So you have chosen Poodle as your family, but you are not sure if you should bring male or female Poodle to your home and family. Well, this can be a tricky decision to make as you have to consider many aspects before deciding on one gender.
Fortunately, we are going to explain to you in this article the difference between a male and a female Poodle.
Male Poodles are more suitable for any kind of home or family. They are more affectionate, playful, and easier to train when it comes to housebreaking. They look up to their owners and always eager to please everybody. More importantly, if you are not the only person in your home, then the male Poodle is going to show an equal amount of love to everybody.
Female Poodles, on the other hand, are more of a one-person dog and do not create a bond with the whole family. They tend to attach only to one person in the family, but with much greater love.
It is easier to explain in this way that if you want the best friend for yourself, then you can choose a female. If you are looking for a family dog overall, who will play and love everybody, then get a male Poodle.
Qualities like an affectionate, loving, and good relationship with children can be found in a male Poodle. While the girls are intelligent, smart, and cute, they are not like boys.
Female dogs try to become alpha dogs in many situations. They are more independent, territorial, and protective than male Poodles.
Male and female Poodles do have a difference in their personalities and traits, but they still share most of the typical Poodle personality. It is always good to choose a dog based on its character and habits rather than choosing just because of gender.
Most of the people think that females are cute and cuddly and always side by side. But in this dog breed, a male is the one who loves to cuddle.
Female Poodles will be with you, but she will not like to be touched as often as a male Poodle. If you love your private space, then go for a female. She will is less likely to invade it.
Behavioral Differences
Males
Male dogs overall have a bad reputation just because of the boy things they sometimes do. Marking and humping is always mentioned whenever you talk about a male dog.
This unwanted behavior can be eliminated by proper training. Getting a male dog neutered at an early age makes a big difference in his personality as well.
You must get your male Poodle neutered as early as five months of age to make sure they do not engage in the habits of marking and humping. Typical male behavior is less likely to be developed once your dog is neutered.
Male Poodles are not so independent, and they mostly depend on their owners and handlers. Unlike a female Poodle, a male will develop a bond with each person in the family. They are known to be a perfect family dog because of the same reason.
Because of this special bond, they are a lot more sensitive than a female. Their sensitivity is generally used by training them as a service dog as well.
Male Poodles will always have a desire to please their owners. They are quite demanding of attention as well. You can see some changes in behavior when you try to ignore them for a long time.
Next time when you are visiting a breeder, you can notice that a breeder will prefer to keep male instead of female. The breeders have seen it all, and they are the most experienced in this field.
They know that Female Poodle is called a bitch for a reason. Coming from a breeder who is experienced, you might want to believe his word.
Females
Female Poodles are more smart and intelligent than male Poodle. This smartness makes them more independent and protective.
They are playful and affectionate, but there is no comparison to the male Poodles. They are usually distant at times and do not seek attention as a male Poodle does.
It is good to socialize a female with strangers. Female Poodles are protective and can show some aggression to outsiders and they want to be near to the people but not like to be touched. A female Poodle will always appreciate her own space.
Because of their independent nature, a female can be stubborn at times. If she wants something, then she might not listen to you at all.
This can be a tricky situation for a handler. They are less likely to be affected by stress as well because of their low amount of sensitivity.
Female Poodle will be loyal to the whole family but will create a special bond with one person. You can tell the difference between a special bond and relationship with other family members.
You can not ignore the importance of spaying in female Poodles. If a female is not spayed, then she is most likely to develop alpha behavior. Even with the spaying, a female Poodle will be bossier than a male and will control other pets in the house.
Some female Poodles will try to dominate their owners as well. They can be very stubborn at times and might refuse to get trained. Obedience training can be very hard in this kind of situation.
A female Poodle is more like a friend you spend time with. She is less likely to become a perfect family pet.
As a Working Dog
When you look at their size, it might be surprising for you that many people use them as a working dog. You might not know, but Poodles were originally bred as hunters, so the working habit is in their genes.
Because of their intelligence and highly trainable qualities, they are being used in many jobs. You should not be surprised if you see a Poodle working in a circus or as a hunting dog. They are quick learners and can learn stuff by watching other dogs do it.
Males
Male Poodles have all the qualities of a service dog. Their special bond with people comes in handy when they make a bond with the person they are going to help.
Highly trained male Poodles will worry about his owner’s safety and health. It is not a job for them. They do this out of love and care for the owner.
Male Poodles will always be by the side and demands attention. This trait can come in handy when a person is dealing with isolation or depression.
By having a male Poodle, a person will have a purpose, and the dog will keep him occupied. A male Poodle will be eager to please as well.
Male Poodle does not do well in a high-stress situation. When a child is in pain, a male Poodle will be more worried about the child than helping him.
They are more suited to jobs where stress is not involved, like a nursing home, hospital visits, and a reading program.
Females
Female dogs are more suited as therapy dogs because of their ability to stay calm in high-stress environments.
Unlike a male Poodle, they are less likely to be panicked in a situation where a person is in pain or anxiety. They can deal with easy in any therapy job you can imagine.
