Male vs. Female
I'm in the final decision making stage of getting my very first OES. I decided on the breed after much research and deliberation - however, now, its down to my last decision point, do I want a little girl or a little boy? I know that females are somewhat smaller, but size isn't really an issue for me. I'm concerned more with personality. in your experience, do you find female OES' as affectionate, silly, and kind as males? Are there any issues I should be aware of? Looking forward to hearing your feedback! E |
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I have had 2 female sheepies, never had a male so I cant really compare the two. Both my females have been very loving and great with kids of all sizes and with other dogs. Ryleigh, my sheepie now, just turned a year old and is still full of puppy. Very playful, stays right by me at ALL times, even lays on the mat when I take a shower  and MUST cuddle everynight, we have no choice in that.  She does have a strong hearding instinct but I think thats most sheepies. They have both been very affectionate and playful. Ryleigh is more silly than my first one, and she is also a lot bigger than my first one. Good luck with your choice, dont think you can go wrong either way as long as its a sheepie.  |
I know and love both, but for myself I prefer the boys  If you let your breeder know what you want in a dog and what you want to do with a dog, they SHOULD be able to select or recommend which puppies in the litter would be the best match - whether male or female. |
| I've had two males, they both bonded with my wife more than with me. There seems to be a general consensus that males(dogs) tend to bond more with the women and bitches tend to bond with the men. I'm sure there are exceptions, and don't get me wrong! Both of my dogs have been great to have and have connected with me just fine, they just have a closer bond with Joan. WELCOME to our cozy little fluffy corner of the web! |
| I had two females and they were very loving to all..bonded close with me...I'm the one that fed them on time no matter what! Size mattered in their old age as often I had to help lift them up...Daisey was 76 lbs. and lifting her into the car to take to the vet was hard...I had a bad back...looking back I should have taught her to walk up on a ramp. Callie was heavy at 76 lbs. but going to the vet she became very stubborn and pushing her through the door required help! I think all have their own little personalities and I think if you can go and meet all in the litter you'll know which one is yours. |
Ron wrote: I've had two males, they both bonded with my wife more than with me. There seems to be a general consensus that males(dogs) tend to bond more with the women and bitches tend to bond with the men. I have two females, and they are much more strongly bonded to me than to my husband. In our case its less about gender and more about who does all the care and work. I walk, groom and train the girls, so of course they are WAY more attached to my hip. My husband gives them treats, plays fetch with them, and let sthem have food from his plate. So he runs a close second.  I've never had males; my family had two females when I was very young and I have two females now. It wasn't intentional-- I took the puppies that wiggled into my lap. But my girls are very affectionate, silly and kind-- the traits you were asking about. What I'd ask about more is some of the gender based chores; I've read here that some males pee on their own legs, I think? Male OES don't all tend to left their legs as we'd expect male dogs to, from what I've read here. It may be a problem isolated to a couple of dogs, or it might be a breed thing, I really don't know. But not wanting a dog that pees on its legs and then comes to sit on my couch, I'd look into that. Does anyone know of any gender related issues- behavioral, health, etc? |
| When I was a kid I had a female collie, she was wonderful but since then I've only had males. Not really sure why but it just seems to be the way it worked out. Males are usually bigger I think and Butchy right now is 84.4# at 16 months old. I was hoping he'd be smaller than the other 2 we had but he's getting there. They were both over 100. |
FEMALES...ALL THE WAY~~~~~~  1~~~BECAUSE...I am a female, so I relate to Heart and Pearl's gritchyness!!! 2~~BeCAUSE.... I think they are more in tune with my moods. 3~~BECAUSE.... it would LOOK so ridiculous to try to put piggies and bling on a boy!!!!!!!   |
| Although it is undoubtedly a mistake to oversimplify, after nearly 50 years of owning sheepdogs, mostly rescues, I have a few opinions on the subject. Males tend to be more clownish which is one of the most enduring qualities of the breed. They tend to keep their goofiness right up to the last stages of life. Females seem to have a more business-like manner once they are past puppyhood, if that is the right word. I have found OES in general to be among the least likely breeds to be a "one-person" dog. They generally adopt the whole family. Both sexes are inherently affectionate and like to cuddle but this can affected (as can a lot of other traits) by early life experiences if you are getting an older dog like a rescue. Hyper dominant males are rare with OES but can be a real pain for owners when they are around strange dogs without restraint. Although dominance certainly exists with females (and they often are said to be "bossy" with other dogs in the home) I have never found