# Male vs. Female temperaments?



## dcyk (Nov 30, 2011)

basic obedience class will help you train him with commands and orders and tugs of the leash.


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## peppersb (Jun 5, 2011)

It sounds to me like the differences that you describe have more to do with breeding and the lines the dogs come from than male/female differences. There certainly are male/female differences, but there are also huge differences in how calm poodles are, how much drive they have and how much exercise they need. I'm not surprised to hear that they come from different breeders.


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## Poodlemama99 (Feb 12, 2010)

I agree it sounds more like breeding and socialization issues than male vs. female. My boys are just as well behaved as the girls. only difference I see is that boys mark and one up each other and my girls dont.


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## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

It sounds to me like individual personality/temperament of each dog, not male vs. female.


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## BorderKelpie (Dec 3, 2011)

I 'usually' think of males as mellow and females as feisty, but obviously that doesn't apply to all dogs. 

Remember, too. your male is at the age where he is thinking about growing up and showing more independance. Sort of like a teenaged human. Although, I would sooner expect that at closer to 10-12 months. 

I am not a huge fan of the head halter type walking impliments, you may need to experiment with other types of collars. Also, work on focus exercises and respect feo you. High drives or not, he needs to respect you. He also needs to learn that only you make the rules. I belong to a super reactive Border Collie/Kelpie/ACD cross who has literally drug me face down in the dirt once. I tried all the goofy walking tricks and gimicks, choke collars, prong collars, head halters, harnesses, etc to no avail. I finally found something that worked. It took some effort, but the difference is amazing. He can no be walked anywhere in a flat nylon collar with respect.

I went to Home Depot and and got one (actually two) of their cheap little tool pouches, filled it with hot dogs and other super yummy treats. I pt one hot dog in my hand and let it just barely stick out of my fist. He could nibble at it while walking beside me and I could just push it out a bit at a time while he stayed where he was supposed to be. He also went back into a crate and was introduced to the NILIF method. H was walked on leash even in the house, had to sit at the door before going out, etc. All his meals came from my hands, not a bowl for a while. He did what he was asked, he got a bite to eat. He learned that all good things come from me but only when he earned them. It's been a year and he's a whole 'nuther dog. People that haven't seen him for a while are amazed at the difference in his attitude. He is still high drive, but he's respectful and cheerful, and more relaxed. It takes some effort, but it is soooo worth it. I know I said it's been a year, but I saw a huge difference in only two weeks and I was not just working with him, I have a whole bunch of dogs in and out of here, so with just your two, and as young as they are (mine had 7 years of practicing bad habits to change), you should see results even faster. 
This is how I got started. I also joined a training club.
http://leerburg.com/pdf/packstructure.pdf

Best wishes!


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## ArreauStandardPoodle (Sep 1, 2009)

Generally I prefer working with a male. I find they try much harder to please, where the girl are more hard headed and obstinate.


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## BorderKelpie (Dec 3, 2011)

You may wish to look into marker training, it takes the work out of training and makes it fun for everybody. They learn so much faster and are always looking for things to trigger that click and treat. Makes him really try harder for you.


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## .wesss (Feb 7, 2012)

Thanks for all the replies! It seems like they're quite opposites. We socialize all the time at the dog park. And up until recently actually, he does awesome there. But last time all he did was bark at a couple of the other dogs, and a lady there and freaked them out. I'm not sure if this is just a stage he is going through, but he hasn't always acted this way. I will look into maybe a trainer, however I find it much more rewarding to do it myself (and a ton less $).


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## roulette (Feb 18, 2011)

You need to train them separately. Pulling ahead at walk is a dominance issue, and a very natural behavior for a young male. There are other things you may need to address at home to suppress his hierarchy needs. If you don't train him now, it will only become a bigger issue as he grows up.. is he neutered?


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