Male vs Female Australian Shepherd. Which One Is Right For You?
If you‘re considering of getting a new dog to your family, you‘re probably having a lot of questions what kind of breed you should choose, is your family ready for a dog, what size of a dog fits best for your house, male or female is better for you and so on. And that is totally normal, cause after all, you will add a new member to your family which will be here for a long time. If you already decided that Australian Shepherd is the breed you want, then another big question that comes up: should you get a female or a male Australian Shepherd? Well, here are some things to consider before making a decision.
Physical Differences Between Male And Female of Australian Shepherd
Male Australian Shepherds most often are larger, both in height and weight, than female dogs. Fully grown male Aussie is somewhere between 20 to 23 inches tall at the shoulder, while females are from 18 to 21. And if we look at weight, grown Aussie male weights 54-66 pounds, also looks a little bit bulkier with more muscle mass, while females usually are slimmer and weight around 10 pounds less, – between 39 to 56 pounds. Another quite big physical difference is that coat of a male Australian Shepherd is longer than females. Also females coat is not so dense and thick as males. So, it might be that there will be higher amount of hair during the shedding period.
Hormonal Differences Between Male And Female Australian Shepherd
Before getting your dog you need to think if you are going to sterilize your animal or not. Cause if you don‘t want to sterilize your dog – you‘re going to have a lot harder of a time with a female. Simply because females have their cycles every 6 months for about 2 to 3 weeks. During this time females have a bloody discharge and that is what attracts males. So, if you mostly plan to spend time in public places and your female is not spayed, there could be a hard times to keep those other male dogs away to avoid unplanned pregnancy for your female dog. So if you don‘t want to deal with that, then probably a male would be better for you. But if you are planning to sterilize your dog then this whole issue is gone away.
Costs
If we talk about life span, there are no major difference, usually it is between 10 to 13 years, but of course everything depends on many factors and probably the least from sex. But female logistically will be more expensive than a male in their first year, cause vet costs associated with spay costs more than neutering in example. So, if money is something that you think about before getting your dog, you need to consider this as well.
Behavior Differences
Both genders are loyal, loving and protective, however it may be a little easier with a female Australian Shepherd at a young age, cause they tend to mature faster. Females usually mature at the age of 2 years old, while male at this age would be still trying to show his character, especially when you are trying to teach him new things. Cause males usually matures by 3-4 years of age. But when males get older, they have slightly higher desire to please his owner and at the same time demands more attention than a females do. One more important point to consider is that if you live in a big city and you plan to spend a lot of time in a public places, then it would be easier for you having a female, simply cause they are less social with new animals and people. But of course it depends if your dog is spayed or neutered. On the other side, if you live somewhere outside the city and you have a big garden, maybe it would be easier with male , simply cause they can exploit their energy and it is not a secret that Aussies have a lot of it and especially males. Also male Australian Shepherds are a bit more stubborn and hyper, especially during the puppy years.
Australian Shepherds With Children
Since Australian Shepherd is a very energetic dog, they love to spend time with the kids, but of course kids should also tolerate them well. And there are some differences between male and female. Male Aussies are more likely to bond equally with all family members, so if your kid will show them attention, there are no doubts that both will have a good time. But females are tend to choose one person and spend the most time with him. And that person most likely will be the person who spent the most time with him from young age. Of course, Australian Shepherd is a fun-loving breed, so females will love to play with the kids as well, but probably not that long as males would do, and sometimes better will choose to spend some time on their own, probably just laying somewhere around and living on their own terms.
Which One Is Right For You?
First, you need to consider more about your household. If you have a dog already, it is very important that he would not be aggressive towards other dogs. And even if he or she is not aggressive, it would not be a good idea to get the same gender dog that you already have. Simply cause males in example, they always want to prove their dominance, and even funny games between them could end up with a serious consequences. And even worse could be a fight between two females. Females are tend to viciously bite at each other, and it could be difficult to separate them, cause if you try you can get a bite yourself. So, even if your dog is not really aggressive, it is always safer and better to choose your new dog the opposite sex. It is always good to consider where your dog will spend the most time and what is the neighborhood. If neighbors have aggressive dog, maybe it is better to choose opposite gender dog, simply to avoid that never ending barking and fence-fighting.
Final Thoughts
Australian Shepherd are really smart and adaptable breed, and with a little bit of work, especially during their young days, they could be your best friends and companions for a long time. And there is no big difference if you pick a male or female, more important is where you can get your puppy, what were his parents. You need to check about his genetic conditions that could be associated with your puppy, make sure you are planning to buy your dog from a reputable breeder. And the most important thing is how you socialize and train your dog. Every dog is really individual and have their own temperament and character, so you need to choose what is best for you and train him that acceptable behavior.