April 22nd 2006 - Do you treat girls different to boys?

admin said:

This question is directed at people who either have, had, or are around both male and female dogs.

Do you treat the girl dogs any differently to the male dogs? Do you expect different things from a boy vs. a girl? I don't mean intentionally, but just the attitude you have towards your "lil girl" or a "lil boy". Are you softer and sweeter with your girl dogs vs. your males? Or vice versa? Or do you treat them both equally? (don't be lying now :lol.

Click to expand...

I am shocked that my "yes, I'm softer with females" is also the majority answer!

My answer is based on having had only two females, both of whom were soft, easy-going, and totally lacking in aggression and dominance. Both, when I first met each one, rolled over on their backs within seconds of meeting me. Both spent their lives grinning happily. So this has colored my reactions in a very unreasonable and illogical way. I've seen some very aggressive, hard, females since then, but I just haven't owned one yet. I know a long-time SchH trainer who has titled more females than males, too.

So I didn't lie, but my answer is admittedly stupid.

no, on both even tough :wink:

Girls are more possesive towards boss, jealous lil bitches. Boys are more easy going.

Selena van Leeuwen said:

Girls are more possesive towards boss, jealous lil bitches. Boys are more easy going.

Click to expand...

Yeah but what about dogs? LOL! :lol: :lol:

applies to dogs too :wink: :lol: 8)

I'm wondering if this question is really
"Are you softer on girl PUPPIES"
Mike, you wrote the question, right? If you did in fact make the error in writing dogs, and you meant to say PUPPIES, my vote is most definately soft on both.

However, if in fact the question is written correctly
I am (or tend to be) tougher on both. I've owned both.

Of all the dogs I've had, all the females weremuch more willing and much softer in general. All except one Kerry Blue bitch that was the meanes, scrappiest dog I've ever owned.

Actually, the answer I would prefer was not available. I do what needs to be done, regardless of the sex of the dog. Soft or tough is dog specific.

DFrost

Well I'm not even talking so much about it relating to the dogs temprement as much as your frame of mind when you're dealing with a girl dog or a boy dog. It's like if you have kids, you're cutesy with the girl (daddy's girl etc) n people tend to be somewhat harder on the boys because they're boys.... I know my frame of mind with Lÿka is alot different than it was with Cujo and still is with Cujo. I treat Lÿka like a girl, n I treat Cujo like a boy because that's how my frame of mind dictates because of my human differentiation between male and female.

Mike Schoonbrood said:

Well I'm not even talking so much about it relating to the dogs temprement as much as your frame of mind when you're dealing with a girl dog or a boy dog. It's like if you have kids, you're cutesy with the girl (daddy's girl etc) n people tend to be somewhat harder on the boys because they're boys.... I know my frame of mind with Lÿka is alot different than it was with Cujo and still is with Cujo. I treat Lÿka like a girl, n I treat Cujo like a boy because that's how my frame of mind dictates because of my human differentiation between male and female.

Click to expand...

Many people do this.......many don't know they do it, I believe. You at least recognize it!

I think its not so easy, a lot of things depend how the dogs caracter is, my female is a real bitch, but I think when she was a little bit softer, you probably treat her different, so its not an easy question.

It's not really fair to compare a Pomeranian with a German Shepherd, I guess, so even though my answer is honest, it's skewed:

Softer on females.

Of our four dogs, our only female is the Pom - by far the smallest - so I tend to be a bit "easier" on her, even when she is bad. I really can't say whether that has more to do with her sex or her size, though.

I have to say that it depends on the temperment of the dog. My female is tuff and feisty & has been since day one. She is the sweetest dog there is, but has a mind of her own & needs a strond hand. She is extreme drive & a hard bitch that needs and takes a hard correction with out the slightest drop in drive. She is also quick to try to please, but can get tempermental about it too. My male,on the other hand,is very handler
soft & very sensitive about most things. He is also a sweet but strong willed dog, but is biddable. I can correct him verbally as well as with light physical corrections. If I were to correct him with one 1/4 the correction that she takes he would shut down completely. On the other hand he is very strong when doing protection work. So I would not say that I treat my girl girley or my boy hard just because of their sex.

This is a hard one. To be honest I start off for both sexes soft and go up to the level that suits the dog. The trick is knowing when and where that level is. You can loose a good young dog by being too hard.
Good poll question.
Jerry L. Lyda

Alicia Mertz said:

It's not really fair to compare a Pomeranian with a German Shepherd, I guess, so even though my answer is honest, it's skewed:....Softer on females.....Of our four dogs, our only female is the Pom - by far the smallest - so I tend to be a bit "easier" on her, even when she is bad. I really can't say whether that has more to do with her sex or her size, though.

Click to expand...

This brings up that kinda related thing.

Now, I know the general public tends to treat small dogs more like babies, and spoil them and allow bad behavior, more than they do big dogs (I mean in general).

Do the people here (serious dog people) do this, too......... honestly?

I do find myself doing it, and I consider myself a pretty good dog person and trainer.

I stop myself, but I wish I didn't have the tendency at all.

I apply the required amount of hardness/softness to the temperment of the dog, not by sex. I got a couple of females that would walk over you if were too soft with them, while some males are quite soft.

I look for completely different things in females than males. If they want to act stupid in the house, like jinxies little trash obsession, she gets it pretty good. Of course she is the kind of female that is really hard, and minor corrections will work, while you are there.........but I have to use a hammer on this one figurativley speaking.

I do not expect the same from a female in the work when it comes to aggression, but prefer a ton of willingness. Corrections are as needed with all dogs.

I handle my dogs according to their temperaments, not their gender. So I'm equally tough on the different dogs, with similar personalities.

I don't expect exactly the same work from males vs females. I do expect my females to work, and work well, but I think I expect a little more power or aggression from my boys. That said, I do like a female with a little edge who can kick butt

well said kadi. i do like females as well. i like a good sharp bitch. but do like the males temp in the bite work.