Are male dogs friendlier than female dogs in general?

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   theclevercatposted 12 years ago

   Are male dogs friendlier than female dogs in general?
   
   I'm more of a cat person, so I'd love to know the answer.

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   sleepylogposted 12 years ago

   That's an interesting question. I'll be following the replies to this one with great interest.
   I can only tell you what I've noticed in my experiences with dogs. I find that overall, all dogs seem to be friendlier towards women. There are some dogs that don't like men as much, I guess because they seem more intimidating or threatening. My dog is very much like that. He's not at all aggressive towards men, he just tends to ignore them until he becomes familiar with them. He's completely different towards women though. He loves them at first sight and pretty much demands their undivided attention.

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   Sue826posted 12 years ago

   I haven't found male dogs to be distinctively different from females in regards to being friendly.  I volunteer at the city shelter 4 days a week so I interact with a large variety.  I have noticed a difference among the breeds.  Sharpais and cattle dogs tend to be less affectionate and more wary of people in general.  Pit bulls are very affectionate in general.  I think dogs can be as individual as people in some respects.

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      theclevercatposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Great answer! I'm glad you piped in, since you have the shelter background, Thanks!

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   AhalitaMoonfireposted 12 years ago

   Again that's depends the owner. Females dogs more friendly to a male owner, while a male can more friendly to a female owner. However, a dog is typically happy and friend as long as the owner treats it well.

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   SmartAndFunposted 12 years ago

   I'm no expert, but in my observation it seems like breed and socialization make more of a difference in friendliness than gender. Dogs that are well socialized and accustomed to all types of people - men, women, kids, grabby babies, dog lovers, those fearful of dogs, delivery people, etc., are much friendlier toward people. I think some breeds, such as labs, are naturally friendlier than maybe some of the smaller, more nervous, barky-type dogs. Just an observation, not a fact.

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   Faith A Mullenposted 12 years ago

   Hi theclevercat,
   
   I think the answer to this question can vary depending on breed, socialization, and individual dog temperament. However, as a very broad generalization, I would say that male dogs tend to be more affectionate whereas female dogs may be a bit more reserved and independent. Again, this is a broad generalization and may not always be the case depending on the individual dog.

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   agilitymachposted 12 years ago

   I agree that socialization is the real key here.  And, genetics does play a role also.  Fearful parents will produce off spring that drift towards a fearful nature.  How much socialization can overcome a genetically fearful nature is of constant debate amongst professional dog trainers. 
   
   I'm not sure that one can truly base friendliness based on breed alone, however, as within breeds certain "lines" tend to be more friendly than other lines.  Fearfulness is common, unfortunately, in my breed - the Shetland Sheepdog.  However exceedingly friendly and outgoing lines produce wonderfully happy, friendly dogs - both male and female.
   
   So is friendliness more common in males than females generally?  I'd say no.  How a dog is socialized and how a dog is trained (ie. punishment based training vs. positive training) will much more determine friendliness and genetic family lines will also play a role.

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      theclevercatposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Great stuff agilitymach and thanks so much for the well-thought-out answer!

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