Male or Female Lab?

[Bushwacker]

I am planning on buying a dog in a month or so and I need some expert advise on whether to get a male or female lab. It will in a kennel outside and have an acre lot that is fenced in to run around in during the days. My home is a little out of town so it will have some room to roam. It will eventually be a family dog in a couple of years, but for now just me and in April my fiance>wife(wow that sounds weird). I have hunted with both females and males and they both have their advantages. To me the males seem strong headed, but also very aggressive in the field. Females seem to be better listeners and easier to train, but generally smaller and not as aggressive. But I have only hunted with a handful of each. So I can't decide based on that. I am not planning breeding the dog either way so that is not really a factor. It will most likely be spayed or neutered as soon as the vet says its ok to do. I hunt ducks and geese primarily, with a couple weekend trips a year to chase pheasants. What does everyone have and why? Thank you in advance for any advise you can give.

[walleyeking#8]

Female, just my opinion from experience. To me a more obedient one is better than a strong headed one, from my experience she will hunt just as hard and listen much better. That's just my opinion.

[NoodleSalad]

I'm on my 2nd shorthair and Timber is a female. It's been easier with her. -NS-

[BLACKJACK]

Female all the way, they will listen when you say 'NO' while the young male lab will be looking over his shoulder wondering whether you're coming or not. The females hunt just as hard as the males, except the male labs will hunt harder in heavy cattails during pheasant hunting. FYI, my first dog was a male lab and my last two have been females, I won't be going back to a male anytime soon. Watching my brothers 10 month old male lab last weekend reafrfirmed my belief.

[Guest]

I have both. My male is a tank. Nothing can stop him and he is one great hunter for everything. He is very, very stubborn. He's the most gentle dog to other dogs.

I adopted a 3 year old Black Lab female who was neglected in a kennel 24/7, but trained to hunt. She was never hunted with much and this fall I will get her into the field and re-introduce her. So far so good, but she's bad luck. I can't hit the side of a barn when she's hunting with me!

She does listen better. She obeys better. But, she's a wimp too.

Almost every female I have seen is stubborn, and sometimes unpersonal, with other dogs and aren't afraid to bite other dogs.

[bigdog]

I started with a female lab for the normal reasons, easier to train, not bull headed, etc. She was a hard hunting dog that would not give up, she did have a mind of her own at times, but was very smart. Second lab was a big male. He was also a hard hunter just like the female and the training was about the same. Between those two dogs you could not make a plumbing decision based on performance. Third dog ended up being a male. Training has been just like the first two so I guess I haven't run across the problems with a males attitude or training, although males may tend to be that way. Preety much comes down to a personal decision.

[Dr. Bob]

I had a (used) male springer that was not nuetered. He was a very hard hunter, but quite the bone head. Very horny and could not be trusted around small children, female dogs or pack-sacks. Also - he would not touch a person but would gladly go round with any other male dogs that would even look at him!

Since then I have had 2 Golden Retriever bitchs (both spayed young) that have hunted just as hard as the springer, but were much easier to work with.

I have never worked with a Lab and have no idea how a male would be after having his jewels removed. I would suspect they would be much easier than if allowed to keep em .

Please keep us posted on what you do.

[big_fish_guy]

another thing to consider...
female = brown dead spots all over your yard.
male = nice looking yard.

[Duffman]

Female = Dead brown spots all over the yard

Male = Yellow Tree Trunks, Yellow Truck Tires, Yellow Bushes, Yellow Fence Posts, and sometimes your hunting partners Yellow Leg. LOL

Every dog has it's own personality, but I think females are easier to handle and tend to roam less. I'm on my second female Golden, although she sure acts like a boy dog sometimes.

[LABS4ME]

I have bred, trained, owned and judged many, many labs over the years. The traits that you describe can be had or seen in either of the sexes. While it is generally agreed upon that female labs tend to be a little more soft and obedient, they can and do have some hormonal changes that make their personalities fluctuate unless spayed. Males on the other hand have their own problems with testosterone, but usually you'll have the wild genes naturally gone by the time they are 5-6-7 unless nuetered. Spaying or nueturing will in my opinion, make the two sexes very similar in behavior as you're taking out the plumbing that causes these hormonal traits. These dogs tend to be a little more "even keeled" and less hyper. Spay or nueter around 9 months before they are sexually mature. this is good not only for behavior, but also helps them physically as cancer is prevelent in labs and this will reduce their risk by something like 300%.

I've owned more females than males, and right now I own one of each. The "titled" male I own now will out hunt than the female I own right now, *BUT* my two best hunters EVER, were both females. They both had titles and both had won or placed in hunting competitions. My friend (who'll own nothing but males ((but just bought his first female)), has had outstanding male dogs, some of the best you'll see or hunt behind. I firmly believe that it comes down to training and exposure.

If you have an obedient dog (and I mean obedient, not yelling commands or repeating commands or begging him to do something) you have 80% of your hunting training licked. The problem your friend has with his dog around the farm is he isn't being trained in hunting situations. If you set him up to train using simulated hunting situations , you can correct him at those moments and he'll know what to do and what is expected when he's out hunting. We knows what's expected and demanded of him around the farm and on walks, but he's put in a new situation in hunting and he's gonna do what pleases him during that time. If your buddy leaves his gun at home, and concentrates an afternoon to hunting/training him on a check cord, you'll be surprised how quick he'll pick up on what he can ad can't do.

Myself I'll always own both, but will always lean towards females. If you're looking for a house dog, females typically are smaller and not as "clumsey" in the house. a big 80 pound male in the house is not something most people desire.

In closing check your pedigrees out carefully. Make sure you have plenty of field dogs in the first 3 generations, but more importantly see if the the parents are well behaved. Alson never ever overlook the genetics, make sure at least 2 generations have clear hips, elbow and eyes. You really hate to put time, effort and your heart into training your dog only to have a major physical problem slow him or shut him down.

Good luck in your search....Ken

[Bushwacker]

Thanks for the replies guys and keep them coming. Right now my hunting buddy has a 1 yr 7 mo old male yellow lab. He is big, fast, aggressive, and a great hunter. He can retrieve ducks for four different hunters all at the same time. Last fall in ND when a big flock of mallards came over we each shot one and he was off. All the way around the pond, picking a bird up, dropping it on his way past to pick up the next one, all on an open sprint. Amazing hunter. His downside is that he does not listen at all when hunting. He does not even respond to voices yelling at him just goes about his business. He goes completely crazy when hunting. His whole demeaner and even his breathing changes. This past Saturday he brought 18 of my magnum mallard dekes onto shore and tangled up. Not listening one bit the whole time. He is a very well trained dog around their farm. He does every command given and it seems with please. My buddy's wife even takes him walking on country backroads and he is well-behaved and doesn't even need a leash. I don't know whether its because he is a male, neutered, but stubborn as can be. Is this just this dog, or males in general. I have hunted with 10+ female labs and they are no where the hunter he is even at his young age, but they definitely were easier to control.

[bigdog]

Sounds like the dog has figured out when he can get away with acting the way he wants. I think this is more related to the dog and/or his training as opposed to being a trait of male dogs in general. By comparison, my first female developed a stuborn streak as she got older and figured when she could get away with things.