# For an average person, are males harder to train?



## Mish17 (Jun 30, 2016)

I know that with other breeds, there can be a significant difference in the trainability of males and females. Maybe trainability is not correct. However, it may be easier to train females than males. 

Has anyone found that to be true with Standards or Minis? I'm not referring to house training.


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

My male has been much easier because he is more compliant, willing to please, and food motivated


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Javelin is a more biddable dog than Lily, but she is also a great worker. She does things because they please her then me. He does things because they please me then him. Of course they are both poodles and very high drive, smart ones at that so they both have been very trainable.


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## Beautiful Blue (Apr 24, 2017)

I wanted to let more knowledgeable forumers speak first...but I agree. Training of my 2 females was not difficult at all - very smart, excellent memory. I don't think the sex is as much a determinant as personality. They were different from each other. Let's take agility: Sugar SO in to it. Loved it. Lola, did it because I asked her to...loved me. 

Now with male Rio. Smart, obedient, devoted to me, wanting to please.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

Dogs, in fact every living organism with a brain does things because there's some kind of pay-off for them. If the owner/trainer finds out what is the motivator for each individual, the animal can be trained. I've noticed over the many years I've had and trained dogs that in many cases (not all) the females had a touch more of an independent streak than the males. (over all) So the males have been a tad easier. But all dogs can be trained imo...it's just easier when you get hold of a particular dog's "number"...when you know what floats his or her boat. My males have almost invariably been (or seemed) a little more "all about me" vs my females, with an exception...my girl Chihuahua I'd say. I think, as Beautiful Blue says, it's more about personality. I also think breed has something to do with it...what the breed was selected for when developed. That has a lot to do with it, in fact.


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## Verve (Oct 31, 2016)

The conventional wisdom among competitive Obedience folks (in all breeds) is that overall, males are easier to train than bitches. Again speaking in generalities, girls are often very smart and pick things up quickly, but they are more emotionally complicated. As my first poodle's breeder put it, girls can quickly turn sulky when things aren't going their way. And as my second poodle's breeder put it, girls are more likely to have hidden agendas. A trainer/breeder friend says she likes to keep girls because she enjoys the challenge. Are you getting the picture? 

A good example from my own experience is Obedience stays. All of my dogs have been very good at the stays. But my girl makes it very obvious that she finds them demotivating, and figuratively rolls her eyes when it is time for group stays. She sits there looking annoyed that she is being forced to do something silly with these lesser dogs. My boys stay actively engaged in stays, if that makes sense--they sit bolt upright and do sphinx downs. Their posture could be unnerving, except that it is also about wanting to do a GREAT job and pleasing me, and being proud that they rock at stays.


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

I don't know...I've got two people on my wait list interested in performance puppies and who train with a top obedience handler and they both were advised to stick with females...I'm personally a big fan of working with the girls also, although I think it comes down to individual temperament! I don't know if I agree that the girls are sulkier overall....


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

And as far as pure intelligence goes, there is this! http://www.appliedanimalbehaviour.com/article/S0168-1591(17)30037-0/fulltext


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## Beautiful Blue (Apr 24, 2017)

CharismaticMillie said:


> And as far as pure intelligence goes, there is this! http://www.appliedanimalbehaviour.com/article/S0168-1591(17)30037-0/fulltext


Well, here's something I can add... I have read that one reason that Border Collies and Poodles are always at the top of the Intelligence List is that the 2 breeds are better than most at "figuring things out" - on their own. And I wonder if an intact female wouldn't be just all that much better at that, too, because of her maternal status. We who are female humans KNOW that we have to be on top of things and thinking ahead/looking for things that could possibly go wrong and prevent if at all possible before it becomes and issue!

I remember our Brown Clown, Sugar -- she would have been intact and the only dog we had at the time, maybe 6 months old -- we were at our lake cabin for the first time with her and I was trying to show her that we walk along here, then we can go out on the dock, then we have to go around this big rock, then you can play over here, but STOP! you can't go there because that's the neighbors, etc. 

Anyway it amazed me that to get back to where my husband was reading on shore she cut the route in 1/2. Sure. I guess you can do it that way when you are able to jump from the top of the rock.

So your posted article interested me. She was a very, very canny and inventive and communicative dog. But was she "easier to train" ??


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

Trainability vs intelligence! I agree, intelligence is a key part of trainability, intelligence alone doesn't make a dog easy to work with. I think there are other things at play too, absolutely. I think regardless of sex, and for the average owner, biddability, resilience, and food drive in an intelligent dog are good signs of trainability.


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## FishMina (Jul 23, 2017)

Oh such a great topic, I wanted to ask the same question!

