# Male or female?



## Ace

I am about to pick up my new standard poodle on Saturday. I am soooo excited. I have spoken to various breeders about the difference in temperament between male and female standard poodles. I have been told different things by different people:confused2: 

I know that it's all to do with the raising of the pup but is there any difference between males & females standard poodles? I do plan on desexing the dog though.

Looking forwards to hearing what you have to say.


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## bigpoodleperson

I personally love the boys, but ive only ever had boys. When i get a new puppy I will have the breeder pick out which dog meets my needs the best, and will fit with me the best regardless of sex.


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## cbrand

Ace said:


> I am about to pick up my new standard poodle on Saturday. I am soooo excited. I have spoken to various breeders about the difference in temperament between male and female standard poodles. I have been told different things by different people:confused2:
> 
> I know that it's all to do with the raising of the pup but is there any difference between males & females standard poodles? I do plan on desexing the dog though.
> 
> Looking forwards to hearing what you have to say.


Usually the breeder chooses the dog for you. Does she have both available for you? I would pick a Poodle based on temperament, not gender. Personally, I need a puppy who will retrieve to hand by 8 weeks.


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## Aidan

I prefer males..I find them to be more easy-going and especially once altered they seem to get along with other dogs easier.

The females I've had have been good dogs, very loyal, good watch dogs. They seem to be divas though...it also could be the difference in breed. I have a German Shepherd female and a standard poodle female..the shepherd is very much a diva, has to be the center of attention, will bark at anything the moves outside if it seems threatening. She will bark and growl at other strange dogs and sometimes seems unfriendly.

My female Standard is a bit quirky, very submissive, not a barker at all..which seems odd for the breed in general. She likes getting her way though. She is stiff as a board for grooming and it makes it difficult to move her around or pick up her feet. She can be quite the baby when it comes to ears and nails. She's also really stubborn.

Both of my male standard poodles are laid back and easy going, they love any and everyone..both adore other dogs both male/female/intact/not intact, etc... couldn't care less. They both do bark. They were easier to potty train compared to my female standard...my female shepherd was potty trained in about 3 days..it was pretty weird.

Anyway..that's my experience.

I also have found that when potty training the males seem to go potty right away outside...females take their time. At least from what I could tell.


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## spoospirit

_I agree with cbrand. There are far too many variables. I would let the breeder pick the right puppy for your needs. Temperament is more important than whether it is a girl or a boy.

In our experience, there are differences in the boys and in the girls personalities. I don't think there is anything that screams 'I am a boy poodle' or 'I am a girl poodle'.

Billy is really laid back and somewhat stoic; confident, protective of his home and family; a real love, especially with the ladies; hasn't known a person or animal that wasn't his immediate new friend. Alfie is a goofy boy, jumping all over both physically and mentally right now, is very attached to his person and frets if she is out of sight, is more cautious when greeting strange men and tends to pace a bit because he needs far more exercise than Bill.

The differences in the girls are the same as the boys._


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## Feathersprings

I have always had girl dogs for the most part but my last two have been boys. I think the girls are just a bit less "needy" and more independent. Seems like my girls always love my Husband( hes not a dog guy) and the boys have really bonded more closely with me. Not that the girls didnt..they just werent as obvious about it  I love my big affectionate Boy !!! That said.. if I get another one it will be a pretty little girl


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## 4Paws

This is great information, I was wondering the same thing. Do the females ever exhibit any mood swings?


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## Ace

Feathersprings said:


> I have always had girl dogs for the most part but my last two have been boys. I think the girls are just a bit less "needy" and more independent. Seems like my girls always love my Husband( hes not a dog guy) and the boys have really bonded more closely with me. Not that the girls didnt..they just werent as obvious about it  I love my big affectionate Boy !!! That said.. if I get another one it will be a pretty little girl




That is surprising, why would you get a girl dog next time given that the boys have bonded to you more so than to your husband? Hope you don't mind my asking, I just like to know the in's and out's of a .......well, you know what I mean, lol.


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## Ace

spoospirit said:


> _I agree with cbrand. There are far too many variables. I would let the breeder pick the right puppy for your needs. Temperament is more important than whether it is a girl or a boy.
> 
> In our experience, there are differences in the boys and in the girls personalities. I don't think there is anything that screams 'I am a boy poodle' or 'I am a girl poodle'.
> 
> Billy is really laid back and somewhat stoic; confident, protective of his home and family; a real love, especially with the ladies; *hasn't known a person or animal that wasn't his immediate new friend.* Alfie is a goofy boy, jumping all over both physically and mentally right now, is very attached to his person and frets if she is out of sight, is more cautious when greeting strange men and tends to pace a bit because he needs far more exercise than Bill.
> 
> The differences in the girls are the same as the boys._



Billy sounds like a real charmer. My female cavalier is exactly the same, she loves everyone.....and I mean EVERYONE! Everyone finds her endearing but I must admit that I do wish she wouldn't fall in love with every stranger that crosses her path. I hope that my poodle doesn't turn out that way. I want him to be friendly but not over the top, I will be socialising him and doing all that is needed to secure a well adjusted adult dog but heck.....I do want him to be kinda friendly but in a limited way, lol.


