Are bigger dogs more loving

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated January 15, 2025

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Male Vs Female Dogs

The great male vs female dogs debate is one that is fought with surprising vigor, given that boy and girl puppies both make affectionate, loyal and trainable pets. I often find myself shocked by how hard some of my friends and colleagues fall on each side of the argument. Boy or girl puppies do have some key differences as they grow. Male dogs might range further and be more likely to escape the backyard, and female dogs can have more toilet training troubles later in life. Male and female dogs are mostly similar, although some breeds have more differences than others in terms of size and weight.

Today well delve into the ways they differ, and where there really isnt any scientific way to tell them apart. Well share boy dog vs girl dog personality along with the very real differences in male vs female dogs health. And give some tips to spotting the variations in appearance, and how those physical differences between a female vs a male dog may impact on your family and lifestyle.

Male vs Female Puppy

There is little difference between a male and a female puppy at eight weeks old. On average, male puppies are slightly larger than their sisters, but thats about it. However, puppies dont stay puppies for long. They grow up fast, so you really need to consider the difference between male and female dogs once they reach maturity.

There are two key aspects of adult canines that may influence your decision when choosing between a male or female puppy. These are the dogs physiology and temperament. Physiology is the way a dog looks and his bodily functions. Temperament is the way a dog behaves. Lets take a look at the physical differences first.

Physical Differences

There are differences, but they are not as great as some people think!

To begin with, male dogs are often a little larger than females. The difference in size is probably not enough to matter much to anyone. Not all male dogs are bigger than all female dogs of course, but on average, the male puppies in a purebred litter will grow slightly taller and heavier than the females in the same litter. The size difference is greater in some breeds than others, and it will be less pronounced in a male dog that has been neutered at an early age.

Males also tend to have a different look. They appear, unsurprisingly, more masculine and may have larger chunkier heads. If you prefer the distinctive male look of your breed then this might be an influencing factor for you. Both when choosing a puppy, and when making decisions about neutering. Of course, we already understand the most obvious and significant physical difference between male and female dogs. But, what are the implications of that difference? That is largely influenced by sex hormones.

Hormonal Differences in Male vs Female Dogs

As a puppy approaches sexual mature, sex hormones cause bodily changes. For females dogs, that means the start of their seasons, or coming into heat. This occurs twice a year for two to three weeks unless they are spayed. During this time, she will have a bloody discharge that attracts male dogs. The discharge is messy and can be smelly. Youll want to keep them off light-colored carpet and furniture. Dog diapers can help with this issue.

Female dogs in heat cannot be walked in public because male dogs may become aggressive in their desire to mate. To avoid an unintended pregnancy, youll want to take precautions to keep male dogs away from your female dog in heat. It is not uncommon for male dogs to jump fences in order to mate. Whether or not this inconvenience is a big deal for you is a personal matter. Spaying a female dog is more expensive than neutering a male dog and may not be covered by pet insurance.

Male dogs do not have seasons, and unless neutered, they can be sexually active all year long. Once an intact male dog reaches sexual maturity, he may begin to mark, mount and roam. Neutered male and female dogs may also exhibit these normal canine behaviors, but typically to a lesser degree. The instinct to mate is strong, so youll need to take precautions to keep your dog from roaming in search of mating opportunities. Neutering will mitigate a lot of the differences between male and female dogs.

Neutering Male vs Female Dogs

Its important to think about whether or not you will alter (spay or neuter) your dog before you choose between a girl or boy dog. The issues that surround neutering might influence your decision on whether or not to neuter your dog, even if you havent thought about it yet.

For example, you might choose not to neuter a female Golden Retriever because the breed is susceptible to a number of cancers that have been shown to develop more frequently in altered dogs. If you definitely dont want to cope with a female dog in season, then the sensible option might be to get a male instead. Weve looked at the physical differences between male and female dogs, so now its time to consider temperamental and behavioral differences. Some people are worried about the look of a neutered dog as well as the physical and emotional changes, to the extent that theyve even invented an implant to help keep male dogs looking intact!

