Male vs. Female

[intensgrl]

I wrote a huge response, and it erased as I posted it...
so, the brief version....


I have had 3 male Danes. One rescued as an adult so I did not raise him. One 2 years old that I raised from a pup, and one currently an 8 month old teen Brat!

IMHO males are goofy, sweet, rambunctious and play hard and physically. They are happy go lucky and friendly. Mine are connected to everyone in the family, but especially bonded to mommy. They want to be very close to me in proximity, but not necessarily cuddly or wanting to be pet or physically loved on. They are protective in a quiet chillaxed way. They are big ol sleep monsters. Mine are friendly and loving to all people, even in chaotic crowds, or wild kids who visit the house.

One opinion I have of males is it is IMPERATIVE you work on their training while they are pups and teens (and continue into adulthood). During months 7 to 12 mine became obstinate beasts! We had to totally backtrack with training. They need to know who is the boss (me), what are my expectations, and at what level will I enforce them. Adult male Danes are big and powerful, and it is a necessity to have a strong working relationship between the dog and owner/handler. The flip side of that is that I really enjoy having a dog that I have to work with as a team as opposed a mindless robot who follows. Female Danes are probably just as challenging, but I have no experience with them. I believe all Danes need intensive training before they are grown. it is a responsibility of owning a giant breed.

I am sure each gender offers its own positives and negatives. IMO my males have subtle differences in temperament, but overall are similar in personality. I just love the boys, and they fit in well with the other 5 human males in my house.

Which ever gender you choose, having a Dane is the bomb!

[Ikenrydem]

I very much agree with Intensgrl. Kimba loves to roughhouse and the one my friend had when I was a kid did too. In fact, that one got upset if I didn't roughhouse. I have yet to meet a female Dane that likes roughhouse play. At meetups, the females tend to stick close to their owners while the males are out running in a pack. The females can be shown attention as long as you can dish it out. The males will greet you and then go about their business with the other Danes. The most hyperactive, crazy Dane I have ever met was a female. I have been bitten in the face by a female Dane. I have met more fear-biter and shy stand-off-ish females.

I have also met some really stellar female Danes. Indian Dane Rescue had an extremely tall female Dane that was the nicest dog you could ever meet and was the ambassadeur of the rescue. The local meetup group has a female therapy Dane that is much larger than what would be average for a male and is just the best-personality Dane you could ever hope for.

I will likely stick with males for their happy-go-lucky, roughhouse-loving, one-of-the-guys attitude. LOL, even my dad loves to roughhouse with Kimba. Thats not to say I wouldn't ever get a female Dane. Anything is possible.

[wyndius]

Never met a roughhousing female? You should meet Hannah! She LOVED to roughhouse (the funniest thing was to watch her trying to get my sister's pitbull to wrestle with her, I think she intimidated him)! Iris to, but the only one she really did it with was Havoc, when she could get him to. He was the only dog she was around much that was big enough to take it, she was also bullied by my sister in law's dog so she got to where she didn't like to play with dogs she didn't know well, although Hannah did finally win her over, but Iris was nearly 9 (she turned 9 last month), and Hannah was 2, so Iris isn't as rough as she use to be.

Havoc was playful, but nothing compared to the girls. He was also never the goof eveyone loves about their boys, he may have had his moments, but over all he was the most serious dog I've ever met.

From the popular opinion, I thought Iris was just a goofy exception for a female, but then I met Hannah, also a huge goof, so I don't know.

One other thing is the protectiveness, my boys were both crazy protective, Iris on the other hand thinks I should protect her.

[crdane]

I have had two female danes, and their personalities are as polar opposite as possible. I think it totally depends on the dog. Carlie was playful, fun, energetic, devoted, and very bitchy. Ayla is calm, loving, sweet, sensitive, and not a bitchy bone in her body. Carlie loved playing fetch, and playing with Reilly and Aadan. Ayla does not fetch, but loves playing with all other dogs. Ayla loves us all, Carlie was more selective in who she loved. Each dog is different and it is hard to compare. To be honest, my daughter's male boxer has a lot of the good characteristics that Carlie had, and Ayla reminds us of Reilly, male IW, in so many ways. I am not totally convince it is a gender thing.

[my3bbdanes]

If you are considering an older puppy or adult - I would suggest spending time with the dog & talking about his/her personality traits with the owner/breeder/rescue.

IMO - it's less about gender and more about training and socialization from puppyhood through teen months...so plan on LOTS of outings, classes, etc for at least the first 2 years:-)

[DaisyBowman]

we have a male boxer, he is very Lovable and smart as a whip, he will do whatever you tell him like talking to a kid. My wife was firm on wanting a female, she did not want any more hiking of legs. He is also still in tact and is agressive when it comes to a strange dog, though he loves people all the time. We have had opposite sex pets always, and I think that they relate to each other better. Its purely your own discreation. I'm sure you will be happy with either one. Our female Dane is very smart too, she trys to be a little bossy and she is very shy, but the shyness is an individual dog thing and has nothing to do with sex. I hope you get a beautiful healthy pup.

