Male or female?

[Blitzen]

I would be very interested to know if there are any character differences between male and female csws; or is it just down to the individual dog's character and there are no differences?

Are there differences, for example, in dominance, independance, obedience, stubborness, drives, loyalty, affection between the sexes. Any other differences?

Thanks!

[miran]

I do not know how others experience it all but my experience is that the girl are more dominant in case of there own pack to other dogs and in my eyes more stubborn than the males.

[Blitzen]

Thanks miran,

On another thread, I read it might me a gender difference that females are more independent than the males generally? Is this true?

[Gaga]

For me-only male. Why? When they are adult and have some ideas to beat another dog, males are doing the theatre. They stays, "getting bigger", kill by eyes the enemy- you have a lot of time to come and stop. As I saw the females-they are starting in one second, without signals... it's very hard to stop them.
Wolfdog -male must show, how he is big, strong etc, he always has a time for the show
If our male feels stronger than other dog- he doesn't want to do nothing. Good male is always nice for puppies and young dogs (till 10 month), for females-even histerical - "peace force"
For me-it's much easier with good male than female

[Elentia]

How nice that somebody ask this question its also interesting for me, the differences between male and female in relation to their susceptibility to training, level of aggression and obedience.
Gaga, I heard that females are easier to handle. If you are the beginner and your CsV is you first, breeder always suggest to take female I don't know is it true, I don't have Csv. On the other hand, based on these few dogshows I was, if the owner had the problem with the dog (for example dog didn't tolerate other dogs), it was always with females ok maybe coincidence. But it seems that males are more often "good boys" ? maybe somobody who has both, male and female, can make this comparison, and share with his/ her conclusions?

[michaelundinaeichhorn]

I always prefered and still prefer females, also for working.
It is true that they don´t fight that often and if they do often harder but this is a question of sozialisation and TRAINING and very much oft the timing and training abilities of the owner.
They are better in reaching their goals in the end but they try it by charming the owner not so often by trying to bully him. And the showing of and urin marking is something that is getting on my nerves in males, females often work more concentrated.
I always found that the constellation of a single woman and a male dog is often difficult because they build up a kind of packleader couple, what gives the male duties that are more difficult to controle by a woman, like territorial aggression against other males, which is a duty of the highest ranking male.

I think it is simply a question of personal taste and abilties of the owner.

Ina

[Gaga]

I think it is simply a question of personal taste and abilties of the owner.

That's true Ina

Elentia - "everybody knows" that "females are easier to handle". But I'm not sure :P
All my life I had only females (mix, GSD), I was dreaming about a male. I have it at last Cheitan is 5,5 years old, he is my first wolfdog and I was surprised many times The urin marking it's nothing Many situations of our life. But after some years I decided- no more females. In the first two years the male is a big challenge, he feels like "macho" and you have to show him who is a leader (I don't accept the theory of dominance)- leader of the pack. But if you agree-you have really good comrade. Though other males on the working place, he can work really good, because he does it with you! he mustn't go and fight with other males

Ina wrote very good: "everything is a question of sozialisation and TRAINING", but I saw females and males in the same situations and my opinion is that male is ..better? (ha ha ..for me) .. OK .. easier
OF course- if you feel really good prepared for wolfdog ;P
(I didn't hear about attack of wolfdog -female on her owner, I hear many times about the attack of males, but it's another question, not: male or female)

[Rona]

I'm sure I'd never be able to handle a male physically. Chey is a good boy now, but I remember seeing Gaga lifting a 40+ kg youngster when she was explaining him who the pack leader was.

However strong my girl is, I can still manage her on a plain collar without any "devices"(even when she sees her beloved Bernese in the street. )

[Gaga]

Right, I forgot- male is for people mentally strong (not brutal, just strong, controlled, consistent)- then you doesn't need any devices. I'm, so for me it's no problem

[Rona]

Originally Posted by Gaga

Right, I forgot- male is for people mentally strong (not brutal, just strong, controlled, consistent)- then you doesn't need any devices. I'm, so for me it's no problem

Exactly. But before they grow to understand who the leader is and that they need to obey in all circumstances, the owner needs to be physically strong too, if not for other reasons, than for their dog's safety. For some people it's much easier to teach the rules to a 27 kg dog than to 40 or more one.

