Do boy dogs like women and do girl dogs like men better?
In order to keep my sanity and self-esteem, I've decided that the reason for this is that male dogs prefer female humans, and female dogs prefer male humans. Does anybody else have a similar observation, or am I headed for a Dale Carnegie course in "How to get dogs to like you?" |
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| At my parents' house, Maggie (girl, duh) is my dad's dog. She loves everyone, but she especially loves him. He also feeds her...so that could be why. My older brother doesn't seem to have any more clout with her than my mom or me, so I'm thinking that it is the food with her.
At MY house, Barney seems to prefer my husband to me. He loves me, but you can just tell that my husband is the one he loves the most. I don't know why this is, as I feed him as much (or more) than my husband does. |
| It's the other way around at my house. Truman favors my husband. He can't even go to the bathroom without an escort. The only time Truman jumps up on the bed is when my husband comes home from work. They have some "quality time" together discussing their respective days at work/home. The other day I tried to join in and gave my husband a kiss. Truman promptly squeezed his whole head between our faces. He put a stop to that! |
Ron wrote: male dogs prefer female humans, and female dogs prefer male humans.
the title of this thread suggests the opposite conclusion. |
| Lol!
Our first OES, Merlin was male and he was my birthday present. He truly was my dog in every sense of the word, although his heart was big enough for pretty much all comers. There were only 2 people I ever knew him not to like (and I concurred). At the time, my oldest son was 13, so Merlin grew up with a teenaged boy and his friends, plus the younger 2 boys and my daughter, who was 4 at the time. My oldest son was a soccer player and so soccer was especially important to Merlin. We live near a college campus, so there were tons of opportunities for him to interact with young men--and he absolutely perked up whenever he saw one. However, he still had a soft spot for girls--he'd find excuses to slow down if he heard young female voices behind him--you know, let the girls catch up to him, for pets and praise. When my oldest came home from college, he never made it up the driveway without Merlin insisting he lay down for plenty of kisses (Merlin laying on my son's belly). That said, Merlin was mine: he's the one who would insist I stop working in the yard and play, or go to bed if I was up too late working on some silly project. He looked out after me. All of us, really, but I think I appreciated it most. Archie came along 7 years later. My daughter was 11 then, and she and her friends thought he was so cute--so much so that he began to think that cute was his name. When he was being walked out and about, "Cute" was a common comment to be heard--he'd get all wiggly and happy, and ready to go see his public. He also likes everybody, although he is less outgoing than Merlin was. He has a special spot for the ladies, but I tried to encourage him to be my husband's dog, more than mine. My husband is the one who took him to puppy classes. Archie is less attached to me, and more attached to the whole family. But yes, he does like girls. A lot. Sherman is very omega in our house, and content with that. My daughter, now 19, adores him. Right now, he's everybody's but I predict he'll also be a ladies man. He's especially cuddly and that tends to draw in the girls. Sophie is Queen B, and I don't necessarily mean the kind that makes honey. She thinks she rules the house, expects to be the center of attention at all times, and decided that she owned my husband, something that kind of tickled him, but I discouraged heavily. Sophie is also in obvious competition with my daughter and me for alpha female, although she knows she's really number 3. She still challenges that from time to time, and we have to remind her that indeed, we get the couch, the bed, my husband, etc. I think it's a gender thing for her, too. Funny, I got a female on purpose so as not to be too much competition for Archie who played 2nd fiddle to Merlin. And he adores her--but he's not above putting her in her place when he thinks she gets out of hand. At first, Archie excluded Sherman from puppy play, but now, he is pretty taken with Sherman, and protective of him if he thinks Sophie is too bossy. Sherman adores Archie and really looks up to him. Don't worry, Ron. I'm sure your dogs adore you. After all, you started this neat website just to share the sheepie love. They're probably just more reserved with you. And there is always treats. Rub a little chicken juice on you, and I'm sure you'll be their best friend, no matter the gender. |
| I think with a lot of breeds, that is the case most of the time unless that particular sex that is favored isn't interested in the dog.
