Gun Dog Forum

OK well this is my first poll. Hopefully it is a god one. I was just curious if you had a preference of sex with you gun dogs male or female of course. I personally don't (yet) I currently have a female GSP. Of all the dogs I have owned My female lab that I used to have has been the easiest to train, but I don't know that I have formed an official opinion yet.

Give me a bitch any day. They are just easier to work with.

one can go round and round about the differences. It varies from breed to breed and line and individual dog. But one thing I find pretty universal-- it's so much easier to get the girls to pee and be done with it. The boys have to scent mark eveything!
I'd trade 4ish weeks of heat cycle for 48 weeks of not peeing on every plant from here to kingdom come.

And just to throw the inevitable curve ball, I do work with a female brittany that scent marks (yes lifts her leg and all, but kinda squats at the same time), but it's not AS bad as a male. She's usually done with it after 4 or 5 plants...

It is Not the gender that makes a good dog ...

It is the breeding practices of the breeder which will influence the potential of the dogs true abilities...Then it is the owner/trainer which will harness and shape the abilities to that of a great companion / trialer

And as for marking we have a setter female that will mark tires...and my brittany gyp will pee were ever the setter pees...Females mark also they just don't hike as high...

Males mark ......females go in to heat...and if your gonna get them fixed what is the difference ....I have had stubborn females which were much harder to train then alot of the males I have worked with....

Give me the well bred one that has the nose desire and prey drive

Well just looking around at old posts today I found this thread. It is the same subject. With some good views on it.

http://www.gundogforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=152

I think males tend to be sweeter, plus you don`t have to worry about he female things coming in the way when you have a big trial or hunt coming up.

Love my little girls though usually spayed as we are not breeders. No amount of time spent sniffing pee spots for a bitch in heat that ran ahead of you or marking. Ours have been very sure that they rule the roost and never needed much in settling the pack order with new family members. No interest in the status with new dogs.

I like the females. I think they are easier to train. Good dogs come from both sexes.

I chose a male for two reasons:

1) No heat cycle

2) He was three hundred dollars cheaper than a female. I asked the breeder why, & he said females are in higher demand, so he can get away with asking for more.

I have had 3 females and 2 males all GSP's. No problems with either sex it just seemed that the males were a bit more stubborn/headstrong. The real upside for me with females is the not trying to mark everything in sight (especially indoors).

My 12 yo male V has to mark EVERYTHING, whether he's got any left or not. My 5 mo puppy V hasn't lifted his leg once. He stops to sniff everywhere, but so far has not started marking anything. Is this something that will come with puberty?

Yes. And you can curb the marking by not allowing your dog to do it. Mine still does, but he only does it a couple times. I haven't gotten on him very much, but if he just starts sniffing and marking more than I want him to I'll yell at him to quit it. I accomplished this by giving the "leave it" command followed by a quick "let's go" cast off. Keep him busy and he'll have less time to mark.

Main resaons I got a female vs. a male in order of importance to me:

No strong desire to mark everything

smaller size

Normally not as headstrong

Don't go crazy every time they smell a bitch in heat

Had good luck with males

Females are nice, I have a male and me being on the younger side. I dont mind the mochoness and the robust attitude.

I think i might need a bed warmer tho.

Oh btw Females ARE NOT easier for them to pee. Atleast on the road. The have to find the perfect place and then it takes them 15 min to go. Must learn it from the Women in the house eh?

I have never owned a male dog but my friends have them. All i can say is I am off on hunt while they are still trying to get there dogs to leave the parking area from marking and sniffing all the female sent. I prefer females and will stick with them.

I have had great luck with either sex.

I've had good bitches and good dogs.
Males are typically larger and more stubborn...and they mark.
Bitches are in "season" twice a year and sometimes more moody.
Best one I've owned was a bitch. Hunted her many days straight in some nasty conditions and she never once let me down.
Having said that, I pick male over female.

I have always hunted with a male Lab, because males seem to be more agressive in the way they hunt, however they are also more difficult to hunt in groups with because they are more agressive. The females I have hunted around have been much easier to deal with and dont pee on everything in sight. I just like the more agressive Hunter and will deal with the problems that arrise.

I have both and I think they equal out about even.

I have both but have never seen the difference in hunting style or ability that YellowChase talks about in his Labs. Style of hunting is an individual trait I think. I do like the smaller dogs for all day hunting though. The bigger stronger do well for a while but wear out quicker. Guess that is why you don't see the 3oo lb weight lifter running marathons.

Ezzy

My female stays more focused on the birds while hunting. My buddies male (still a pup), wants to play when the other dog are out. By himself he is just fine.

I probably prefer to watch a male dog work. It's kind of like watching an NBA or a WNBA basketball game. The males are more often than not, stronger and more athletic. I can't say one has better abilities than the other and their idiocincracies pretty much offset each other, more often however, I think the male puts on a better show and looks better to the eye.

my female acts just like woman, never forgives never forgets. sorry ladies

My last GSP was a male (neutered). He spent a lot of time marking and sniffing up other dogs' marks. heck of a hunter though, he was awesome. My current GSP is female (spayed). She is just starting out with training but so far she is quite impressive.

The only difference is personnal preference as all dogs are different.

Ezzy

ezzy333 wrote:The only difference is personnal preference as all dogs are different.

Ezzy

I agree. Both sides have their little quirks but they both even out in the end.

i use to own nothing but females[ have 2 now] but also have a male that is the sweetest and easiestever to train . really tears it up in the field but in the house is the best.never has marked in the house probably because of the females, no males around.