Behavior and Temperament

You may have heard that female dogs are more loyal than males. This myth persists from the days when many dogs were left to wander unsupervised in the community where they lived. Once sexually mature, male dogs usually want to roam to find a mate. Female dogs may do this too, especially when they are in heat, but roaming is more common in males. A dog proof perimeter around your garden or yard will solve this problem and help keep your dog safe from traffic or theft.

Are Male Dogs More Aggressive?

Whether male dogs are more aggressive than females is not as clear cut as it might seem. Both male and female dogs can be aggressive. Evidence suggests that male dogs are more likely to posture, threaten and challenge as part of social ordering behavior. However, this is often a show that doesnt result in an attack. Fights between two male dogs are often ritualistic and cause little harm.

While female dogs are less likely to exhibit threatening behavior, they have a stronger tendency to enforce their dominance in the social hierarchy. Fights between two female dogs are more likely to occur than fights between two male dogs. In addition, female dog fights are typically more damaging.

Do Male Dogs Bite More?

Dog bites are more often attributed to male dogs than female dogs and more often to intact males than neutered males. These facts may not be as significant as they seems because they only report numbers and not reasons. Studies have shown that dog bites are the result of a wide variety of factors related to both the human and the dog involved in each incident.

There may be more dog bite incidents involving male dogs due to increased contact related to roaming behavior, for example. And, of course, this behavior is stronger among intact male dogs. In fact, unrestrained dogs roaming off the owners property account for about a quarter of all dog bites.

In addition, one study found breed differences in aggressive and biting behaviors. Specifically, that increased aggression among intact males (as opposed to neutered males) in two of the breeds studied did not apply to the other breeds of dog in the study.

Which Sex Is Friendlier?

Friendliness appears to be far more related to a dogs breed than to a dogs sex. A male dog from a breed that is known to be generally friendly may be friendlier than a female from a more aggressive breed. If on the other hand, you are looking at a breed with known temperament or aggression issues, then you may want to give the question of boy dog vs girl dog a bit more thought.

Selecting a responsible breeder is an important factor for friendliness for two important reasons. If you want a friendly dog, you want a breeder that has taken care to only breed from dogs that are not aggressive. In addition, early socialization and handling are critical to ensure that your dog is comfortable and friendly around people and other animals.

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One study found that male dogs are more inclined to engage in social play with humans than females. While females are inclined to engage in cooperative behavior with humans. Which leads us to training, which is easier to train, a male or female dog?

Are Male Dogs Harder to Train?

Interestingly, male dogs predominate in a number of sports, which might indicate that they are easier to train, rather than harder. But again, we need to tease out the facts.

In competitive sports, successful dogs are valuable as breeding stock and are rarely neutered.Females can be tricky to compete as they may lose valuable competition and training time by coming into season or being tied up with pregnancy and lactation. So the predominance of males may say more about their ability to be free from obligations than how easy they are to train.

Natural Preferences

Many experienced dog owners have a natural preference for one gender or another. Sometimes this is based on their perception of male and female temperaments.

Sometimes its just one of those things that a person cant really explain. If you have a choice and you just feel drawn to girl dogs vs boy dogs, theres nothing wrong with that.

Top 25 Most Affectionate Large Breed Dogs

Big dogs sometimes get a bad rap. Though often intimidating, they can make for great family pets.

Some large dogs are incredibly friendly, the American Kennel Club points out.

This AKC rundown has been compiled by ranking how affectionate the dogs are to family, whether they get along with other pups, and if they like children.

1. Labrador Retriever

Three very good boys. Three very good boys. iStock / Getty Images Plus

It's no surprise that Labrador Retrievers are the most popular dog breed in the U.K. and the U.S. Intelligent, good natured, and exceptionally amenable to the company of other canines, Labrador Retrievers are simply the friendliest dogs out there. Get one, pet one.

Rating

Affectionate with family: 5Friendly to other dogs: 5Friendly to kids: 5

2. Bernese Mountain Dog

Bernese Mountain Dogs are very active. Woof.Bernese Mountain Dogs are very active. Woof.iStock / Getty Images Plus

How many things in this world are both cuddly and statuesque? Very few, but the Bernese mountain dog is one of them.