any of my females to go out of the way to demand submission or pick fights with strange dogs. Male-male aggression in the form of competition is something different that I have run into with one pair (my current two rescued males). You wouldn't know it from my avatar, but those two males in the photo have gotten into some real spats over stupid things like a cookie tossed carelessly onto the floor or a toy that they both wanted at the same time. Manageable but I have never seen this with females. If you ever have two OES, the chances of occasional problems between the two of them is much lower with one of each sex. If I had only one dog, it would probably pick a male if other factors were equal, simply because they make you laugh more often with their antics. But other factors are more important in choosing a puppy and I would read up on "choosing the right puppy" if that is what you are doing. It's been many years since I've wanted a puppy myself, my last six OES were rescues and I wouldn't trade any of them. |
| my 2 cents i have had females for over 30 years loved all of them but some were very moodly and bossy.. i never had males till dreamer and duffy .. they are more wild but they never are in a bad mood always loving on me .. sorry i would never get another female now.. unless it is a rescue like bunny |
| Through the years, this thread has come up a lot. You should know that if you do a search, MALES seem to always be preferred here. Maybe more lovable (have to sit ON you instead of right next to you), less anxious, less "female" nagging/bossy. Of course by me writing that, there will be many people who say their females are clingy ...and don't get me wrong, OURS is too, but there was a huge difference with our male. Our female just has to be in charge and will take BEING IN CHARGE of a certain situation (kids running, too much noise in the house, etc) over sitting next to us. Our male just wanted to know where we were and when we were going to sit down so he could be with us. Both followed us to the bathroom and had to be in there with us. I think we're considering another male because my husband wants that, but I prefer females FOR the reason Darth snuggle mentioned. My female is so much cleaner and that's huge to someone like myself. My female also seemed a lot smarter (well she pays attn more while the male was probably thinking about who knows what...). |
| All of the qualities of males that people are describing here perfectly fit my female, Tonks. "Maybe more lovable (have to sit ON you instead of right next to you)" and "they are more wild but they never are in a bad mood always loving on me" and "more clownish which is one of the most enduring qualities of the breed" and "go out of the way to demand submission or pick fights with strange dogs"... All of these observations on male behaviors by other board members perfectly describe my girl Tonks. Some are behavioral issues that we do constant training for, like demanding submission from strange dogs to the point of starting fights, domination over her sister (here's a good reason to avoid same sex siblings!). In the goofiness and affection department; she will sit on my lap as though she weighed significantly less than she does, and is always showing off some antic to try and make us laugh. I thought that was just a breed thing, more than gender related. Her sister Luna is more serious, but can be goofy when the mood strikes her. |
| I'm with Richard on this. 40 years with OES and it's hard to generalize, but: Males are goofier. They are always trying to please. As to whom they graft.....it varies. Right now the boys are Momma's dogs and Simone is DH's dog....Glacier is a Pyr bitch, it is below their dignity to graft The girls are steady, but even that will vary between the girls. Splash and Olivia....I kept having to look at Splash's butt to make sure there wasn't a scrotum down there, she was a goof...testing me, playing to me, etc. When Olivia died, Splash lost the tomboy attitude. I can't suggest, since both will be fine. Each tests you in different ways. As to size, the girl might be easier to learn to groom since there will be less. Mo is 62 lbs, Jack is 95-100....there's a whole lot more dog to groom on the bigger model. It's easier to put the smaller one on the grooming table  OH yeah, the girls do bling so much better.......boy bling.....doesn't quite work......unless it is studs and doggles.  |
| What Darth Sunggle said -this is Ryleigh (female) also. She thinks shes a 10# Yorkie and sit ON you not next to you. and we LOVE it. very funny and clumsy (the hairy feet on the wood floor help that) I dont think you can go wrong with either sex, just need to find the puppy that fits best with you no matter what the sex is. |
Darth Snuggle wrote: All of the qualities of males that people are describing here perfectly fit my female, Tonks. Funny. I've never thought of female OES to be particularly delicate but you sound like you've got a real tom-boy there. As far as sitting on you goes, most of mine have done it regardless of sex. One female I had whose spine almost fused with arthritis so that she couldn't crawl up on your lap, instead liked to get up on the sofa next to you facing the other way, crane her head backward to target you, and then slowly sit up straighter and straighter until she passed the tipping point and flopped backwards in your arms. Bo was an old dog with who was cast-off by a back-yard-breeder when I got her after she had become too old to breed for the umpteenth time. But she was one of the sweetest sheepdogs I have ever known. In her last few months when she could hardly get around and lay on her side most of the time, Randy, my younger male would lay next to her with his head resting on her side for hours. Her last night with us is probably the most touching sheepdog memory I carry around with me and when I think about it it reminds me why I love this breed. But I think I told that story before on this forum... about half way down this thread, if you are interested— but a warning, it's kind of a tear-jerker. http://forum.oes.org/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=22627 |
