When we are going to adopt a dog, one of the most frequent questions that arise is whether to take a female or a male. Although the behavior and character that each one has will depend a lot on the education they have received and not so much on the gender to which they belong, it is true that there are things, small details that make us decline the balance for one or the other .
But what kind of things are those? What are the differences between dogs and female dogs?
Physical differences
Perras
Bitches have a different reproductive system than dogs. They have vulva and breasts, which begin to produce milk when the cubs are about to be born. Also, the weight and height is less than in males.
But, apart from these characteristics that can be seen with the naked eye, when you have had a lot of contact with dogs, you end up looking at other details. In the case of females, you end up noticing that they have finer, more rounded features, and that the color of their coat -in some cases- is a little lighter than it should be.
Dogs
Dogs, unlike bitches, they have a penis and testicles. She also has breasts, although they lack reproductive function and are not as developed. Their height and weight is greater than that of females due to their somewhat more robust body.
If we talk about those other characteristics that we rarely look at, it must be said that the way they walk - as long as they are calm - is something different from what dogs have. It's like safer, firmer.
How does heat affect them?
Heat is a very important stage for non-neutered dogs that does not affect female dogs and dogs equally. Let's see what the differences are between one and the other:
Perras
Zeal in females It is produced semi-annually, that is, every six months. During that time we will notice that she is especially affectionate and receptive to caresses, and if a male also approaches her, she would probably end up pregnant unless we prevented it.
In addition, another of the phases of the reproductive cycle is that of menstruation, which lasts approximately 14 days. After it, your body will find high levels of progesterone, so that you could have a psychological pregnancy. During this they will have the same symptoms as if they had become really pregnant: distended abdomen, swollen breasts that can secrete milk, protection of objects or animals as if they were puppies, and / or the need to find isolated places.
Dogs
Dogs they are in heat all year, so as soon as they smell a bitch in heat they will go for her. But if they come across another male along the way, they are likely to attack him, as it would be their way of fighting for the female.
Differences in behavior
We tend to think that female dogs are calmer and more affectionate than dogs, but the truth is that it depends a lot on each dog. Their hormones determine part of their behavior, for this reason females, for example, adapt better to homes where there are children, since they have a more developed protective instinct; On the other hand, males tend to "go it alone", that is, during training sessions they tend to be more easily confused as they find other things that are more interesting to them.
Moreover, males have a greater tendency to mark their territory than females, and this is something they start to do as puppies. To avoid this, it is recommended to neuter them before 6 months if they are small and before 8 months if they are going to be large.
How to choose a dog if we already have one?
If we already live with a dog and we plan to bring another, it will be useful to know the following:
- Putting two different-sex non-neutered dogs together is a problem. The male will constantly try to mount the female, and there could be fights. And that's not to mention unwanted pregnancies. The animal shelters are full of abandoned puppies and dogs. Let's not help increase the number of dropouts.
- Joining two dogs of the same sex not neutered in principle does not have to happen at all if both have socialized well as puppies. Now, if they are two males, it could happen that they compete for the same female.
- Putting two neutered dogs together is the best solution. Pregnancies and therefore dropouts are avoided. In any case, the ideal is to go to an animal shelter with our dog to see how he reacts with the dog we want to adopt.
We have to take responsibility for the dog
It doesn't matter if it's a dog or a bitch. If we want him to be happy and to live many years, we have to take care of it as it deserves, giving him food and water, taking him out for a daily walk, and taking him to the vet whenever he needs it.
We hope it has been useful to you 🙂.