Male or female hunting dog puppy?

As professional retriever trainers, we are often asked, “Should I get a male or a female puppy for a hunting dog?”

While I understand the question, this decision is often not as simple as it appears. There are many things to consider when deciding if you want a male or female hunting dog puppy.

What is your purpose for the dog?

What is the main purpose for the dog? Is the dog going to be solely a hunting dog? Or will it also be a companion to your wife and kids?

If your dog is going to be dual-purpose, then there are considerations. For instance, females are much easier to house break female dogs, and often have less to prove and can be easier to control.

Males can be more protective of the family but can also be harder to control.

Of course, these are all generalities and may or may not prove true with any individual dog.

A consideration that has nothing to do with the sex of the dog is how much cleaning work the dog will make for you or your spouse. All dogs shed, but some more than others. Goldens are wonderful family dogs, but they shed SO MUCH HAIR!

Do you plan to breed?

If your future plans for the dog include breeding, then you probably wan to get a female. While males can be studded out, you won’t be raising the puppies if you don’t own the female.

The flip side of this is that females go into heat. This can be a problem if you plan to hunt or compete your dog. Hunting with an in-heat female will cause lots of distractions and problems for any male dogs in the area. Also, you can’t compete your dog during the heat cycle.

Is male or female lab easier to train?

Trainability based on the sex of your dog is a very subjective question. Because it really depends on the dog and their temperament. Some males are very easy to train, and some females are, the sex has nothing to do with it in my opinion.

Breed makes much more of an impact on this question. Labs are generally a middle of the road dog in temperament and are very trainable dogs. Golden retrievers are super smart and easy to train, but most of them are very soft. They cannot handle pressure and often don’t hunt great because of this weakness. Chesapeake Bay Retrievers are generally tough strong dogs that get very attached to one person. They are stubborn and can be very tough to train.

Does a male or female lab make a better hunting dog?

There are many rock star hunting dogs that are male and many that are female. Good training, socialization and working your dog will allow them to become great hunting dogs.

Most dogs learn well if taught well. The issues arise when a family or person who does not know how to train refuses to seek the help of a professional. Or owners think training is too strict or tough, so they don’t do the work. Preferring to allow the dog to rule the house.

Dogs that are babied often don’t make great hunting dogs. There needs to be an expectation of your dog as a working dog to bring them to their full potential.  

High powered dogs, whether male or female often make the best hunting dogs, but they are also the dogs that need the most training and the most control work.

Many believe male dogs are focused on marking their territory or have too much to prove. This is a valid concern, but also one that you can overcome with proper training and correction. We have trained many male dogs that are more interested in marking than working. For those dogs, an e-collar can be helpful to remind the dog to get back to work. If you understand your dog and can tell when he is just messing around, you can add a well-timed correction to correct his focus.

Spaying or neutering can also help your dog become more focused. This is especially true for males since it takes away their need to mark everything in sight.

Male vs female in the boat or blind

Both male and female hunting dogs can be great hunting dogs, but there are a few practical things to consider.

Male dogs are often bigger than their female counterparts, but not always. A larger dog will take up more room in the duck boat or blind. But they can also handle the rigors of hunting such as breaking through ice, long tough swims, and performing under severe conditions.  

Male vs female for upland hunting

For upland dogs, smaller and more high energy is often better. They can hunt longer and faster and cover more ground before getting tired.

Final thoughts on male vs female hunting dog puppy

The idea that the sex of the dog is going to make it a better hunting dog, is based on lots of generalities. Each dog will have different characteristics based more on the pedigree than on the sex of the dog. Most often it is simply a preference. I would not base my puppy picking decision solely on sex.

If you need some help training your retriever, you can email me (ottertailkennels@gmail.com). I would be happy to discuss your goals for your retriever and tell you about the programs I offer.

 Until next time, happy retrieving.