Ex. No one can tear my maltese away from me. It's like she was my long lost ...extra limb. She's just always attached and afraid to go to anyone else. Then Mr. J came along. Out the window I went despite the fact I have been with her since she was born. Then we got Yuki. The maltese stopped getting the LITTLE attn. she was getting from my husband. It was never like he played with her or anything yet she still went to him. So now I have my maltese back, but that's because I'm second pick. Many of my friends have bought the opposite gender (already having the same sex gender) jsut to have a dog that like them. It's always worked in their favor (with the toy breeds I've known to do this). |
| Yes - Val's note - the title seems backwards!
I think it's mostly opposites that attract - guys w/ girl dogs, girls w/ boy dogs. As a general statement from observations throughout the years of dog classes and students who come through. |
| I don't think that dogs see us as male female at all. What do they kow about the human gender differences?
I believe they are "attracted" to similiarities...I cringe when I hear or see "doesn't like men" or "afraid of men" in some profiles of rescue dogs. The ones with that "label" that I have been involved with re-homing worked out fine with a softer spoken, gentler male. It is more the lower voice, or the more masceline manerisms that the dogs lump together. Same with submissive behavior... All the dogs that come into my home prefer me...and it is not because I live with 4 men and they prefer woman. It is because I feed them, train them, and generally do more interactions with them. When it is time to cuddle and relax Bosley and Dixie will both go join my husband on the couch...Why? Because that is where he usually is, and he doesn't demand anything of them. When they want to play or go out or are bored they come find me... I know we would all like to generalize and make it a male/female thing, and maybe it is, if the males/females we are comparing to are very gender specific in their mannerisms etc. If we look at a same sex couple there would still be preferences. One dog we re-homed to a female couple definitely prefered one over the other. And is just happened to be the one gal who took him to obedience training, and was a lot more involved with his development who he was the most attached to....completely ignoring the partner. |
| I also think that some dogs, and some breeds, are more one-person dogs than others. Currently, my husband is home much more than I am, and walks them more than I do, because he has time. This is likely to be the case for the next several years, at least. He is also home at their feeding times, and that's not necessarily the case for me. Do they prefer him? I don't think they do, although he spends a lot more time.
On the other hand, I'm more likely to throw a ball, play tug, and rough house with them. I do more cuddling and more treating--but also more training, almost all of the grooming (except for emergency, can't wait for mom to get home stuff), all of the baths. We're 50/50 for vet visits, and meds, if necessary. I'm more of a disciplinarian, he's more easy. Kids are coming home tonight. I am expecting a huge love fest. Archie regards Sarah, my son's girlfriend, as a giant toy. And pretty much, she is. But all that foreign out of state air will definitely be licked off of everybody tonight. |
Valerie wrote: Ron wrote: male dogs prefer female humans, and female dogs prefer male humans. the title of this thread suggests the opposite conclusion. |
Tasker was pretty much a man hater for his first 6 years.....but maybe that is because he lived with me  and I wasn't too fond of the oposite sex for awhile there........ But then Doug came along and Tasker decided that men, SOME men weren't too bad after all. Some days I think he likes Doug better than me 
But he is still pretty suspicious of most men. At the kennel we go to the lady that wons it has to take care of him and not her husband becasue he growels at her husband. |
Well... Pip loves Mike WAAAAYYYY more then me.  Yep, he just loves his daddy. sigh... He also really likes my dad. Of course he loves me, but when he has his choice, it's Mike that he'll sit next to, or bring toys to first. Maybe it is because I can't pull on the tug of war rope as strongly as Mike??? Hmm.... |
| Bunker is the same way. Sometimes I feel like she loves Mike more than me. She will bark and weasel in between Mike and I when he hugs me or tries to cuddle with me. At night she lays in brtween us on the bed and lays her head on his chest and stares at him. It's quite pathetic. |
| I would agree with Nicole....Panda doesnt love me over Brian, Id say she loves us both but for different things....Brian does the rough playing and the couch cuddling...I do the grooming, light playing and feeding...we both walk her often....but who does she listen to most and who does she follow around most often???
