Breed is unarguably the biggest consideration when looking for a dog to adopt. That’s because breed affects other key aspects, including size, lifespan, and personality attributes.
But unknown to many would-be pet parents, gender is another key factor to bear in mind while scouting around for the best canine housemate.
In this article, we examine the core differences between male and female dogs so you can adopt either gender from a point of information. But first, let’s start by looking at the similarities between the two.
How Are Male and Female Dogs Similar?
One way to settle the male vs female dog debate is to examine their similarities.
Below are the various ways in which dogs and bitches are similar;
1. Both Are Cute
All dogs are cute in their way. That explains why these animals are the most popular pet worldwide. Conservative estimates indicate that dogs are found in 69 million U.S. households, compared to 45.3 million households with cats and 11.8 million households with freshwater fish.
More interesting is that male and female dogs from the same breed are incredibly adorable. It’s almost impossible to find a would-be pet parent struggling to choose between the two genders based purely on appearance.
However, it’s worth noting that certain dog breeds are cuter than others. So, this similarity is based on dogs and bitches from the same breed.
2. Both Have Similar Vocalizations
Each dog has unique vocalizations.
For instance, a dog’s vocal cords determine the tone and pitch of its bark. These vocal cords are further influenced by the animal’s breed and size.
Unlike humans, gender has no role to play in distinguishing doggy vocalizations. The implication is that large dogs, regardless of gender, may have a low or loud bark, while smaller dogs may have a higher-pitch bark.
3. Both Can Serve Similar Functions
Dogs are bred to perform numerous tasks. Popular ones include companionship, guarding, hunting, and herding.
It’s intuitive to attribute certain roles to specific genders. For instance, many dog fanciers instinctively think that male dogs are more effective at hunting and guarding than their female counterparts.
But that’s quite not true. Gender has almost zero role to play when breeding dogs for specific tasks.
4. Both Age the Same Way
Numerous studies have been commissioned to investigate whether sex determines a dog’s natural aging process. Most findings from these studies are yet to establish a significant nexus between gender and aging.
However, certain gender-specific chronic ailments may still reduce your dog’s lifespan significantly.
These are mostly diseases of the reproductive system, such as prostate cancer in male dogs and hydrometra in female dogs.
How Are Male and Female Dogs Different?
1. Appearance
The obvious anatomical difference between male and female dogs relates to their reproductive organs.
In the interest of full disclosure, dogs have a rounded penis, while bitches have a leaf-shaped vulva.
Besides their reproductive organs, male and female dogs also differ in the shape of their heads. The former tends to have larger and more pronounced heads than the later.
2. Size
Male dogs are almost always larger than their female counterparts of the same species.
This phenomenon is observable in most animal species, with a few noticeable exceptions like insects.
The size differences may not be significant. But for keen observers, it can still determine which canine gender to bring home.
3. Hormonal cum Personality Differences
Hormones play a major role in influencing the physical features and behavioral attributes of both male and female dogs. Male dogs are high in the hormone testosterone, while bitches contain more estrogen.
The high testosterone levels in male dogs are responsible for their predisposition to territoriality and aggression. Females are generally aggressive only when in heat or while protecting their puppies.
Since females are less aggressive, they’re also easier to housetrain than males. That’s because they’re more composed and eager to learn.
However, remember that aggression is mainly a breed problem. More aggressive dog breeds tend to be those bred for guarding.
The good news is that neutering or spaying reduces aggression in both genders significantly.
4. Maturation
Female dogs mature faster than their male counterparts. That means your adorable female puppies will enter puberty much earlier than their male littermates.
If you aren’t a fan of dogs when they’re in their puppy stage, then your best bet is to adopt a female puppy.
However, quicker maturation doesn’t necessarily translate to faster aging. As already indicated, sex is no major determiner of a dog’s natural aging process.
5. Reproduction
This may sound like a no-brainer, but only female dogs can have puppies. Of course, this only applies to unspayed females.
Spaying refers to the surgical removal of the reproductive organs of a female animal, particularly a mammal. In the male species, this phenomenon is known as neutering.
Spayed bitches cannot have puppies. And neither can neutered dogs sire puppies.
6. Invasiveness of Neutering and Spaying
Both neutering and spaying render a dog incapable of breeding. However, these procedures differ in scope and intensiveness.
Neutering involves the removal of both testicles and their associated anatomical structures. On the other hand, spaying involves the removal of the ovaries and sometimes also the uterus.
Spaying is far more invasive than neutering. So, spayed bitches will require a longer recovery period than neutered dogs.
7. Cost of Neutering and Spaying
Invasive procedures tend to be more expensive than the minimally-invasive operations. Therefore, it makes sense that spaying would cost you more than neutering.
One way to eliminate these costs is to opt for an already neutered or spayed dog unless you’re adopting the animals for breeding purposes.
Remember that neutering and spaying offer many other benefits besides preventing unwanted litter. It also helps to reduce behavioral issues linked to mating instinct (such as aggression among male dogs) and guards against certain health problems.
8. Availability and Popularity
Dog owners seem to favor male than female canines. One study found that there were 50.7% of dogs against 49.3 bitches in the United States.
Among the top reasons that endear dog owners to male canines is the assumption that male dogs are better protectors. But as already mentioned, this assumption has no solid scientific backing.
Male dogs also enjoy more popularity because they don’t have puppies. Therefore, they aren’t subject to associated nursing costs.
The Bottom Line
Both male and female dogs are adorable in their own right. These animals also share numerous similarities, provided they’re from the same breed. But if you’d prefer one gender over the other, then the above-listed differences will be invaluable in helping you make the right choice.