[Eefsting]

I think it's the individual, too. I have only had male Danes. Both have been very similar in personality...laid back but with a playful, silly streak, momma's boys but not in a needy way, very friendly (though my current male is like the walmart greeter on crack sometimes!). DH prefers males which is why we have had only males. I would like a female (rescue) for our next Dane so that Cosmo has a pal while we are gone during the day (besides our female cat who is NOT impressed with the "thing" we brought home to invade her kingdom).

[bringmetoast]

I'm surprised how many have multiple Danes. So, although money is not the issue, how much do these dogs eat? What about other day to day expenses? It sounds like another teenager to me right now. A big fun teenager that actually listens (most of the time).

SD

Nova is 130lbs and Mable is mable 105-110? We go through 2.5 bags about of TOTW per month, they are 30lb bags. We do toys and treats occasionally here and there. But food is the main expense, and then having multiple dog beds. And the bigger the bed, the more they cost. My girls actually sleep on an old twin mattress together, and it was free, so that worked out, haha.

Vet visits are doubled now, we have double check ups and whatnot. But as long as everyone healthy it doesn't affect the budget too much. BUT when both get sick, that is no fun. Mable was HW+ when we adopted her and the cough that she had was contagious and then Nova got it. So I had two great danes that were coughing and throwing up and both on medicine for about 2 weeks. It was not a good time. But we pulled through

[BigLittleSmall]

My wife was firm on wanting a female, she did not want any more hiking of legs. He is also still in tact and is agressive when it comes to a strange dog, though he loves people all the time.

[Rae]

I had just mentioned in another thread that I prefer males over females, myself. The hiking has never been an issue for me, comes with the territory. I also don't find one sex to be more aggressive than the other. I think that's just the dog's temperament and not dependent on their gender.

That being said, I still prefer males when it comes to animals. I always bonded better. Maybe because two bitches equal a negative. ;D

[harleylvr]

I own, and always have owned, females. And honestly, it's for three simple reasons. 1) The 'red rocket' creeps me out. 2) I don't want to deal with humping (not always the case with males, and some females do it) and 3) The marking. Much easier for a male to just lift his leg (and also, most males can be broken of this). Oddly enough, all dogs have been female and all cats have been male lol.

[T-Max]

I have one of each. Max is so laid back, and hard to motivate. He was easier to train than Taarna. Taarna is the wild child, she seems to be on alert most of the time, and would go go go if I let her. She tries to instigate Max, and get him to chase, rough house, and play with her. She sasses me if I do not play with her when she wants, and she will try and instigate me as well. My bf was watching her one day and could not believe the lengths she goes to. She is pretty wild and loves to wrestle
Max is my first male dane and Taarna is my first crazy female dane. I do think it is just the personalities and not the sex of the dogs.

[Ikenrydem]

I guess I stand corrected on the females not wanting to roughhouse. As for the leg-hiking with males, yes it it a nuisance on walks but that may also vary with each dog. Kimba must have been a grafitti tagger in a past lifetime

[Bevo's Mom]

Bevo has never hiked his leg.

Between Princess (corgi) and Bevo (dane) they eat a 35lb bag of diamond naturals chicken and rice a month.

However during his teenage years he ate about double what he does now, which is a cup in the morning and 3 cups in the evening 5ish.

[gr8danlvr1]

I think it depends more on the individual animal. I've had 2 female danes, very different personality types. One is shy, quiet, does what she is told, best dog in my house, follows me around quite literally w/ her head attached to my butt . She would protect me til' she was dead, I have no doubt of that, she has protected me on more then one occasion. She is a momma's girl, daddy is great, but her momma hangs the moon. My other dane was outgoing, loud, did what she was asked *most* of the time, worst dog in the house, always into something, surfing the counters. She was very calm and confident, she loved to do her own thing, she would sometimes go lay in another room just to be alone. She was definitely a daddy's girl, momma was good, but daddy was best. She was the one I like to take out in public because she didn't feel the need to protect me from every dog we came across! She would move her body and stand in front of me occasionally if we met someone she thought was a little off, but it was quite subtle. I have never owned a male dane, so I really can't speak from that, but honestly in the future it won't matter to me either way. If I click w/ a dog, that is the deciding factor. I have a male dog that is not a dane, he is *very* in love w/ me and quite frankly it can be a little too much sometimes, while being flattering as well. I realize that probably didn't sway one way or the other, but really each dog has its own personality and should be judged as such. I've met aloof males and very loving females and vice versa. I have personally lived w/ 2 very different female danes. Either way, good luck w/ your decision as long as it is a dane! I kid, well only a little.