Secondary Sex Characteristics

cassadee7 · 01-30-2010, 09:21 PM

Can someone explain what is desirable in males vs. females re: secondary sex characteristics?

If you can post photos of dogs showing these characteristics that would be great too!

Fodder · 01-30-2010, 09:31 PM

its basically... masculine vs feminine. not so apparent in GSD as oppose to lions (manes), buck/deer (antlers) or peacocks (color+feathers)... but there are things like a larger head and a broader chest. with so many different bloodlines it does make it a tad more difficult. for instance the head on an american showline male isn't likely to compare to the head on an east german working line male (imho).

my male is 3 and lacks most of these typical traits. he often resembles females and/or puppies.

eta: he's the black and red dog on the right. when people learn that i have a male and female - Gia is without a doubt always mistaken for the male initially.

elisabeth_00117 · 01-30-2010, 09:34 PM

I personally think that Stark has great secondary sex characteristics.

He has a very masculin head (and hopefully body once he is done growing), so did his father.

I am no expert in any means, but to me secondary sex characteristics would be a masculin, blocky head, muscular-stockier body.

Stark

Shep (Stark's Sire)

**JeanKBBMMMAAN** · 01-30-2010, 09:52 PM

I think I will add to the confusion-this is Nina. She had a male head, I always thought. She was 11 I think in this picture-it says birthday, I think it was that one. I loved her look. I am not that knowledgeable so maybe she's more feminine than I thought.

**Cassidy's Mom** · 01-30-2010, 09:56 PM

When we were out places with Dena & Keefer, people would often comment on him being a male and her a female, even if they had never met us before and didn't know that we had one of each. I think she (on the right) definitely had a more feminine head, and he has a blockier big boy head:

That picture is from almost two years ago, and he's more filled out now. Although he's lean, he's quite broad, where she was always long and slender.

BuoyantDog · 01-30-2010, 09:56 PM

Nina looks like Glory, a female. Glory tends to have a more slender head and body, but I'm not sure if this is a female characteristic or not.

elisabeth_00117 · 01-30-2010, 09:58 PM

There is no mistaking Keefer for Dena. Dena has a much more femine face and is more "danity" looking. Keefer has a nice blocky head too.

**Cassidy's Mom** · 01-30-2010, 10:04 PM

I agree Elizabeth. She was actually longer so she looked as big as him, but he's wider and outweighed her by around 8-10 pounds.

ShatteringGlass · 01-30-2010, 10:06 PM

it basically means that when you look at the dog, you dont have to look at the plumbing to tell whether its a male or female.

Brightelf · 01-30-2010, 10:20 PM

Here's Grimm when we were living in Germany. He is a male, here shown at age 2, not yet filled out. You can see masculine blocky head.

Headwrinkles and doofy expression are extra.

01-30-2010, 09:21 PM	#1 (permalink)
cassadee7 Elite Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: WA Posts: 1,254	Secondary Sex Characteristics Can someone explain what is desirable in males vs. females re: secondary sex characteristics? If you can post photos of dogs showing these characteristics that would be great too! __________________ Shawn Mom to five kids and Speedy the Wonderdog, (toy poodle/pom mix), 13 years old "Saber" Jette vom Wildhaus CGC 11/09/10

01-30-2010, 09:31 PM	#2 (permalink)
Fodder Crowned Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: NoCal-SoCal Posts: 3,855	Re: Secondary Sex Characteristics its basically... masculine vs feminine. not so apparent in GSD as oppose to lions (manes), buck/deer (antlers) or peacocks (color+feathers)... but there are things like a larger head and a broader chest. with so many different bloodlines it does make it a tad more difficult. for instance the head on an american showline male isn't likely to compare to the head on an east german working line male (imho). my male is 3 and lacks most of these typical traits. he often resembles females and/or puppies. eta: he's the black and red dog on the right. when people learn that i have a male and female - Gia is without a doubt always mistaken for the male initially. __________________ ...mom to gia, tilden & ziggy

