Are females so different from males ?

[Dawnspell]

There's lots of controversy over castrating males to correct "behavioural" problems. I had the trainers at dog training school saying I should get Barney castrated so he would be easier to train because he was too interested in other dogs in class. Not because it was causing problems, but just because it would make him easier to train as he would become more focused on me. I never found out if this was the case as we never had him castrated and with age came wisdom and he settled down. I'm sure loads of you have similar experiences from vets etc.

Nothing ever seems to get mentioned about correcting "behavioural" problems in females by spaying. Having never owned or having much contact with females are they so different to males ? Are they easier to train, more focused on humans than a male ? I'd be interested in your experiences on the subject

[zeta1454]

I would be interested to read experiences on this subject too. Re castrating young male dogs, I have wondered whether any changes in behaviour re focus etc. would generally resolve anyway as a dog matured and any "success" following castration of young dogs is simply coincidence as the dog would become more focused and "trainable" after the raging hormones of adolescence have stabilised in any event. Similar to puppy biting which has been shown to stop after teething even if nothing is done to "train " the puppy to stop- it is simply a phase they go through.

However, re female dogs and spaying. I think the likelihood is that with bitches, their hormone peaks throughout life will be on a roughly six monthly cycle in comparison to male dogs who are ready to mate at any time! So it could be (if hormonal surges are to blame for loss of focus / trainability) that bitches would not be subject to the same stress from this as a male dog might potentially. This may be why it is less often suggested to have spaying carried out to alter behaviour in bitches (?) I would mention too that even our castrated males (years after the op.) still become very aroused when any of our girls are in season and their behaviour does change somewhat at this time so even this remains unaffected by the castration. I have also known some entire male schnauzers who are minimally aroused by in season bitches.

Having had mainly females but also four male dogs (including 3 currently) I would not make any distinction between the two sexes as regards being easier to train or more focused. There may be individual differences due to temperament but not gender. Both male dogs in the vicinity of a bitch in season and female dogs when they are in season may well find it hard to focus and can be more driven by their hormones. Both sexes may be awkward and naughty during adolescence too.

From having had both male and female dogs in the show ring where both should be entire (although more obvious in the male!) I have rarely seen any problem regarding these dogs intermingling and focusing during their time in the show ring. Training for this and generally for all dogs is the key, in my experience, and, while very young and adolescent dogs of both sexes can be a trial where good behaviour is concerned, this invariably disappears if consistent, positive training is carried out and continued into adulthood.

[Schnauzer Sam]

I only have experience of owning females Alison. Two were spayed (Molly at 5 months and Rosie at 9/10 months) and Edie who is intact. I really can't say that I saw any difference in their behaviour that I could identify as a change due to the spay with one exception.

That is having Rosie neutered (not through choice as she had pyometra) did sort out her obsessive behaviour with her toys. She had a phantom pregnancy immediately after her first season and drove herself mad trying to nurture them. That alone has been the only change in her post spay.

The difference in their behaviour, I believe, is due to the early socialisation that was done by the breeder (or in Rosie's case - not) and subsequent training by the owner.

I don't think that girls are any soppier than the boys either - I've seen many examples of both sexes being very loving and attentive.

Having had one bitch why ere my next two also bitches? I was comfortable with what I had experience of- it's as simple as that.

[Oscar 12345]

Having had 3 males I only have perceptions coming from conversations with owners of females. Many females we have come across seem to like non pushy entire males so my experiences of them are nearly always very pleasant and they seem to like Otto. Their owners do tell me that they are different around other females and that they are more moody than males, I don't think I have had a moody male, complex yes but wouldn't describe them as moody. Christine (Schnauzer) has had one of each so she is in a good position to describe what it has been like. Are you thinking of having a female?

[Dawnspell]

Are you thinking of having a female?

No not really. I'd have either sex it's the males of the house that want boys

It just occurred to me that you don't hear of spaying being suggested to sort out behaviour like you do castration for males, so just got to wondering.