Darth Snuggle wrote: Ron wrote: I've had two males, they both bonded with my wife more than with me. There seems to be a general consensus that males(dogs) tend to bond more with the women and bitches tend to bond with the men. I've never had males; my family had two females when I was very young and I have two females now. It wasn't intentional-- I took the puppies that wiggled into my lap. But my girls are very affectionate, silly and kind-- the traits you were asking about. What I'd ask about more is some of the gender based chores; I've read here that some males pee on their own legs, I think? Male OES don't all tend to left their legs as we'd expect male dogs to, from what I've read here. It may be a problem isolated to a couple of dogs, or it might be a breed thing, I really don't know. But not wanting a dog that pees on its legs and then comes to sit on my couch, I'd look into that. Does anyone know of any gender related issues- behavioral, health, etc? Our only female resident dog is the alpha bitch - Maggie the coon hound. And Chewie's sister Martha (lives 5 miles away, see her all the time) at 52 pounds totally beats up big brother Chewie (68#) on a regular basis...  And I'm sure when he visits Kristine and his siblings there, that the girls put him soundly in his place as well. When we had our other 2 OES males, we were pre-Maggie, so a male only household. I've had 3 OES, all males and none have EVER peed on their legs!  They've squatted and leg lifted, but no legs peed on. Now Simon has gotten his head peed on, but that's what comes when a basset walks under a peeing OES! |
| I have a male and he is one year old, not really an expert on this matter. I originally wanted a female , just because I was thinking of breeding and most of my other animals are female.But as luck had it the one I wanted was already taken. But it was really my luck, we got oliver Last February and wouldn't have changed a thing. I love him. He is certainly goofy and makes me laugh alot. I just look at him and smile. He is the love of my life ( dont tell the hubby,LOL). One thing I would think about to is whether you are going to have him fixed or not. It is cheaper to have a boy done too. I would go with your gut on which one you want, I think ( just like humans ) they all have there own personalities. Traci |
OESCrazy wrote: I originally wanted a female , just because I was thinking of breeding It's just my opinion, but I feel very strongly about this, is that it's ALWAYS a mistake to get a female "...because I was thinking of breeding." In fact, I strongly suggest that if you get a puppy, have her/him spayed or altered as soon as they are old enough—for health reasons, for behavioral reasons, and because breeding is just best left to those people who are experienced breeders who know lines and can at least try to avoid genetic problems in what is a fairly small gene pool. Better yet, seriously consider a rescue OES. In many ways they make better companions than puppies and they want to be a part of your home as much as you want a dog to be a part of it. |
Boys, boys, boys! Both of our OES have been male, and I would be hard pressed to get a female at this point. Females in general tend to be higher maintenance. in humans and dogs.  Folks who have experienced both are better able to tell you the differences.Oh, and both of our males have been very clean. Laurie and Oscar |
| I prefer Males. All 5 of our OES have been males. They are super affectionate--big clowns and have an even temperament. They are not moody and love love love everyone in the house! I think that they ARE young at heart until the end. Right now I have two males and they are best friends. Totally devoted to each other and to us. AND none of my males have ever PEED on their legs! They do not always 'lift' and sometimes squat--but they aim at the ground when they do. My parents always preferred female pets and I have always been the opposite--even all of my kitties have been males. |
I like how we here on OES.org have been NO help at all in this debate!!!  |
Darth Snuggle wrote: I like how we here on OES.org have been NO help at all in this debate!!! |
| Those of you who say you have only had boys and find them to be more goofy, or more snuggly, or more whatever, is it because they are boys or is it because YOU have them and raised them and you tend to bring out goofiness, snuggliness or whatever in your dogs? It is the endless nature vs. nurture question! I wonder how many attributes we ascribe to the sex of our pet are really just ideas we have in our own heads regarding gender (girl dogs being moody comes to mind). In any case, Dawn suggested letting the breeder know what you want in a puppy and let them help guide you. I would love to know, from the experienced breeders on this forum, when you look at your puppies and try to assess which ones are more energetic, more cuddly, more playful, more dominant, more whatever, how often do the dogs grow up to show these qualities? For example, I know that I wouldn't want a 'dominant' dog (I don't mean aggressive and nasty, just dominant, if that makes any sense). We didn't choose our Mady, a fact for which I am eternally grateful. What if we hadn't chosen her but had chosen another non-Mady dog!! It doesn't bear thinking about. I do love my girl to bits but wouldn't hesitate to get a boy sheepie and have the matching set! |
