# Dog to Handler Bonding: Gender Specific?



## David Ruby (Jul 21, 2009)

I have been told that male dogs tend to bond better with women and female dogs tend to bond better with men. I've also been told & read that some people bond better with certain genders, while others do not notice a difference.

Just curious, as this is kind of a fascinating topic to me. Realizing it's not going to be a hard & fast rule, but do any of you find that to ever be true in your experience with yourself or observed in others, or to you think it's just mostly folklore?

-Cheers


----------



## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

six dogs in my house three males and three females

Male pug is bonded to my wife - she does everything with him
Female pug is bonded to me - I do nothing with her

two female rotts are bonded to my wife - we do nothing with them

Two Males (rott and mali) are bonded to me - I do everything with them.


----------



## maggie fraser (May 30, 2008)

I think it all depends on personality, I prefer males in both dogs and horses and yet...there has been the odd female that has knocked the socks off me....


----------



## Margaret Wheeler (May 29, 2010)

Hi David,

All things held equal I have always chosen a gender that would keep the most peace in the house. So, if I think that problems might arise between a same gender pair down the road, I'll go for opposite gender in the pup. 

I worked a female sheepdog and formed a fantastic bond with her and had an up an coming young male who was working great for me as well. 

I really think that if you don't have kennel issues then the best idea is to ask the breeder to pick you the puppy that he thinks is going to be the best worker. Gender to me is a fairly minor consideration. Well, with one exception: if you have a female that you and the breeder have decided should be left intact, her heats can put a crimp in your competition plans.:neutral:


----------



## Jim Nash (Mar 30, 2006)

My male PSD doesn't like me at all outside of work even though I have tried everything I could think of to get along with him . It's only the work that bonds us . He happily gets in the squad and gets out and works great with me when out hunting badguys . Other then that he's a jerk .


----------



## Lynn Cheffins (Jul 11, 2006)

I think it is more just the individual personality of the dog rather than just males prefer female handler and females prefering male handler.
My husband does very little with the dogs and there are a couple dogs that treat him like the sun rises and sets in the crack of his @ss. 
I've had individual dogs I purchased as adults that were raised by males and they do seem to really like the husband more socially than me but work for me fine. Same thing for dogs raised by women - the dogs "liked" me more than they liked men, so I think rearing could have a bit to do with it, too.


----------



## Anne Jones (Mar 27, 2006)

I have had a variety of dog breeds thu the years, both males & females & have found that I personally prefer & seem to bond better to females then to males. Some of these I have raised from 8 wk old pups & others not. 5 of these being GSDs.

I know alot of people don't like working females due to hormones & heat cycles. I have not found any difference in working my GSD female. She works hard ALL the time, hormones or heats have never effected her at all in working. My other females were spayed but still did AKC OB.


----------



## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

I just don't see a difference. I've paired literally thousands of handlers and dogs and I just never noticed a difference. 

DFrost


----------



## Daryl Ehret (Apr 4, 2006)

For my personality, I've found that I can bond better mostly with males, but females need to be of the less sensitive type or I just can't stand it. If a male happens to be of the handler sensitive type, I can ignore it without much sympathy, but I can't take those doe eyes from the girls.


----------



## Anna Kasho (Jan 16, 2008)

With me - I find that the males have a more obedient and pleasing attitude, the bitches are more independent. Certainly interesting to hear of what others have experienced. I wonder how much of this is the dogs and how much is on the owner...


----------



## Ted Efthymiadis (Apr 3, 2009)

David Ruby said:


> I have been told that male dogs tend to bond better with women and female dogs tend to bond better with men.
> 
> -Cheers


load of ....crap


----------



## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

Even male dogs know how to wrap a female around their tiny paws!!!

And male handlers tend to more lenience with a female?????


----------



## tracey schneider (May 7, 2008)

well dont cha know... thats because we are part of the "pack" and the "alpha" members are breeding pairs... they are just trying to get lucky :-$


----------



## Butch Cappel (Aug 12, 2007)

Absolutely, no doubt, gender bonding is real. If the human prefers males they bond best. If the human prefers females they bond best, so it all depends on the humans gender.


----------



## Margaret Wheeler (May 29, 2010)

Butch Cappel said:


> Absolutely, no doubt, gender bonding is real. If the human prefers males they bond best. If the human prefers females they bond best, so it all depends on the humans gender.


So if I prefer to work female dogs, I'm a dog ****?! :twisted:


----------



## David Ruby (Jul 21, 2009)

Margaret Wheeler said:


> So if I prefer to work female dogs, I'm a dog ****?! :twisted:


Let's face it. There is really no right answer to that question, now is there?

-Cheers


----------



## Margaret Wheeler (May 29, 2010)

David Ruby said:


> Let's face it. There is really no right answer to that question, now is there?
> 
> -Cheers


I fail at joking..


----------



## David Ruby (Jul 21, 2009)

Margaret Wheeler said:


> I fail at joking..


Not at all. It was funny, I just tend to not use smilies all the time. I'm not really THAT serious or easily offended though.

But seriously, talk about a catch 22. Not to mention what it would say about the guys who like male dogs.  Or using Tracey's logic, the ones using opposite-gender dogs to simulate breeding pairs. :? Not the kind of stuff I want to share with my wife. She thinks this dog-stuff is weird enough as it is.

-Cheers


----------



## Steven Stroupes (Apr 3, 2009)

Anna Kasho said:


> With me - I find that the males have a more obedient and pleasing attitude, the bitches are more independent. Certainly interesting to hear of what others have experienced. I wonder how much of this is the dogs and how much is on the owner...


Interestingly enough, I have experienced the opposite. I do agree with Butch's comment about gender bonding being real but dependant upon the preference of the handler. I prefer a female and thus have bonded better with females in the past. We see what we look for.


----------



## Butch Cappel (Aug 12, 2007)

Margaret,
Your joke made my day! 

And the answer is; If you prefer female dogs, are you a Dog ****?
Depends, who has the longest hair? 

Shortest hair is the ****, longest is? Well, you know, not the ****!


----------



## Anne Pridemore (Mar 20, 2010)

I tend to like males over females. I work more with the males. I play more with the males. I still work the females and give them time as well, but* I *bond better with male dogs. 

Many people like one gender over the other. Would it not make sence that the gender they like more will bond better because the human is putting more effort into that one gender over another? Maybe the trend is more about Human bonding with the Dog is Gender Specific.

Just a thought. :smile:


----------



## Margaret Wheeler (May 29, 2010)

butch cappel said:


> margaret,
> your joke made my day!
> 
> And the answer is; if you prefer female dogs, are you a dog ****?
> ...


lmao!


----------



## Kirstyn Kerbo (Apr 3, 2010)

I prefer male dogs over female dogs. But then again I have never had a female GSD, so I can't really judge. I have heard it is harder to get a good working female than a good working male, though. Or its those damn hormones I keep hearing about 

I honestly think it is personal preferance for the human. There is probably some sort of psychology that an be applied, but whatever. :razz:

I like the boys because they get along better and are more laid back than the little beagle Bitch...she sure puts the capital B in that! She holds grudges as well, but I have heard that is just a beagle thing.


----------