[schnauzer]

Christine (Schnauzer) has had one of each so she is in a good position to describe what it has been like.

Thanks Julie

My precious girl Suzi was spayed at 13 months, after having her 1st season at 10 months. As a puppy she humped Teddies, she would steal them from my bed. After being spayed she never did it. She wee'd as often as a male when out on a walk, also as high up a tree as she could get, would stand on her two front legs & put her bum up a tree. Have to say her nature never changed, she was loving & affectionate when she wanted to be but could also be aloof sometimes. She was a very healthy dog, with no allergies or sensitive tummy, she was fed on Burns Kibble with also having her vegetables cooked or raw she loved Sprouts, Brocolli & carrots. Sadly we lost her just 4 weeks short of her 13th birthday when she was diagnosed with a mass in her lung. We miss her so much as she was unique & made us laugh every day, she loved going away with us. Having her opened up a whole new world to us in fact I could write a book.

We now have Gino who came to us 3 months after losing Suzi, the lady who had groomed Suzi recommended the Breeder. Having always been used to female dogs, the breeder put me down for a girl, but it was an easy decision as Gino was one of 5 boys & I had had my girl. To be honest we didn't really want to go back to the puppy stage but it was so easy but then we also had over 12 years experience behind us. Gino was so easy to train, it probably helped that we were also retired, he was dry all night from his first night home with us, slept all night, at 8 weeks I could not believe it, happy to go in his crate, still does but now his choice, but it makes it easy for us as we go away a lot with him. He has been a super wee boy being house trained within 2 weeks. He was neutered at 9 months, as he was starting to mark, hence one of the reasons I wasn't keen on a male dog, did it when we visited a friend & also when he went into shops. He's never done it since being neutered, no way has his nature/behaviour changed, he is a very loving & so affectionate, in fact very much my Shadow.

We are unlikely to have another now due to our age, but if I had to do it all again, it would be a very hard decision as have always preferred female dogs but Schnauzers are all different in every way, no two would be the same. I would probably have one of each. I love my boy to bits but there will always be that extra special bit in my heart for my girl, as she came to me when I lost my Mum, Gino eased the pain from losing Suzi but he will never replace her. He's a joy to have

Sorry for the long post but to get to the point they are different & having them neutered or spayed we never found it changed them, they were the same afterwards. They are super wee dogs, but I do think a lot has to do with the Breeder that they come from, Gino came from an excellent Breeder who had socialised him in every possible way unlike the Breeder that Suzi came from but then we didn't have the experience of the breed in 2004 & they were hard to come by. He's not a barky boy, though will do it when I do the last walk in the dark but not in daylight. Protecting his Mum as he is definitely a Mum's boy, unlike Suzi as she was more for my hubby but then he was with her more as I was out at work, but stopped 3 years after we got her which did help her but it was only then that she would stop running away on walks where as Gino is so different.

I would say if you can have one of each its a lovely experience as they are all different. If anyone wants any more info on either then please just ask me. Yes they are all so different.

[Riesen16]

We have always had males and it never occurred to us to have them spayed. One obvious reason was dog sport (here in Switzerland very popular) and we trained them for IPO (Schutzhund). Nowadays, in this sport a bitch in heat is allowed to enter but after all dogs have finished working.

Now we have our first bitch RS/PS Enya. We thought of having her spayed but after thinking it out, and also after a talk with my neighbour who had an intact bitch and said "why? As a precaution against various cancer illnesses, etc.? There are all sorts of other illnesses.

I have never regretted it. If it became healthwise necessary - then so be it. She is very lively, very strong-willed and needed as much, if not more, training than the males. She can also be very lovable and although I chose the breed and sex, much to my husband's initial horror. The fickle female makes far more fuss of him than me!!

I go tracking with her - she has an excellent nose!! Although I will no longer enter competitions, I have taught her various work such as "Bringing an object", Search work, heelwork, etc. and she is an enthusiastic learner.