Female Poodle makes the best working dogs as they have the ability to distinguish the job from their personal life. They can be in a high-stress situation, and when they come home, stress will stay out.
Choosing a Poodle Puppy
When you are going to get a puppy, never make a choice based on gender. You should always consider his personality and behavior. Take some time to observe a puppy while he is still with his mother and litter.
See how he behaves around other dogs and what he is doing. This observation can get you an idea of a pup’s personality. Remember, his character is going to remain the same for most of his life.
If you see puppy sitting alone on the side is going to be a reserved adult. A playful puppy bothering everybody is going to be much more active and attentive. These traits can be in either a male or a female puppy.
Puppy Price Differences
Poodles do not come cheap and are expensive dog breeds. Typically the price of males and females is about the same. A female might cost you more if she has been spayed as spaying cost more than neutering a male.
If the puppy is unaltered, then expect the cost to be the same. Do not forget to get your puppy spayed or neutered when they are five months old. When you are buying a puppy, keep the cost of alteration in mind.
Temperamental Differences
Most of the people looking for a Poodle goes for a female. Nobody knows what the reason behind it is. It could be because a male is known for marking or humping.
If you are buying a Poodle for breeding or therapy purposes, then the female is an obvious choice, other than that a male will win over female any day.
If you are still unsure what could be the right gender for your family, then you have a look at the following characteristics of a male and female Poodle.
Keep in mind that choosing a male or female can be extremely important once you a pet already at home.
Male Poodles Temperament
Affectionate: Male Poodles are always going to be around you. They love attention and can not stay away from the owner for a long time. Male Poodle will be more interested in entertaining you rather than being entertained.
Friendly: A male Poodle is going to be more outgoing and fun-loving than a female. Sometimes a male Poodle can keep his puppy traits for his whole life. They are more friendly with strangers and other animals as well.
Motivated by Food: A good source of motivation for your male Poodle is food. They can be easily lured into doing something by offering food. Because of this reason, training can be extremely easy for them.
Aggressive Behavior: An intact male Poodle can show signs of aggression towards other animals and strangers. They will mark their territory by peeing in places and can have a habit of humping.
When a female is in the heat, it is essential to keep your male Poodle away from her unless you want her to get pregnant.
Female Poodles Temperament
Independent: Female Poodle wants to be in control of every situation. They will come to the owners once they are seeking affection but soon moves away when they have had enough.
Stubborn: Being stubborn is a trait of female Poodle. If you have a pack of dogs, then a female will be Alpha dog. They can do as according to their will most of the time and might be hard to train.
Territorial: Marking the territory can be found both in males and females. The only difference is that in some cases, females can continue to mark even after being spayed. While males can stop this habit once they are neutered.
Reserved: A female Poodle is not very social and might be happy on her own. She does not seek attention as a male Poodle does. She will keep her distance and less like to be in your lap. They are less friendly than male Poodle.
Mood Swings: An unaltered female will come in heat twice a year. Expect some bleeding and changes in mood when she in heat.
She can forget all the training she has received at this time of the year and might be too much to handle. If you are a first-time owner, then this situation can be overwhelming for you.
If you are already a dog owner and Poodle is not the first dog coming to your home, then you should follow some of the following tips to make sure the safety of your home and dogs present in it.
If you have a dog at home, then it is best to bring the opposite sex. Dogs with same-gender are more likely to have a fight and might show aggression towards each other.
If you have a male dog, then you can bring in a female as they both will get along well. If you bring in another male, there is a chance that they become friends for life. All of it depends on socialization and training.
If you own a female already, then it might be risky to bring another female. Female dogs tend to show extreme aggression towards each other, and injury is not out of the question when two females get into a fight.
Physical Differences
Naturally, a male is bigger and heavier than a female in any dog breed. When it comes to the Poodle, it is half right. The weight of a Poodle can vary between males and females, but their height remains almost the same.
At the age of just 6 months, both males and females will have a height of 7 inches. While the weight of a male can be around 24 pounds, a female will weigh approximately 21 pounds.
When Poodles are 12 months old, they are around 11 inches tall. A male Poodle will be about 32 pounds heavy, and a female will have a weight of 28 pounds.
At 18 months of age, males and females both will have a height of 17 inches. A male will be 57 pounds heavy while a female can weigh around 42 pounds.
A male or female size and height depends on his diet and environment he or she is living in. A proper lifestyle and healthy diet with the right amount of exercise will help your Poodle to reach its potential height and weight.
Health Risks in Male and Female Poodle
Unfortunately, male and female Poodle, both can have some severe health risks in their lifetime. There are some major and minor concerns you should always look out for.
Here are the primary health concerns affecting both male and female Poodles:
You can click on the link above to learn more about the diseases.
You should always monitor the diet and health of your Poodle to ensure a healthy lifestyle. An occasional check-up by the vet is the best idea to keep everything in check.
Final Thoughts
The choice between male and female is not the question of gender. It is basically a question of who’s personality and traits suit your lifestyle more.
Always decide about getting a male or female according to your preferences. Anybody can have an opinion, but remember every dog is unique, and they have their individual personality and character.
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