a tomboy when I met her I'd never have guessed she'd be this way. Just FTR she is a Sheltie mix (38lb) and not a GSD, but I am told plenty of female GSDs are just like this.


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## rshkr (Feb 9, 2012)

qbchottu said:


> Find a good breeder, give your breeder a complete overview of what you are looking for in a dog and what you plan on doing with it.


OK. thanks, will do.


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## childsplay (Jan 28, 2012)

I agree with everyone who said there really isn't much difference. That being said, I'll tell you what I got to do this morning:

I had my much awaited appointment to pick my pup. Only two left, a boy and a girl. They were both really lovely dogs and I know I would've been thrilled with either one.

The way I finally chose, was that the male had a pure, simple goofiness about him that I loved. The female seemed slightly more serious and already "on the job" at the tender age of 7 weeks. 

In other words, one was not better than the other. I just had a personality preference toward the clown.


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## kidkhmer (Jul 14, 2010)

I prefer females because I can rub their lower tummy without getting Handful of block and tackle.....


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