There are a lot of myths when it comes to dog genders including things like which color Lab is the calmest. It’s all too easy to project the differences between human boys and girls onto animals like this, and people often take their own experiences as proof of these ideas. Of course, though, dogs are very different to people, and this means that the balance between sexes is always going to be different.
Deciding between a girl and a boy dog can be a challenge, even though there isn’t much of a difference between the two. This article will be exploring the misconceptions which come with this debate, while also going through some of the real differences between male and female dogs, giving you the chance to assess this for yourself. More information on picking your Lab puppy can be found at this page.
Affection vs. Aggression
It’s commonly stated that male puppies are more affectionate than females, and that females are more likely to be aggressive or protective over their pack. This stems from the idea that female dogs would be more likely to serve as protectors in the pack hierarchy, remaining with the pups and older dogs while the males go out and find food.
Of course, though, most of the dogs which people keep at home have long been separated from the pack-based lifestyle of their ancestors. Most of the instincts which remain from this time aren’t easily visible, and this argument wouldn’t make sense even if they were still wild, as both male and female dogs are responsible for looking after the pack.
Size & Appearance
People often believe that male dogs will be larger than their female counterparts, and are more likely to bear masculine traits. In reality, though, you get large girls and large boys, and the size of your pooch is much more down to their genetics than their gender. Males of certain breeds can be more likely to get larger than a girl, but there are plenty of examples out there which show that this doesn’t apply as a blanket statement.
Alongside size, people also think that their dog will look different depending on the gender they choose. Of course, the reproductive organs on animals like a dog will be different between the sexes, and females will often have more prominent nipples, but these are just about the only differences you’ll find. This is very subtle and it will often take an expert to be able to tell which gender they’re looking at.
Training
When you watch sports which involve dogs, you might notice that most of the animals you see are male. This is more down to tradition than anything else, though, and it would be just as easy to train a female dog to perform the same role. A dog’s receptiveness to training is down to their personality, rather than their gender, and you will find both boy and girl dogs which are equally difficult to train.
The Real Differences
In most cases, dog owners won’t see the difference between a female and a male pooch. The real differences will only become truly apparent when an animal hasn’t been fixed and is able to reproduce.
Male dogs will be in search of territory when mating season comes around, and they will want to mark the spaces which they consider their own. This means that they are likely to spray urine indoors, and this can cause an awful mess. Overcoming this can be as simple as having your dog neutered when they are still young.
Female dogs go through a similar process, though it will be a little less messy. They might become moody or a little more aggressive when they are in heat, but they won’t leave anything behind to mark this time. Like male dogs, this can usually be fixed by having them neutered, and it’s worth having this done when they are still young.
Here Lucky Labs, we’ve spent a very long time working with Labrador puppies. Each of our litters is filled with both male and female pups, and we’re always amazed to see how each of their personalities differs from the others. In all of the years we’ve been working with animals like this, though, we’ve never noticed a definitive difference between the genders of these animals once they’ve been fixed including which sex or color is the smartest.
This means that there isn’t a benefit to getting a boy over a girl or a girl over a boy, and most people will be happy with the dog they choose no matter what their gender. Of course, though, this is a personal choice, and it’s something you have to decide for yourself. You don’t have to have a big reason to pick the gender you want.