Over my years in China I have owned or cared for (over a long period of time) a mixed breed/stray (still my dog now, the best creature on earth, personally) her litter of 5 puppies (she came to us pregnant) a Schnauzer, a Greyhound, a Chihuahua... every single one of them female, all of them a variation of ages between 0 and 3 years old. My Schnauzer baby (who sadly had to be rehomed due to personal reasons) was an absolute no-brainer idiot in general life (bless her, not a clue about anything) but got tricks with a clicker so fast like no dog I have seen before, she learnt to go to a yellow or a blue mat and stay just on a cue word by seeing the colours, (yes dogs can see those colours), incredible dog. The greyhound I took in for 6 months was also exceptionally sharp, and my mixed breed Tudou is to this day the most incredible life-people-savvy dog I know and such a good, gentle soul (though she will never be one for tricks).
However, all of them I had found were... well... stubborn. They learnt beautifully and were very loving but when they didn't want to do something, not just tricks but life in general... they just didn't really want to do it. Not meanly, they just looked at me saying 'mum, today aint my style, I'm going to sleep now' and Id give up 

But now I have my Poodle, my first boy (!) and within the short few weeks I have had him, he has proven just utterly goofy every second of the day and loves to make me happy, the more things he does that I am obviously excited about, the more he will try harder! This could be this fabulous breed we all love or another factor I'm not aware of, but just adding to the mix of this post - he has CERTAINLY been the easiest so far, from housetraining to lead walking to learning to sit beautifully within the first two days.


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

My opinion?? Dogs are much easier to train than females. Eh, Eric?? :angel:


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

I have always found males of both dog and human species easier to train than females, period.:aetsch:


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## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

The men's answers are funny but it completely depends on the individual dog. I have two males and two females of different sizes and breeds. The most difficult dog I have to train is the male Pomeranian. He graduated last in his puppy class but he excels at looking adorable. I used to think females were very independent, loyal, and intuitive but my female, Kit (not poodle), is a pleaser, super clingy, giant goofball, and very outgoing. These characteristics are descriptions I would have previous attributed to males. Her personality is also very unusual for livestock guardians, which are very independent, loyal, and aloof dogs. Lucky is the opposite of Kit. He is introverted, independent, and serious. Both dogs are very cuddly, affectionate, and love to give free kisses!


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

*Dammed if you do and dammed if you don't.*



Countryboy said:


> My opinion?? Dogs are much easier to train than females. Eh, Eric?? :angel:


For years I trained men (and dogs) in the police/fire brigade area. Later women became more numerous. The boys formed a team and trained easily responding to discipline and common sense. The girls questioned everything and were often recalcitrant. As a trained psychologist I have put this difference down to childhood training as much as any sexual differences. Boys are disciplined more heavily in the home and take better to discipline in later life. Boys will bunk together and love it. Girls have to be separately bunked since fights break out when they are kept too close to each other. These observations are not prompted by misogynistic thinking but by experience over 30 years. 

In the case of dogs, the bitch will bond more with a single person where the dog will be more liberal with his affections. Bitches will resent discipline and be more recalcitrant in early training. They will bond tightly with one person and will try hard to please that person. Dogs are goofy and love everybody in their pack/family. They take to discipline and training more readily and are more reliable when trained. It is my opinion (not substantiated) that bitches are more intelligent than dogs. That goes for humans too.

Eric:adore:


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

ericwd9 said:


> Countryboy said:
> 
> 
> > My opinion?? Dogs are much easier to train than females. Eh, Eric??
> ...


Well of course I agree with your last statement :lol: But with my spoos, the bitch is much more a family dog and the male is a one person dog.


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## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

snow 0160, I wonder with Kit, if she will retain her friendly temperament as she matures? Early socialization makes for a more outgoing pup, but sooner or later genetics usually comes into play. Even within a breed there are less aloof lines, so maybe she will be a friendly adult. It will be interesting to watch her grow up, especially since you have Lucky, too.


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## snow0160 (Sep 20, 2016)

Charmed said:


> snow 0160, I wonder with Kit, if she will retain her friendly temperament as she matures? Early socialization makes for a more outgoing pup, but sooner or later genetics usually comes into play. Even within a breed there are less aloof lines, so maybe she will be a friendly adult. It will be interesting to watch her grow up, especially since you have Lucky, too.




I thought of this too because LGD don't mature until age two. I have met both of Kits parents and they are super nice. Our car got stuck in the snow bank right outside the breeder's house. I had gone outside for help and as I approached Kits parents came out wagging. I was a bit surprised because they were working dogs with sheep. My old dog would have taken off with my arm or barked aggressively but this was not the case. Her parents were exceedingly friendly. Hope they don't greet wolves like this. 

I would say the mom was a bit more reserved than the dad, who greeted me by rolling over for a tummy rub. This is how Kit greets strangers now. Lol She is 8 months old and hopefully she will remain like this.


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## Mysticrealm (Jan 31, 2016)

Charmed said:


> snow 0160, I wonder with Kit, if she will retain her friendly temperament as she matures? Early socialization makes for a more outgoing pup, but sooner or later genetics usually comes into play. Even within a breed there are less aloof lines, so maybe she will be a friendly adult. It will be interesting to watch her grow up, especially since you have Lucky, too.


My 15 month old when he was younger loved ALL dogs. Every dog was his bestest best friend ever. As he really started to hit adolescence he has become much more selective with the type of personalities he likes and when he doesn't like something he's not very nice about it. He has never ever bit another dog but there is a lot of snarling, posturing and 'faking' it. I can still have him at my grooming salon loose (grooming dogs are kennelled), but I can tell when a dog comes in with a personality he won't like and make sure to keep him away from them.
People on the other hand, he love ALL people when he was younger and he STILL loves ALL people.


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