Male or female? - What should I choose?
When buying a dog, the choice of gender is also a big factor for future dog owners, in addition to the choice of breed. Many prejudices dominate our perception and pretty much everyone has their own opinion on the subject. However, many of these prejudices can be relegated to the realm of fables, because many gender-specific differences between male and female dogs do not seem to be as is often assumed. We will explain!
Content: Male or female?
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Introduction
When buying a dog , the choice of gender is also a big factor for future dog owners, in addition to the choice of breed. Many prejudices dominate our perception and pretty much everyone has their own opinion on the subject. However, many of these prejudices can be relegated to the realm of fables, because many gender-specific differences between male and female dogs do not seem to be as is often assumed. We will explain!
The prejudices
The supposed advantages and disadvantages of dogs are often based very strongly on human role models from the last century, and female dogs are seen as more cuddly, less aggressive and generally easier to lead or train. The only "disadvantage" is therefore the heat.
Male dogs, on the other hand, are described as larger, more imposing, sterile and aggressive, but particularly beautiful. However, all of these ideas are not universally valid and always only correspond to subjective perceptions that are then declared to be universally valid.
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The origin of the behavior
A look into the original world of dogs shows us what it is really like.
In order to better understand the behavior of dogs, whether male or female, we can look at a pack of dogs and see what it was originally like and what problems this can cause for modern dog life.
The distribution of tasks in a dog pack is clearly regulated and is actually very reminiscent of the classic role model of us humans. Male dogs are responsible for the "representation" to the outside world. They mark their territory and defend their own pack's territory. Female dogs, on the other hand, are more responsible for "internal" affairs. They are primarily responsible for the offspring and are often also the secret boss of the pack.
An important point is reproduction, the implementation of which is hormonally controlled in both male and female dogs and which can only be controlled with a lot of effort and good training without castration. While male dogs are at risk of being driven to run away by their urge to reproduce all year round, this only happens to female dogs every six months.
However, the everyday reality of most dogs is very different. Natural mating behavior is absent and behavior that is actually completely natural attracts negative attention. Female dogs also occasionally run away during their heat to find a partner. Or they experience what is known as a false pregnancy, in which, among other things, the mammary glands grow and milk production can begin. However, most false pregnancies go unnoticed and there are hardly any limits to individuality. Other female dogs show other behavioral changes. For example, frequent marking, even with a raised leg, or increased showmanship like in male dogs.
Conversely, male dogs are not always the aggressive, uncuddly alpha animals. Quite the opposite. Many male dogs love being petted at least as much as their female counterparts. They are also no harder to train than female dogs. Even the fighting spirit of male dogs is not as great as that of female dogs. Male dogs are "responsible" for defending the pack, to stick with this image, but when things get tough with female dogs, these fights are often bloodier.
To make the right decision
However, there are other reasons for choosing a male or female dog than just the sex of the dog. For example, the sex of the person, because it is certainly true that female dogs get on better with male people - and conversely, women feel better protected by a large and strong male, while the male enjoys exactly the same recognition. Of course, there are also many men who want nothing more than a powerful and imposing male - and women who would rather have a slightly smaller and petite female dog.
Another reason for the decision can be an existing dog that, for example, does not get along with the same sex based on experience. Or a male that is not neutered and therefore, because no offspring are desired, no female dog is suitable.
Last but not least, when choosing a male or female dog , appearance plays a large, if not the largest, role for many people when selecting a dog. And the breed and physical dimensions also play a role, because it can make a big difference if the male is 12 cm taller than the female.
The breed of dog itself is not an indecisive factor and is probably much more important than the question of gender. A female herding or hunting dog will behave very differently and be much rougher than a male Pomeranian.
In addition, there are personality-forming factors that influence the unborn puppy even during pregnancy. For example, stress in the mother dog can increase her testosterone levels and cause “male” behavior not only in herself but also in her female offspring.
Conclusion
The nature and behavior of a dog has much less to do with gender than we think. Too many factors play a decisive role in the development of every dog and deciding which dog should enrich your life based on external characteristics alone is downright negligent. It is therefore highly recommended that you seek appropriate dog advice some time before buying a dog and also check the dog's origins and parents to the best of your knowledge.
The question of which gender suits you better, male or female , is one that hardly anyone can answer better than you and perhaps your family. It is important that you take the time it takes to find the right dog or bitch. Then nothing can stand in the way of your dog happiness!
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