| I personally never understood and would argue the same things myself when I just had Yuki ...then I TOTALLY understood what others meant and how their male was more "this trait or that" once one came in our life. Everything said about each sex in my experience was dead on! |
| I always had males - for one reason. It is an "easier" surgery for a male to get fixed than a female to get spayed. I now have one male and one female. The spaying was a major surgery but wasn't as bad as I expected. My female is smaller than the male. But they both have similiar personalities. They both want to sit on my lap...both lick my face...both crave attention. However, the female seems to be the dominat between her and her brother. She steals his food, his cookies, his bones and he just walks away. If size is not an issue for you, I would ask the breeder to help you select one pup according to the personality you prefer. Any gender, OES are wonderful dogs! |
| I prefer females dogs in general. In my experience they seem to bond to me quicker and they are more dominant. maybe i am just picking the more dominant females but i do like dogs that are more of a challenge. My mom had mostly male sheepies when i was growing up and they didnt seem as smart as the female. Lily is my oes. She is smart, mischievous, bratty, silly, sweet, cuddly, playful, loving, doesn't let me out of her sight for 1 sec, dominant but always wants to please me (could care less about daddy, lol) and if she can't lay on me, one part of her has to be touching me. I originally wanted a different female who was more white than black but when I actually went to see the puppies, there was just something about Lily that screamed, she is your dog and always will be and now I wouldn't have it any other way. So I wouldnt go on looks or sex. I wouldn't go in with expectations. When you find a pup that fits you (no matter sex or coloring) you will know, that is the puppy you should get. |
| Our OES is female. We love her and she is wonderfully sweet. That said, she was a challenge when a puppy - she had quite a "dominant" personality. She's not as goofy as we thought she might be, but she is a fabulous companion and very loving. And if you're worried about gender attributes just know that Winnie regularly humps my leg... |
| Interesting topic. Since I have had only one OES and he happens to be male, I have nothing to add regarding personality. The descriptions of OES males fit Howie perfectly, except for the dominance issue. And he is growing/training out of being the boss. When talking about size though, I think it is best to see the parents both mom and dad. Not all males weigh 90 plus pounds. Howie's dad was 65lbs. I think Howie will probably top out at a solid 75 - 80lbs. Whatever gender you end up with will be the best pup ever for you. I thought I wanted a girl, got a boy and I never looked back. What is most important? Posting PICTURES when you do get your pup!!!  good luck with finding 'the one', peg |
| Hi All! Thanks so much for all of the wonderful input, stories, and photos! We have decided to get a female for a number of reasons, one of those being size, another because I'd like another girl in the house (right now its myself, my boyfriend, and our two male cats -- I'm out numbered!), and (in no small part) because I'll be able to put bows in her hair (thanks so much for the photo sheepieshake). We are going to work closely with our breeder to choose a girl who will work the best with us and who possess the same affectionate, goofie characteristics of her male counterparts! I'm sure I'll have many, many, many more posts once our little bundle of sheepie joy arrives in May! |
| Boys! I have had three so far. All puppies until the end and very clownish. One was 65 lbs, 73 lbs, 87 lbs. I think the most athletic was the largest dog I had. Tall and lean. All very laid back and affectionate. None have EVER peed on their legs! |
| We've always had boys, but we've been open to females too. When we got our last (Rescue Rudy) we told the lady at the rescue we just wanted a big goofy furball to love. She said she had the perfect one for us, and she did. Turned out to be our fifth male. Honestly, whatever you choose you can't go wrong with a sheepie. They are all loving, goofy, and clownlike. Good luck to you! |
| I have only ever owned female dogs, and my OES is a female. When I was a kid, my mom put it in my head that male dogs are more aggressive, roam, lift their leg everywhere, etc. I guess she had a bad experience with a male dog at some point, but she definitely brainwashed me. Anyway, everyone I've ever talked to about OES has said the males are more fun and laid back/goofy, while the females are more bossy, moody, protective (to a fault), and difficult. Our OES is friendly and goofy, although she is definitely bossy and controlling (esp. with the kids), and she has issues with guarding her food that we still have not completely resolved. Who knows if any of this is because she's a female or just because of who she is. If I ever get a second OES, I will go for a male, just for the heck of it. |
