At Jenna Lee Designer Doodles, we get the gender question a lot. We also hear from a lot of soon-to-be dog parents who have conducted their own independent research and concluded that a female doodle is by far the better option. Conversely, we hear from many other parents that their research has led them to conclude that a male doodle is best.
So, who’s right and who’s wrong about which gender Goldendoodle will be best for them?
Let’s take a closer look at some of the Goldendoodle Gender Myth Busters:
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Assumption #1: Male dogs are more difficult to house train and will mark their territory indoors.
In reality, male and female pups tend to housetrain at the same rate. Both males and females enjoy marking their territory on walks around the neighborhood but will quickly learn this is not a thing to do indoors based on your training.
Unneutered males can develop a problem with marking indoors, particularly when living with other unneutered males as they both posture for dominance. As long as you have your male pup neutered by the age of sexual maturity (our contract lists by the age of 6 months), he should have no problems with house training.
Conclusion: False
Assumption #2: Female dogs’ urine “burns the grass.”
This is a weird one, but definitely one we have heard more than a few times over the past few years. Any highly concentrated dog urine can kill grass. Females tend to get blamed for it more often as squatting can cause a higher accumulation of urine in one spot versus lifting a leg to pee, but both genders of dogs can cause this problem with highly concentrated urine.
In general, if you have a well-hydrated dog of either gender you should not be experiencing this problem. It seems to be a rarer issue, but if you do happen to run into this problem, adding water to your dog’s kibble (or any other form of extra hydration) should eliminate it!
Conclusion: Mostly False
Assumption #3: Females are more independent, males are more affectionate; females are moodier, males are more aggressive.
There are SO MANY theories out there pertaining to temperament and gender. In reality, most of these theories are guilty of hasty generalization (applying something to an entire set without sufficient evidence). Statistics show that both genders of dogs consistently become service dogs, therapy dogs, obedience champions, sports’ competitions dogs, etc. supporting the idea that dogs of both genders can have incredibly trainable and versatile temperaments.
The individual temperaments between pups vary much more than any gender differences. At JLDD, we strive for emotionally stable, well-rounded temperaments in all of our pups. We always wait until our pups’ personalities are more developed (age six weeks) to do a temperament test and help our families select a pup that’s best suited for their home.
Some pups will be more affectionate, some will display extra focus during training, some are extra independent, some are more interested in retrieving, etc. By six weeks, our temperament testing program can help give you the inside track on an individual pups’ strengths.
Keeping an open mind about gender allows people to really focus on the individual traits of a pup and select the one that is best for their lifestyle and needs.
Conclusion: False!
Assumption #4: Only male dogs will hump other dogs or people.
Actually, this is a behavior that female dogs often participate in, too! For dogs, humping is just one more way to engage in play or posturing for dominance and is not always sexual. It’s generally nothing to be concerned about whatsoever.
The human society is much more offended by this behavior than the canine world! So, this is a behavior that many dogs of either gender will try out, but you as the owner/trainer can curb this behavior as you see fit.
Conclusion: False!
Assumption #5: Males tend to be bigger on average than females.
This is not true in every case but as a general rule of thumb, the males in a litter will tend to grow a bit bigger than the girls on average. It’s generally a very slight difference, but if you are very specific on size, then this might be a factor to consider.
Conclusion: True!
In addition to these the above theories and myths about which gender goldendoodle is better, here are a few other questions we hear frequently from our clients:
Q: I already have a male/female dog, what gender should my second dog be?
A: Again, the answer is probably either. As a general rule of thumb, most breeders and trainers will recommend a male/female pairing as the ideal for two dogs living in the same household as they are less likely to bicker for dominance. If you like having two of the same gender, we actually recommend two males together. Two females actually can cause more issues than two males.
However, we have witnessed every combination of gender imaginable work out well. So, while we would give a slight edge to recommending a male / female pairing, we would also recommend a pup of a more submissive temperament of either gender to fit in well if your current dog is a bit more dominant.
Q: I’m a single male looking for a best buddy (or vice versa) - what gender Goldendoodle is best for me?
A: We have found another broad trend over the years that male dogs tend to bond most naturally with female humans and vice versa. Again, this is a broad generalization and ultimately, doodles are incredibly loyal, loving dogs that will bond deeply with ANY human who gives them attention and snacks!
So if you have a family of mixed genders, then either gender would work well for you, but if, for example, you are specifically looking for a service dog / emotional support animal for one particular member of the family, we would recommend the opposite sex dog (i.e. female child would likely pair best with male service dog) just to ensure a very natural bond.
Final Word on Which Gender Goldendoodle is Best for You: In the vast majority of cases the individual temperament of the pup is significantly more important than gender.
(Conclusion: Definitely True!)
Doodles of both genders are known for their affection, intelligence, and almost humanlike wit and mannerisms. They have a distinct way of charming us regardless of gender.
We have heard many stories of owners who ended up with a doodle of a different gender/color/size than they were originally intending, and the conclusion is always the same, “We would not trade him/her for the world!” Do you have any similar stories to share or more gender questions? Reach out to us at contact@jennaleedoodles.com.
Jenna and the JLDD Team
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