Male vs Female doodles

[nsa777]

All of you doodle owners of both male and female doors: Do you feel there is a material difference between neutered/spayed males and females? I've heard generalizations about differences, but don't know if there is much to those generalizations. Let me know what you think. My parents are in the market for a new dog.

[Stacy]

Don't forget when my vet laughed at me because I was shocked that Maggie went over a 41" gate like it wasn't there. "She's an athlete," he said. Okay, but 41" is tall. I thought I knew they were athletic, but I wasn't expecting that!

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Luna never quite figured out the whole jumping thing but Riley can easily jump 3-4 feet doing a standing jump.. you can see why when she's in the bath, she's very leggy but powerfully built.

[Stacy]

Ava and Katie never tried. They didn't challenge boundaries. But Maggie wants to be where she wants to be. And it was always on the wrong side of the gate. Containing her before she was potty trained was such a challenge, since she hated her crate at that point. 

[Stacy]

These girls run hard. And my yard is big. They can get up speed, and they bank around the shed. It's not enough for me to just go outside with them. I have to actively go into the yard and engage. Maybe throw the ball a couple times and get them started. Otherwise Willow seems content to dig a hole *lovely.*

I'm sitting here making a list to take to the store to make a foot bath. It's really bad. I tried to rinse them in the kitchen sink and it was just mud everywhere. So I tried to rinse them in the tub and it was mud everywhere. I'm thinking maybe a dish pan in the garage that we can rinse in before we come inside. And really, it does have to dry up at some point. But this is rough. Maggie looks like she's wearing brown ankle boots. And Willow had mud up to her belly. Katie's not quite as nuts. And black dogs hide the dirt until you get in bed and realize you're sleeping on all the dirt. 

[nsa777]

I appreciate the candid advice but that these are all topics that my parents and I have thoroughly thought through- from puppy demands, need for exercise (my parents are not sedentary), potty/leash training, grooming & vet bills, monthly heartworm and flea/tick treatments, pet insurance, etc.  If you knew my parents, you would know that they do not do anything without thorough research and thought.  

I am a 2 time doodle owner (Goldendoodles and current Australian labradoodle) and know very well what is involved in dog ownership as do they, given the amount of time they have spent in my house with my dog, and having previously owned a dog.  They are fully aware of the possibility this new puppy could outlive them.  My sister and her family (who live near them and will be regularly with the dog) have committed to taking the dog..they visited the breeder together, and are together going to choose the puppy on "pick day".

[Stacy]

Totally not a judgment, more of a public service announcement. It's good that they know what they're getting into. Much better than being surprised that you didn't get what you expected!

[Adina P]

We've had:

1 male labradoodle
2 female labradoodles
1 female border collie

The 3 females have all been more "busy bodied," and smarter.  But that's not a huge sample size.

My male was less of a busy dood.  But he was also happier to be inside, a more mellow temperament--so not sex related.  But it has made me biased toward males.  Even though he was a bit of a bonehead for his first year of life, I still kind of idealize his personality and generalize that toward male dogs.  

However, now that my female LD is almost 9.  She's become a dream dog.  So...maybe I'll be less adamant about gender when I get my future dog.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I used to favor females simply because my first dog was female and all but one of my childhood dogs were also female.  However, when I got my second Springer, male was my only choice.  Our first doodle was male because he was the most charming of the litter.   My rescues have always been male - just happened.  Do I have a preference - maybe female, do I really care - not at all.  Some of my males have marked, all have been housebroken.  One advantage of having a male is that if they mark outside at all, it is easier to tell them to pee on command......  

Bottom line is, I don't think it really matters that much - you get what you get as to gender, it's the dog's personality that makes all the difference. 

[Leslie J]

My experience has been that male dogs are more cuddly than females.  Of course there are other factors such as temperament and breed, but I think this is the case for both dogs and cats.

[Christine]

Hi!
We have a beautiful f1b named Nala.  She is an absolute snuggle bug.  She is going to be 4 this summer.  I cannot tell you how loving, sweet, and intuitive this dog is.  As a matter of fact, I went through a rough time medically this past summer, and Nala was instrumental in my handling the stress.  She has this way of laying right up against me, and just having her by my side helped tremendously.   

She is also extremely people friendly, which I always attributed to her golden retriever side...she actually looks like a mini golden. The way she looks at people stops them in their tracks. She has a way of looking people right in the eye as if to say hello.  She is the first dog that I raised, but I did grow up with a poodle (pure) who was a boy.  We loved him so much, but he wasn’t a snuggler.  He was super smart, loyal, but just not into cuddling.

I am going to agree with another poster and say it is more personality than sex.  

Best of luck,
Christine & Miss Nala :)

[Lori, Winnie, Bob and Indie]

I have a female Goldendoodle, a male Goldendoodle, and a male Standard Poodle. By far, the males are more affectionate and cuddly. They truly aim to please! Winnie likes attention, but it's usually on her terms. She's the smartest of the 3 and very perceptive of everything that is going on around her. She also is the most stubborn of the 3. And, she likes to hump Bob... :-)