Me of course  |
| I can tell that Violet has more of an attachment to my husband and she loves middle aged men. If my neighbor that lives behind us comes outside, Violet (who has bad hips) will start jumping up and down so that he will see her over the privacy fence. (it really is funny) Violet came from a rescue at the age of 9 mnth. She had been there for 4 mnths and the rescue was owned by a middle aged man, so I know why she adores men. Also, shortly after we brought Violet home, I had to go back up to Michigan for a month and so she bonded more with my husband. I know she loves me, but when she sees her dad, boy oh boy, get out of the way. Now China, my Aussie Shepherd, rarely leaves my side for long. I call her my security guard/escort. lol Anyway, they are both adorable and I could not see our lives without either of them. They have helped my daughter come through a very diffecult time in her life. |
That's funny because my husband takes notice of that type of thing. But he thinks they both like me best. I pointed out could that be because I feed, brush, play, take them to the vet, give them medicine, take them for rides, you get the picture. More than he does. 
Personally I think they like us the same. But I have noticed some dogs do favor the opposite sex human. |
| With my Sheepies, Pepsi is my baby. He is always near me.
He adores me, but if Mommy is busy Daddy will do. Daddy is the one that plays with the Sheepies. Pepsi sits next to me on the couch and usually is sure to have at least one part if his body on me. Usually his head firmly planted on my lap, like a seatbelt. Rags however if not getting attention when I am giving Pepsi attention will push him away so she can get attention. Rags just adores her Daddy and will lick his feet for hours on end.
I'm the one she uses to get attention until Daddy's home. |
Duchess is currently afraid of any male that walks into my home. With one exception... my husband (whom she attacks when he comes in the door, because she is so excited to see him)  |
Bosley's mom wrote: All the dogs that come into my home prefer me...and it is not because I live with 4 men and they prefer woman. It is because I feed them, train them, and generally do more interactions with them.
This is the same for me with all of the animals. My husband will complain about how they are "my dogs" but it's amazing that a little time spent interacting with them goes a long way... |
| All the kids, cats, and dogs have gravitated towards me so far, BUT I'm home all the time. That might play a part. |
| When we get a new dog at our house, they always play favorites with my husband. Because he's the 'fun' one, ie. no discipline! After a little while of settling in and doing stuff with me, they all like me better. I think it has to do with activities and structure. Walking all over him only seems to be fun for a little while! |
| In my house we have all boys. Sons, dogs, and the stupid cat, and
of course my husband. I always had female pets until a few years ago. I'm not sure I'd say they prefer me, but they do know who is in charge. They know who takes care of them, and they have had a real desire to please. I wonder if it is more rewarding to please the person it is more difficult to please than the ones who approve of almost anything? Does that make sense? With Zeke, who is much more motivated by affection than treats, he is more likely to listen to me than to Vic. However, Vic is much more likely to pet and talk to Zeke for no reason, but Zeke follows me around and sits near me much more often. hmmm.... Shellie |
My boyfriend and I have two puppies (male & female). We got the female first and I slowly started realizing that she just didn't show me the same type of attention she does to my boyfriend. 1st of all she would HAVE to sleep in the bed with us and have to be in the middle closest to him. We can't hug or anything affectionate without her jumping in the middle. This was definitely starting to bother me (still is), since I feed her walk her play with her just as much if not more then he does. It's really kinda hurting my feelings and I noticed that I am slowly starting to not like her anymore (crazy right???) but I was so jealous of the companionship she gives him that I ran out and got a male dog for me. And he absolutely loves me  but he also love my boyfriend he love us all but she just seem to like me when I have food or something... I just wish there was something I could do to get her to like me the same... |
| I think are correct, so don't feel bad. In our house Scout our Female is absolutely "In Love" with my Hubby. Edmond is my boy all the way. |
Even Wayne agrees that Tiggy is my girl!!  He's a bit jealous about that, but I think its because I groom her and take her to training.I have rules and expectations of both the dogs, Wayne lets them get away with nearly everything.  They both seem to respect me more and try to get my attention and please me. Wayne is fun, he'll wrestle and be silly with them but they have to think and work with me and they seem to respect and enjoy that interaction more.PS the cat loves me most too. But that's cupboard love. |
| I have a 1 and half year old papillion I take total care of this dog and spoil her rotten buy her new toys a doggie playpen treats the whole nine yards But she acts like she like my husband a lot more than me All he does is play with her He doesn't feed her bath her or get her any new toys doesn't even let her out to do her business But when she sees him or hears his voice she has got to get to him Honestly it really ticks me off I feel like I'm nothing but my dogs human slave I have no answers Believe me I wish I did |
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