German Shepherds Forum banner

Always owned male dogs- getting a female GSD?

3K views 21 replies 19 participants last post by  faileh 
#1 ·
Hi there,

I am soon to be a first time GSD owner if everything works out as planned.

I have done a lot of reading on this forum about differences between male and female. I have always owned male dogs and they certainly fit the description of goofy, velcro dog etc- and I love that about them! I see females are more independent, not as affectionate, more standoffish as a general rule.

The breeder I am dealing with is great but she is suggesting a female dog would pair better with my other male dog (little pomeranian). If I am used to a male dog being your "shadow/velcro dog" do you think I may find a female dog to not be as good of a companion or maybe a little disappointing?

I know how dumb that sounds.. I am just a little bit iffy on making my final decision to get a female and I could use some advice/input from all of you experts out there!

Thank you!
 
#4 · (Edited)
It was suggested that we get a female because the Pom "thinks" he is as big as a GSD and the breeder thinks there would be less conflict/dominance issues between him and a female as opposed to two males and the female might put up with his crap a little bit more.
 
#3 ·
We have a 15 month old male and now a 6 month old female, she is turning out to be just as much of a velcro.

We never had a female dog before, but we are really enjoying her and she gets along well with her brother. I am glad it was recommended we get a female to live with a male :)
 
#5 ·
Thanks for the response! That makes me feel a little bit better. I know a lot of people find male dogs a little bit "silly" and immature but I kind of like their sense of humour! This breeder appears to be great and has a lot of good feedback on this board, I certainly trust her judgement. I have just never owned a female before and am kind of iffy on it.
 
#7 ·
I much prefer males and I will always have multiple males but at some point I want a Doberman and I will have to get a female because Dobermans have a problem with male/male aggression. Luckily for me, I know 3 female Dobermans and I like them all so I think I will be just fine with getting one.

I had a female GSD, we didn't bond and she wasn't velcro with me and would have happily have left with someone else. I am female and I am a believer in "male dogs get along better with female owners" and "female dogs get along better with male owners." It's just what I have personally seen and I believe it is true, of course there are always exceptions to the rule.

If you prefer males and would rather get a male than a female then get a male.
 
#8 ·
Opposite sex pairings always have a higher chance of succeeding when there's only two involved. There are males and females that get along better with same sex, but those are a lower minority. If the breeder is recommending a female I would go with their recommendation

Personally I prefer male dogs as well but I focus on pack harmony above all. Right now I have a male and a female so if I added a third dog technically I could get either sex but knowing my two dogs I would get a female simply because my male is dog friendly and will want to interact while my female couldn’t care less.


 
#10 ·
Our female GSD shows absolutely no signs of the rules you listed above. She is tethered to my hip at all times, my face and ears have never been cleaner from her affection and her role as a protector is something she does very well.

My best word of advice, go with the dog that you bond with the most. I had no intention of choosing a female until we saw how affection our gal was. The male we originally set out to visit wanted nothing to do with us and was more interested in rolling around in grass.
 
#14 ·
I have a female but I am no expert this is just my personal experience with her and she is very affectionate, velcroey and protective. She is not mean what so ever And she's very silly/goofy. She does however like to be outside a lot and does entertain herself If we're busy at the time, but every 10 mins she runs in and checks on me to make sure I'm still ok :). I have not owned a male gsd before (Dixie is my first) so I really don't know the difference between them.
 
#15 ·
The breeder would know best on the dynamics.

Let me say if you approach the female entirely different you will be much more successful. Boys are your itty bitty baby goofballs (even if they are big). Boys are your children, the perpetual toddler or 5 year old. Girls, girls are your bestie girlfriend. You will butt heads, disagree, she will throw tantrums and be manipulative to get her way, but when you treat them as your best friend, they work their hearts out for you. It's all about respect -- earn theirs and give yours.

My sheltie is a good example. We were not gelling as a team in class, she and I were having a power struggle at home, it was off. A vet who is a sheltie show person explained the smart-girl-dog brain. I immediately stopped treating her as the baby and started treating her as a clever girl in a small body and we clicked and turned the dynamic around instantly. You can baby the boy, but you have to respect the girl and they will work their heart out for you
 
#18 ·
I have always had male dogs, but am the proud dad of a new (9 weeks) female GSD and I absolutely love her. She is very affectionate and even at her young age, doesn't leave my side.

I suppose, just like anything else, your mileage will vary, but I adore my girl :)
 
#20 ·
I have a male and a female GSD, and my female is far more velcro and bonded. My male is almost five and my female two and a half, and she is a lot more mature yet still playful. I once heard someone say something to the effect of "my females grew up quickly, while the males were still running into the screen door". :p Wish I could remember who said that, but it stuck with me and seems very true!

For my mom and her dogs, it is the opposite - the female is aloof and "whatever" and the males are very needy and bonded. She has border collie mixes.

Anyway, you'll find people who've succeed with all combinations - male-male, male-female, female-female, multiples of each, etc.
 
#21 ·
I think it depends more on the personality of the dog than gender. While gender comes into play my current female is very sweet and docile and loves affection and is my shadow. Of course the environment and bonding is important too. I think you will find a male or a female GSD a wonderful companion no matter what the gender. Good luck!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top