When I see a dog wearing a spike or electric collar (which Lorka, just like Chey has never worn ), and the owner explains: "he pulled so strongly that I couldn't manage him" I alway wonder why he bought such a big and strong dog.

Well, I imagine when deciding whether to buy a male of female one should also take this purely practical aspect under consideration.

[saschia]

I as a breeder don't say that females are better for inexperienced owners as males. It always depends on the individual puppy. If the puppy is dominant, and tries to get whatever it wants by force, then I'll not give it to beginner, no matter if it is male or female. My first wolfdog was a dominant female and I had lot of work to do when we discussed our roles in the family. It wouldn't work with somebody not strong enough (both physically and mentally). I am sometimes surprised that it worked at all, as she was my first dog ever.

When a family with two small kids asked me to buy a male puppy, we had an agreement, that they would only get the male if he is not dominant (I had only one male), otherwise they will get the least dominant female. They had some experience already, but I wanted to be sure that the dog would not be dangerous to the kids. Fortunately Beren turned out to be a big sweet bear, so they are quite happy together.

(here are some pictures of Beren with the kids from last week show:
http://www.images.dogforum.sk/files/...s55a9whdbf.jpg
http://www.images.dogforum.sk/files/...kpkswnbbqh.jpg)

[Enid Black]

Uhm... I write in this topic even if after a month and a half. I am a Newbie and my partner and I decided to take a female. My partner would be strong enough to handle a big male, but I am quite small and surely physical strenght isn't one of my quality (while I am very stubborn and mentally strong). I had occasion, anyway, to observe a lot of wolfdogs together at a meeting last march. Males made a lot of noise, they barked at each other and were showing off a lot. Females were more quite. And the few dogs allowed inside the canteen were females (which I saw laying comfortably under the owner's chair not moving for the whole dinner, occasionally taking a caress from people but never food). Besides a lot of people told me that the females are sweeter to humans.

There were even a couple of puppies, two young females not even 3 months old. Well, they growled to the adult males O.O... I appreciated the sweetness of the adult males with the puppies.

Anyway we'll start with a female and then my partner desires a Male, so I think I'll have to train my muscles with the female in order to be ready to handle the male too (I work at home, I am the one who will take her out during the day) .

Anyway it depends a lot on the character of the dog. I just can say that other owners tried to scary me off but they failed ...

[Blitzen]

Thanks for your perspective on this Enid, I have found it is generally the same in German Shepherds (my breed for now). They too are generally more noisy to other dogs, especially when they mature. Having said that, my most loyal and obedient dog was a boy, but then he too like to put other males in their place . My female shepherd is very soft with other dogs, and doesn't have an aggressive bone in her body.

[saschia]

Well, whether you'll have a female or male, remember, the socialization and good upbringing are extremely important. And I would not count on the female to be sweet - I thought me current girl will be nice when she was small, because she tried to persuade every dog that she only wants to play, but now she is dominant with females and I need to make sure she does not have an opportunity to fight with them. But she is still sweet with her old female friends (which she know either since she was a puppy, or since they were a puppy), of course with most males, and with people too. Although she would take food from anybody, and without asking, she can be with me in restaurants and behaves nice there.

[Enid Black]

Of course socialization is my first aim. I live in a small town in Italy (in Tuscany), but luckily I have a lot of friends who just can't wait 'till I have this little teethy thing to play with, and I even have a school for small children at 100 meters from home, so I'll be able to take her in front of it and get used to the noise and maybe some mom will be nice enough to allow at least the puppy to be caressed by some Kid (but I won't be asking it). I have some young cousins I can use to train her and I think that even my neighbour's daughters (14 and 1 shall be glad to play with her to ensure her the maximum of exsposure to different people. This besides to a puppy class and going to the city with me. I even have some friends with dogs big enough to play with her, and some Vlcak which live near enough. I'm already planning everything to ensure her good growing, even reading books over books to try to have an idea . And I am trying to see them as often as it's possible, even if it is not as often as I wish.