| I have both female and male. I never thought I would say this but I prefer the males now. There isn't a mean bone in his body. I have yet to hear a growl out of him. But my female does all the guard barking and growling and stubborn too. My boy will go over the back of a couch to avoid walking by her when she sleeps. I can see him eyeballing me and wanting to come over for cuddles but knows she can be cranky and walk around and over stuff to get to me. Once he was neutered he stopped peeing on himself and he didn't stink anymore. |
| OK, I'll throw my hat in the ring. My family has had five OESes over the past 20 years. My family had always had female dogs until about five years ago, when we got our first boy. We absolutely loved Walter. Best way for me to describe the difference? Most everyone has covered it here, but the girls tend to be more Type A. Now, this can also mean they're more fun. They're a bit bossy, they know your business (they know the whole neighborhood's business), and they're amazingly loyal. The loyalty borders on obsession. My parents' dog Alli runs the household. She's like a general. The boys are much more mellow. I used to joke that Walter was a walking sedative. He was this lovable, dopey ball of love. He was loving and loyal, but he just sort of went with the flow. Walter followed us everywhere. Walter was a companion. When it came time for me to get my own OES, I decided on a boy. Linus is the love of my life. I adore him. He's certainly high-energy and peppy, but he's not as Type A as our girls have been. I think he's also just calmer in general. He loves little kids, he's calm at the park when he meets new people. He's my buddy, he cuddles, he's funny. He's a charmer. I'd get a girl again, don't get me wrong. But Walter made me a believer. I like the boys. |
| I have had 5 females and just got my first male, Atticus. He's 6 months old now and a big goofy lover....I was a bit hesitant as having only had girls but Dee Dee Caswell, the breeder who I got Atticus from summed it up this way...Girls are smarter and boys are sweeter... Either way, good luck with your new love. |
| yep, exact opposite of humans. |
| That's a difficult one to answer. Ignoring the grumpy bitch syndrome (to other people and other dogs). I would do serious reading into the medical side of things and read the forums and see how the balance lies medically both in serious and minor ailments and the long termness of the various issues. Then see if you are prepared to put up with them. Will you be able to control a frisky 100lb male? Will you be able to control the unwanted attentions of frisky males should you choose a bitch? (not everyone is responsible) I guess what ever sex of sheepie you end up with you'll love each other to bits. |
| I grew up with OES's and my parents have had them for almost fifty years so I thought I'd throw my two cents in, too. In the interest of full disclosure, I grew up with only male sheepdogs. My parents always said that females were more attuned to the needs of the family and were more protective then their males. Just somethings you should think about that affect all bitches: 1. Females are generally more expensive then males if you buy a puppy. 2. If the female is not spade she could be prone to a uterine infection (a serious, life threatening condition that kills quickly). 3. Heat. Twice a year. Good Luck with your OES, boy or girl. They are such much more than just hair! |
| In reading all of these posts i'll add my small bit. I have only been around two female Sheepies. I am not sure I could handle a bigger clown than Bella. She can be a bit obsessive and want you to play with her. The only time she barks at other dogs is when they have stopped playing and she still wants to go. Her basic phylosophy seems to be "If you have two legs you are supposed to pet me and if you have four legs, lets run and play." I think that you've made a great choice in going for a girl. But ... |
Bella's Dad wrote: Her basic phylosophy seems to be "If you have two legs you are supposed to pet me and if you have four legs, lets run and play." |
Lorraine wrote: I have had 5 females and just got my first male, Atticus. He's 6 months old now and a big goofy lover....I was a bit hesitant as having only had girls but Dee Dee Caswell, the breeder who I got Atticus from summed it up this way...Girls are smarter and boys are sweeter... Either way, good luck with your new love. I'd say she did a good job of summing it up. My thoughts too. Although I will add, my boys will do whatever you ask them to do. My girls generally want to know "what's in it for me?" |
ADCarter1 wrote: Just somethings you should think about that affect all bitches: 1. Females are generally more expensive then males if you buy a puppy. Depends on who you buy from. Our pups are the same price across the board. Male, female, companion or show prospect. |
| We got our sweet girl Shyanne in June of 2010....she is hilarious...and kind of ditzy! She is kind of bossy with our mixed breed, Coney-Dog, but Coney doesn't put up with much of her nonsense...I love my girls but after reading all the posts, I told my husband our next OES will be male just to get a taste of the differences....LOVE LOVE LOVE these doggies!!!!!! |
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