GSP Male vs Female

[pstrman]

I am going to look at GSP puppy's today. I know males are generally more high strung than females, but I was wondering if a neutered male would calm down enough to be considered. I am looking for a good house, family and hunting partner. I owned a female years ago and was real happy with her.

Thanks for input

Bryan

[vzkennels]

I don't see either sex being more hyper then the other,depends more on the dog.

[SD Pheasant Slayer]

I own both a male and female and have friends with multiple dogs as well and am yet to see a discernible difference between the sexes. In my limited experience, I find males to be a little more "needy" or "attached" than females in a house setting, but other than that, nothing really jumps out. In the field I think you'll find they're basically identical. Good luck!

[ACooper]

Most traits people see in dogs like the ones mentioned in this post "needy, high strung, etc" have to do with the personality and traits of the dog in question, not the sex.

[Elroy's Bandit]

I agree, I don't think it matters Male or Female. I believe ,in my opinion, a "portion" of it has to do with the pups first 6-8 months and how they are trained for the situation that suits your arrangements. Example- 6 yr. old GSP,trained mainly from the home enviroment. Very well mannered in the house , yet very excitable anywhere near a bird field. He is an awesome dog at home, and has 2 distinctive attitudes!
2.5 yr. old GSP, mostly trained and boarded in the "kennel" atmosphere(he's training 7 of the 12 months), but in house enough he should know better, and sometimes does. Within 2-3 days after getting home, he starts re-figuring out that there is a different speed and level at home......but he has his moments. (I think they are hilarious, wife disagrees) But all in all both good dogs, yet both different. My neighbor has a female, hunted but rarely, and you have to put a mirror under her nose to make sure she is still alive, way too docile for me.
Bill L.

[bobman]

the only difference I've noticed are females tend to be more territorial and protective

[jbogacki76]

I haven’t really seen a difference between to two. They are high energy dogs.

I also think a lot of it boils down to some people just don’t exercise/train their dogs enough (I am guilty of this too sometimes with my work schedule). They are home, in the house 5-6 days a week - Let outside and back in. They don’t have any time to burn all that built up energy. Being a male or a female doesn’t matter. This is just my opinion from my own experience.

[Elroy's Bandit]

Joe is correct. Excercise is very important. It will become painfully obvious if they don't get out and run after a few days. If you plan on owning GSP's (male or female)and think they can be house dogs without exercise, you are kidding yourself. Granted , my 6yr old has adapted very nicely to the lazyboy, homelife, but he walks 2-3 miles every night and gets a good 2 hour run both weekend days at the forest preserve( unless a county sheriff comes along and I get ticketed for no leash....thanks Stroger) Bottom line, I wouldn;t worry about which is more high strung. Pick the one that you feel comfortable with as far as being protective, size, heat cycle or no heat cycle, humping legs and furniture, etc... etc. Than be prepared to provide ample excercise for them on a consistant basis. After that it all works out. JMO for what it's worth.
Bill L.

[Elroy's Bandit]

After seeing my post about my dogs walking 2-3 miles each night, I got to thinking.......It's my wife that walks every night , not me. Man, I should stop and get her something on the way home tonight, I have been taking that for granted the last 6 years.
Bill L.

[zachz]

my 2 cents, I'm on my second male GSP, both seem the same, needy, need to be with me all the time, not that that's a bad thing, very stable temperments, non territorial, happy go lucky. My buddy has 2 females, that seem to be territorial and moody at times. At one time or another they have both gone after my male in a territorial dispute, nothing harsh, my dog just gets away and seems puzzled, comes back still happy as ever seeming to say "take it easy girls"

[Sprig]

I am going to look at GSP puppy's today. I know males are generally more high strung than females, but I was wondering if a neutered male would calm down enough to be considered. I am looking for a good house, family and hunting partner. I owned a female years ago and was real happy with her.

Thanks for input

Bryan

gender really doesnt have anything to do with how high strung the dogs are. there is a theory that if you neuter or spay an animal before it gets to be an adult it will affect how the dog developes mentally. some people believe if you get them done early enough it will curb some of the high strung tendencies. Personally, I think early training and socialization has alot to to with it, especially when it comes to obedience training. for me, a high strung hunting dog is not too bad if it is under control and listens but the problem is most of these dogs arent that way because it is too much dog for alot of people so the dog never gets worked with or trained properly. no matter what you pick, train your dog and start the training early in its life. form good habits from day one in the dog's head and you wont have to go back and try and "fix" them later, which by the way is even harder with a high strung dog.

[nitrex]

After seeing my post about my dogs walking 2-3 miles each night, I got to thinking.......It's my wife that walks every night , not me. Man, I should stop and get her something on the way home tonight, I have been taking that for granted the last 6 years.
Bill L.

I would take that woman on a week long hunting vacation!!! You, I mean, she deserves it!

Nitrex

[aylaschamp]

My two cents, for what it's worth, males are the same as females aside from a few points. One, they mark! Two, once you breed them when your anywhere near a dog in heat that's what's on their mind! Once he's had the taste he'll fight for it again. Males tend to be more space territorial around other males as well. Females can quickly set boundaries for themselves where as males will always test the boundaries. A lone male in the house is exactly the same as a female, when you add other dogs to the equitation it will change things. Other females only give him something to look forward to where other males are competition.

[bobman]

when I say territorial I mean females make better watchdogs which in todays society is not a bad thing, my male dogs would ignore a burglar and watch something attack me with mild interest, my female dogs would go to my side and fight for me.

I'm speaking from actual experience, like humans the females are the ones to be feared .... weaker sex hah!

[rosiesdad]

In general males are larger, and piss all over the yard, bushes and every vehicle tire he can find.
I quit male dogs for the marking alone.

[h.q.s]

In general males are larger, and piss all over the yard, bushes and every vehicle tire he can find.
I quit male dogs for the marking alone.

I think that's a stereo type....

I have owned quite a few males and not ONE would do that.

It really just comes down to the individual dog. You can say whatever you want about a male or female, but there will always been exeptions.


Lantz

[Sprig]

In general males are larger, and piss all over the yard, bushes and every vehicle tire he can find.
I quit male dogs for the marking alone.

there is some truth to this.....some male dogs are very territorial and have to mark alot. I have a specific clients' dog that comes and stays with me a few days each month when he is out of town and the very second i put him in his dog run, every single time he comes, he has to pee on his dog house, water dish and food pan. he does this every time without fail and he is just marking his "stuff" with all the other dogs around. not all male dogs do that but some do.