I still think it depends on the character of the dog too.
For example, I knew a female, Hayla, who licked my face as soon as we met, very sweetly, and she was very sweet with her owner. But I saw her teeth when poor Oxy approached her (a very big male... he got growled even from one of the puppies ).

I've even seen a Vlcak who is always growling (when eating, when sleeping, when cuddling... always ) but in her manner she is sweet too, and I have a very sweet photo of her with her owner where the owner is kissing her nose and she is simply relishing it with her eyes half closed, and a very relaxed expression.

I am no expert though, as I said, I am a newbie and I only fell in love with the Vlcak because of a photography on the net, to be then taken hostage of their eyes when I saw them the first time.

[Blitzen]

You sound like you are very well prepared for a CSV, Enid. Good luck with your 'little teethy thing'.

Saschia, like Enid, I plan to socialise my pup extensively when I get it, a couple of years from now, too. I think I have decided on a male, part of the reason being that I like the bolder look of a male, and also because I don't like to castrate or spay for no reason, and I plan to work him in Schutzhund, I won't have to be careful with a female season/ phantom pregnancies etc. My german shepherd female is going to be spayed soon because of her constant suffering from phantom pregnancies and it breaks my heart to have to do it to her. I don't want to go throught that again.

[Joanna]

Enid, I have one remark – please distinct behavior during the meetings and dog shows from the daily one.
My bitch is generally sweet (ok, let’s say – much more calm) during the shows. She allowed Ibona (met first time in her life) to lay down on her during the waiting by the ring but wasn’t so nice during the walk.
I've noticed the same change in almost all csw I've met.
Circumstances have really strong influence on the level of tolerance.

I think the main think to consider is to choose a puppy wisely. I have a female and, unfortunately, she has a strong need to prove she is the most important one in the neighborhood. She is not self confident enough to don’t have this need (and I was not good enough to eliminate this behavior). I can allow her for contacts with puppies but I have to be careful when they’re older than 3 months. My observation of csw showed me males are more tolerant for young dogs.

Anyway, I’ve chosen a female to protect plants in my garden

Oh, I forgot - beware - feamales THINK!

[saschia]

Originally Posted by Joanna

[
Anyway, I’ve chosen a female to protect plants in my garden

Oh, I forgot - beware - feamales THINK!

You mean so that she doesn't pee on them? Both my previous female and also now Frei pee like males, but Frei avoids doing anything of these in our garden (that' her own idea, I don't know if she is so clean or just saves for marking outside). Most funny is when she is peeing standing on one leg and than she decides she might as well poo, now doing that on one leg is quite a job, I must say

[Joanna]

Originally Posted by saschia

You mean so that she doesn't pee on them?

I hoped they doesn't but life showed me I was totally wrong in this matter. Dewi can reach as high as a male! Fortunately, she does it outside

[Enid Black]

Hi Joanna!
We were not in a show, we were in a meeting for fun, in the countryside, dogs had plenty of space to stay away one from the other and did not have the stress of a ring show .
I recognise, anyway, that you are right: behaviour in public is veeeery different from behaviour in private ...

I've noticed it too: males become a complete bunch of gelatine with puppies, while it is easier for a female to growl to a puppy. But I've read that it is quite normal, indeed. I love seeing males with puppies, they're absolutely wonderful.

And I know that females think! I've thought a lot about taking a male or a female, and in the end, we opted for a female for a series of reasons, these being the principal;

1. Females are smaller. I will be the one in charge of the dog for most part of the day and I am 1,65 tall for 57 kg and not very strong. So the question is: do I want a dog I can possibly bring out for a walk even when it is adult or do I want a dog who will take ME out for a walk (flag-on-the-wind-style I would say!) at 13 month old?

2. Males tend to be difficult in their first 2 years. We are completely newbies to dogs, and I do no know if I feel brave enough to face it without a previous experience. I do not want to make a dog suffer because I am not ready.

And, anyway, that's only the beginning, because, as I said, my partner desires a male in the future, so I think we'll be owners of two teethy things... but we'll see how it goes with the first one! .

Sincerely, we are choosing our puppy on the base of the character of the parents AND of other siblings. I choose home-breeders, who will ensure continuous contact with human beings, and I'm trying to go and visit the breeders themselves.