01-30-2010, 09:34 PM	#3 (permalink)
elisabeth_00117 Crowned Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Waterloo, Ontario Posts: 7,250	Re: Secondary Sex Characteristics I personally think that Stark has great secondary sex characteristics. He has a very masculin head (and hopefully body once he is done growing), so did his father. I am no expert in any means, but to me secondary sex characteristics would be a masculin, blocky head, muscular-stockier body. Stark Shep (Stark's Sire) __________________ Battleborn Hundesport Wild Winds Archangel Raphael "Stark", HIC (2009-04-10) Wild Winds Zephyr "Zefra" (2011-04-15) *Beau* 03/08/97 to 06/07/10

01-30-2010, 09:52 PM	#4 (permalink)
JeanKBBMMMAAN The Rescues Rule Administrator Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 20,697	Re: Secondary Sex Characteristics I think I will add to the confusion-this is Nina. She had a male head, I always thought. She was 11 I think in this picture-it says birthday, I think it was that one. I loved her look. I am not that knowledgeable so maybe she's more feminine than I thought. __________________ Help IMOM help Pets www.imom.org You can help Anna help IMOM help people help pets help people win...

01-30-2010, 09:56 PM	#5 (permalink)
Cassidy's Mom No Stinkin' Leashes Moderator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 24,948	Re: Secondary Sex Characteristics When we were out places with Dena & Keefer, people would often comment on him being a male and her a female, even if they had never met us before and didn't know that we had one of each. I think she (on the right) definitely had a more feminine head, and he has a blockier big boy head: That picture is from almost two years ago, and he's more filled out now. Although he's lean, he's quite broad, where she was always long and slender. __________________ -Debbie- Dena 9/12/04-10/4/08 Forever would have been too short Keefer 8/25/05 Halo 11/9/08 Cassidy 6/8/00-10/4/04

01-30-2010, 09:56 PM	#6 (permalink)
BuoyantDog Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Northern California, USA Posts: 354	Re: Secondary Sex Characteristics Nina looks like Glory, a female. Glory tends to have a more slender head and body, but I'm not sure if this is a female characteristic or not. __________________ Buoyant Dog A Dog Anthology Glory, BGSD b. 2/07, rescued (me) 2/9/09

01-30-2010, 09:58 PM	#7 (permalink)
elisabeth_00117 Crowned Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Waterloo, Ontario Posts: 7,250	Re: Secondary Sex Characteristics There is no mistaking Keefer for Dena. Dena has a much more femine face and is more "danity" looking. Keefer has a nice blocky head too. __________________ Battleborn Hundesport Wild Winds Archangel Raphael "Stark", HIC (2009-04-10) Wild Winds Zephyr "Zefra" (2011-04-15) *Beau* 03/08/97 to 06/07/10

01-30-2010, 10:04 PM	#8 (permalink)
Cassidy's Mom No Stinkin' Leashes Moderator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 24,948	Re: Secondary Sex Characteristics I agree Elizabeth. She was actually longer so she looked as big as him, but he's wider and outweighed her by around 8-10 pounds. __________________ -Debbie- Dena 9/12/04-10/4/08 Forever would have been too short Keefer 8/25/05 Halo 11/9/08 Cassidy 6/8/00-10/4/04

01-30-2010, 10:06 PM	#9 (permalink)
ShatteringGlass Master Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 906	Re: Secondary Sex Characteristics it basically means that when you look at the dog, you dont have to look at the plumbing to tell whether its a male or female. __________________ Kelly Dalmatians: CH Erin N Shamrock's S Hemisphere CD RN CGC "Sydney" (13yrs) (U-CH Pointed) Shamrock's Shippin Up To Boston RN (1/3 CA)CGC "Shane" (3yrs) Temporary GSD: Isabella vom Selehaus (1.5yrs)

01-30-2010, 10:20 PM	#10 (permalink)
Brightelf Crowned Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 9,357	Re: Secondary Sex Characteristics Here's Grimm when we were living in Germany. He is a male, here shown at age 2, not yet filled out. You can see masculine blocky head. Headwrinkles and doofy expression are extra. __________________ Patti Frauchen von: Grimm van den Heuvel, aka "The Doofinator" My strong-minded, very loving boy

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