Corgi females v males

[Michael Romanos]

Quite often on Go Corgi there is the discussion on the comparison between males and females, which sex to go for when getting a pup.

Here are a few observations:

FEMALES

Usually more easy to train than males.
More passive.
Hold their urine longer than a male - some can wait up to 12 hours if necessary.
Most likely a female will empty her bladder all at once whereas males go in little spurts.

MALES

Probably more affectionate.
Better watch dogs thru being more dominant and self-confident.

[Jane Austen]

I don't agree in what you say about female corgi, at least in the case of Duchess. She might be able to hold her urine for several hours but she would prefer to go out every four hours. Duchess marks in little spurts much like a male.
She is not passive. And is somewhat of a watchdog.
This female corgi is not cuddly but affectionate in lots of ways and extremely loyal.
Males are more dominant? I don't think so.

[glencorgi]

Not my experience and I've lived with multiple corgis of both sexes or both breeds for a very long time. I will agree that the boys tend to be a little bit sweeter and not quite as independent as the females.

Debbie

[Vannette]

My male is more passive and sweeter
They both mark.
Katie is more confident and dominate. She is my constant shadow. She is very loyal. She is cuddly but Cody crowds her out.
My ex husband always said to get a female over a male. That should have been enough to make me do the opposite.

[colbycorgi]

Colby is more cuddly and was easier to housetrain...cammie is more dominant but colby is more watchdoggie...colby is more passive....hhhmmmm.....

[Michael Romanos]

Taylor, my five year old male Pem, often these days goes without toileting for 15-16 hours ( from around 7 at night to after 10am the following day). So I can easily see where the average niormal healthy suitably aged female dog can hold off urinating for upwards of 12 hours.

While Alice, the six year old Pem I look after on occasions is almost up to Taylor's standard in urinating in spurts and seemingly leaving a mark at vantage places (as well as lifting her leg on occasions), Nina, the year old Labrador I walk three times a week, tends to empty her bladder all at once on our 1 hour walks/romps.

I would say that the majority of canine behaviourists would say that male dogs are generally less passive than are female dogs and therefore more dominant and more ready to display self-confidence.

When I wrote my article on why female dogs do better at agility than do male dogs, the unanimous opinion among canine behaviourists and trainers that I interviewed was that females are generally easier to train/more trainable than are the males. Also there was a study done on the subject in the USA some years ago. Among the reasons why females are easier is the general comparative passiveness of females and that males are often distracted through things like wanting to mark territory.

[Peggy]

I've had much experience with males and females I've owned several of both over the years. I have both now too.

I've not found females more easy to train. Males have been more willing to please.

Females have been more easily housebroken. (I think obedience type things when one says train.)

My females have not been more passive. In fact they're more likely to be bossy and pushy than the males.

Both sexes can hold their urine about the same. It's an individual dog thing, not sex related from my experience.

And yes, females usually empty their bladders at one time, but I have also had a female here and there that likes to mark too.

I have not found the males to be better watch dogs. I've found that to be pretty equal.

I've also not found males to be more domiant. I've found the females to be more dominat and usualy it's been a female that's been the true alpha in the pack.

Both are about equal in self confidence too.

Peggy

[Peggy]

Originally Posted by Michael Romanos

I would say that the majority of canine behaviourists would say that male dogs are generally less passive than are female dogs and therefore more dominant and more ready to display self-confidence.

When I wrote my article on why female dogs do better at agility than do male dogs, the unanimous opinion among canine behaviourists and trainers that I interviewed was that females are generally easier to train/more trainable than are the males. Also there was a study done on the subject in the USA some years ago. Among the reasons why females are easier is the general comparative passiveness of females and that males are often distracted through things like wanting to mark territory.

Usually I'm not in favor of "corgi specific" but in this case we are talking corgis and the males are usually more passive, more eager to please than the females.

Remember that canine behavorists normally see a large variety of breeds and mixed breeds. They are not corgi specific people. Nor have they lived with several different males and female corgis.

This is one area where breeders would know more than a behaviorsit. A breeder is a "specialist" in his or her chosen breed.

Peggy

[Michael Romanos]

Well Peggy, you have many 'weighty' people who hold a different view to you plus perhaps the only officially recognised study ever done with regard to their contention that females are more easily trainable and responsive to training than are males.
I did talk to one dog trainer a few weeks ago who said that males are easier to train. But that was one person as against seven or eight that I had contacted when forming my article. My article was also published in Australia and in Britain. I received only one correspondence that was critical of the outcome of my article. The subject of breed specific does not apply to this topic - it is recognised that the trainability of female dogs as compared with male dogs is across the board.

[Chip's Mom]

I am no expert and I think there are alot of variables here. First of all are we still talking corgis or all breeds? I have owned several females vs males of different breeds and I now own two male corgis (neutered) and a little female corgi (just 5 months old) and I will say from observation and having raised her since she was 8 weeks old as well as the two boys, that there difinitely is a big difference in male vs female personalities. My boys tend to be much more agreeable and willing to go along with the program. Taffy will go along with the program as long as it fits into her agenda. She is much more yappy and will vocalize her displeasure at a drop of a hat. She tries to boss the two boys with her yapping and then tries her female wiles on them if that doesn't work and if all that fails, then she has been known to start a scrap or two. (time outs work great for that) but then she struts out in front of the boys like a hardened criminal just leaving prison. She also is very cuddly and loving. More so then the boys but she is afraid of some things and looks for the boys to protect her. The three give us many hours of entertainment but I will say that I would definitely not want two female corgis. Chip can also hold his bladder for 12 hours but I don't encourage it. I would think over a period of time, it wouldn't be healthy for a dog to hold it that long. I will add that I think it all depends on the personality of the dog. My boys look at her like a pesky little sister and sometimes when they are outside they will hide on her, other times they will wait for her to follow them. Too funny these three.

[glencorgi]

Originally Posted by Michael Romanos

Also there was a study done on the subject in the USA some years ago. Among the reasons why females are easier is the general comparative passiveness of females and that males are often distracted through things like wanting to mark territory.

And wasn't that 1986 study called into question? "The 1986 US study finding that females were much easier to train than males has largely been discounted, and also, as I recall, dealt strictly with the most basic levels of training, skilled and experienced trainers do not, as a rule, experience the same issues training males." This per someone who is a Super Moderator on a dog sports forum and heavily involved in competitive agility. She goes on to say: "The article does not seem to have any concrete information as to why the discrepency exists, only opinions of various trainers, behaviorists etc. which are interesting but not really useful in determining whether there is an actual bias in favor of females in the sport. Perhaps there are strongly relevant reasons why females are better as agility dogs, but without further study we can't really determine whether or not females are a better choice for the sport."

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Debbie

[Michael Romanos]

Dr Kevin Stafford, NZ's foremost canine behaviourist, says that females are more easily trained than males. And he provided me with his reasons that almost everyone I have spoken to concur with. He told me that not enough 'clinical' research has been done on the subject.