Originally bred as worker dogs in the Swiss alps, today they sit at the side of proud pet owners the world over. A word to the weak-armed: this is a strong dog; buy a good lead.

Rating

Affectionate with family: 5Friendly to other dogs: 5Friendly to kids: 5

3. Redbone Coonhound

Redbone Coonhounds are among the friendliest dogs on earth. Go ahead, pet him, he won't bite. Redbone Coonhounds are among the friendliest dogs on earth. Go ahead, pet him, he won't bite. iStock / Getty Images Plus

If you want a pooch who loves to be petted but is also useful on the hunting trail, then I have two words for you: Redbone Coonhound. These beautiful, determined dogs will get along with almost anyone, though they can take a little while to train.

Rating

Affectionate with family: 5Friendly to other dogs: 5Friendly to kids: 5

4. Golden Retriever

A Golden Retriever.A Golden Retriever.Tatyana Consaul/iStock / Getty Images Plus

Like many big dogs, the Golden Retriever can be described as so: high maintenance, high reward. You're gonna need to walk this pet a lot, but you'll have plenty of fun while doing it. The perfect family dog.Rating

Affectionate with family: 5Friendly to other dogs: 5Friendly to kids: 5

5. Irish Red and White Setter

This Setter is out for a stroll. This Setter is out for a stroll. Wavetop/iStock / Getty Images Plus

The gentleman's hunting dog, an Irish Red and White Setter will track down game for its owner, not itself. A loyal, fun-loving companion for anyone with plenty of space in the garden. Be warned: they don't tire easily.

Rating

Affectionate with family: 5Friendly to other dogs: 5Friendly to kids: 5

6. Irish Setter

Not just a beautiful dog, but a famous logo.Not just a beautiful dog, but a famous logo.eAlisa/iStock / Getty Images Plus

If you've ever been to Ireland you might recognize these friendly boys from the sides of buses. Irish bus company Bus ireann uses the Irish setter as its logo. No better symbol, if you want to portray reliability and good-temperament.

Rating

Affectionate with family: 5Friendly to other dogs: 5Friendly to kids: 5

7. Newfoundland

A Newfoundland enjoys the snow. Look at that coat. A Newfoundland enjoys the snow. Look at that coat. SvetaElfimova/iStock / Getty Images Plus

Guess where this dog gets its title from? As well as being named after a Canadian city, these gentle giants are great swimmers, and even better friends to humans.

Rating

Affectionate with family: 5Friendly to other dogs: 5Friendly to kids: 5

8. German Longhaired Pointer

German Longhaired Pointers are as strong as they are cute.German Longhaired Pointers are as strong as they are cute.iStock / Getty Images Plus/vik898

Another great hunting dog sits gracefully on our list. The AKC describes the German Longhaired Pointer as like the 'continental version of the Irish setter'. Or, if you like: Guten dog.

Rating:

Affectionate with family: 5Friendly to other dogs: 4Friendly to kids: 5

9. Pointer

A Pointer on the run.A Pointer on the run.iStock / Getty Images Plus/Anna Pozzi

Here's something you mightn't know about Pointers: they were originally a crossbreed between a Hanoverian hound and a heavy Spanish pointer.

People in the 17th century wanted to create a dog that could both hunt birds and trail mammals. A byproduct of this experiment is also a whole lot of good boys with 21st century owners.

Rating:

Affectionate with family: 5Friendly to other dogs: 5Friendly to kids: 3

10. Doberman Pinscher

Dobermans are intimidating to look at but gentle at heart. Dobermans are intimidating to look at but gentle at heart. Koljambus/iStock / Getty Images Plus

They look kind of scary, right? Unlike the old saying, this dog's bite is even worse than its bark. Mercifully it almost never feels compelled to use it.

To the contrary: Doberman Pinschers are a wonderful pet for a family home, and surprisingly great with children.

Rating: