Male vs Female

Boy Crazy!

Now, don't get me wrong, I absolutely adore my two girls, Mocha and Pebbles, even when they get in "their moods" as girls have a tendency to do!  But there is something special, very special, about a big, goofy, teddy-bear, golden boy! I have three of them, Jesse, Logan, & Alex.  Talk about "love machines".  Talk about attached at the hip.  Talk about me never being out of their sight!  That's them.

When I interview prospective adopters for GRIN and we discuss what gender of golden they are interested in, I am always curious why so many will only consider a female.  I usually then set out to try to persuade them to consider a male also.  For one thing, they will probably get a GRIN dog sooner if they will take a male because we always have so many more for some reason (still not sure why).  I also get to go on about how great the males are.

Some of the misconceptions that people have about male dogs just aren't true, especially with goldens.  Most Golden Retrievers are very clean dogs and would not think of marking in the house unless ill or very stressed.  Most neutered males squat to urinate similar to a female.  In addition, I personally have found the temperament of males to be much more stable and not as prone to emotional swings.  The females I have now and the ones I have owned in past are and were all very sweet girls, however, they were usually just glad to know I was in the house somewhere as they went off and did their own thing in another room.  The boys, on the other hand, are very attentive to what I am doing and, in fact, most times I have to ask them to move so I can finish what I'm doing.  They seem to be very inquisitive and tuned in to what I am working on.  If I'm at my computer, my Logan is under the table at my feet.  If I'm watching TV, Logan is at my side and Alex is usually trying to force feed me a tennis ball and Jesse is not far away either.  I always tell people, "IF I could only have one dog, I would have a male Golden Retriever.  They are silly, fun- loving clowns.  Life is always one big party and they love to be the center of attention."

Now for the facts!  Neither sex is easier to train and both are equally intelligent and affectionate.  Both are excellent with children and both make excellent companions.  Problems of aggression, which males of other breeds may exhibit, should not occur in the Golden.  Sex-related behavior such as mounting and marking may be exhibited by some male goldens, particularly if other males are present or if the male has been used for breeding.  Neutering a male will help alleviate these problems and also eliminate the risk of testicular cancer.  It should be noted that female dogs will mount other dogs at times, however, they are just trying to show their dominance over the other dog.  It is in no way a sexual act.  Female goldens tend to be more subtle than males.  They're affectionate on their own terms.  They'll ask for petting, then reassert their independence by walking away when they've had enough.  Females do tend to learn faster and are not as distracted during training sessions.  Female dogs are prone to mood swings and emotional theatrics.  They can be sweet one day (or one hour) and grumpy the next.  (Note: I have noticed that firsthand with my girls.)  Agree or disagree but female dogs are experts at THE DIRTY LOOK and THE SULK.  Now before, all the female golden owners disagree with me, ask yourself, "have I ever owned a male?"  If you have never had a male, then you have nothing with which to compare your female. 

Maybe I'd better stop on that note.  Well, whatever sex you prefer, just make sure to give them lots of love, attention, training and good care and they will be your best friend for life.

Donna is a long time GRIN member and her knowledge about the breed is vast.