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## partial2poodles

I went to my breeder ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED That I only wanted a girl dog. Sheconvinced me that the happy silver pup that wouldn't leave me alone would be good for me. It was a male and even though he seemed perfect, I didn't think I wanted the leg lifting annd humping. 

I was so dumb. Such a closed mind. The best thing I ever did was take her advice to choose that boy. He is my heart and soul. I have 4 boys and 3 girls. I love my boys the most


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## Feathersprings

I guess I said it wrong.. they just love my husband.. they are always all over him lOL! With me they are less amerous lOL! When it comes to me leaving .. they will go with me.. not stay with Dad  We are bonded just differently. I actually love both personalities and since I dont have a Poodle Girl I would love to have one. As far as Mood Swings.. I think so a bit.. nothing horrible.. just a bit more Moody than the boys have been. ( my experiences have not been with Poodles though) It is the same with my horses. My Stallion and Little colt are the sweetest, they follow me around the yerd like puppies. My Mare, who i love, is not quite so lovey dovey but a very nice girl but she does get "marish" at times with the boys and will let them know what is what  Yhese are just my personal experiences. It took forever to be convinced to get a male dog.. never wanted one!


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## Skye

partial2poodles said:


> I went to my breeder ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED That I only wanted a girl dog. Sheconvinced me that the happy silver pup that wouldn't leave me alone would be good for me. It was a male and even though he seemed perfect, I didn't think I wanted the leg lifting annd humping.
> 
> I was so dumb. Such a closed mind. The best thing I ever did was take her advice to choose that boy. He is my heart and soul. I have 4 boys and 3 girls. I love my boys the most


I recently adopted a little rescue male mini. He was 6 months when we got him, and already neutered. I only had females up until now. I only wanted a female. I didn't want all the marking and humping, either!

I guess the fact that he was neutered early makes a big difference. He pees like a girl, and there is none of the marking/humping. He is the most affectionate, cuddly dog I have ever had. He is also playful, and goofy. Quite the thief, too! I absolutely was looking for a female, but, when I read his description on Petfinder, he sounded like the right dog for us. I was a little afraid, but SOOOO glad we chose him.

That said, I agree. If your breeder does temperament testing, go with the one that will "fit" your lifestyle best. Just don't be afraid of the boys, they are wonderful!

P.S. When I finally give in to MPS, I wouldn't mind getting a little girl to go with our boy. BUT, this has been such a good experience for us with a boy, if the "right dog" happens to be a boy, I'd get another!


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## spoospirit

4Paws said:


> This is great information, I was wondering the same thing. Do the females ever exhibit any mood swings?



_This is based on the fact that our three bitches are intact. YES! They are all prone to mood swings just like women. They will even get irritable with each other during their heats. Other than that, they get along like best friends for the most part._


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## Feralpudel

This always makes for an interesting discussion on obedience lists. The conventional wisdom is that the girls will frequently pick things up more quickly, but you have more attitude to deal with. The boys might be a half-step slower, but you have fewer head games. My first breeder talked about girls sometimes sulking over corrections or perceived slights, whereas the boys bounce back. A friend describes it as the girls sometimes having hidden agendas. 

I love the sweet goofy boys, but wouldn't rule out a girl down the line. I fell in love with Dexter's mother when I went to pick him up--I loved her sassiness and sense of fun, as well as her quiet awareness of what was going on. I also adore Cbrand's bitch Sabrina.


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## Ace

I just hope my boy is smoochy; I want an affectionate poodle and it seems that the train of thought is that the boys may be just a little more affectionate, right?


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## ArreauStandardPoodle

partial2poodles said:


> I went to my breeder ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED That I only wanted a girl dog. Sheconvinced me that the happy silver pup that wouldn't leave me alone would be good for me. It was a male and even though he seemed perfect, I didn't think I wanted the leg lifting annd humping.
> 
> I was so dumb. Such a closed mind. The best thing I ever did was take her advice to choose that boy. He is my heart and soul. I have 4 boys and 3 girls. I love my boys the most


I agree! I love my girls very much, but if someone told me I could only have one dog, it would be a male, hands down, no questions asked.


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## Locket

In my experience, girls are bossy and more independent. I'm more drawn to the boys. The boys I've had have all been big babies.


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## jazzi480

I have girls! I have always preferred my girls, allthough i have had many boys over the years. Jazzi and Ella are our first poodles (my family had a mini girl when i was little). I grew up with girl dogs, I would not rule out a boy if it was the right dog though. I don't know that I ever really thought about personallity differences, My previous boys (collies) have been quieter, less reactive, but my girls were more attached to family. Jazzi is very affectionate, but reactive. Ella is sweet, calmer but tends to be shy! I trully think differences are dog specific, not gender. 
I guess I'm rambling, thinking out loud, guess this topic made me go UMMMM!

 I have suffered from multiple dog syndrom most of my life! Graduated to MPS in mid life!


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