[Pippy]

I've a female lab and she likes affection but isn't very cuddly. She's happy to take herself off to her bed when she's had enough and sometimes just likes being alone. I keep hearing that males are more attached and more affectionate and just wondered others thought this was true or what your experiences were.

 

[-Angela-]

I don't think it's true at all I think it depends on the individual dog, of any breed/cross.

Minnie-Moo couldn't be further from aloof. She's very attached to me, very affectionate, always wants to be where I am, snuggles up to me and is just a total sweetheart. And Max is very affectionate too - see before I got him (my first male dog) I'd heard all sorts of rubbish about male dogs not being affectionate and yet both he and my collie are very affectionate and both will have lots of cuddles on the sofa. Max makes for a big lap dog

I grew up with bitches (not Labs) and they were very affectionate too and certainly not aloof.

 

[JohnW]

Dogs and bitches do have a rather different mentality. Give a dog an order and it's "Drr orwite den." Give a bitch the same order and it's "Why?"

For many years I kept dogs, but then, and I dont really know why, a bitch arrived here. And that was it. I was hooked. Now I would not change from bitches. I just love their mindset. There is a big difference and dont let anyone tell you otherwise!

Regards, John

 

[...]

Not at all. All my girls have loved a cuddle and like to be as close to me as possible . As Angela said, it really is just down to individual personalities really.

 

[leapudding]

i have 2 boys who couldnt be more different. Pud is Mr Independent, loves his basket in the hall and sometimes just about wags his tail when you come in. He likes the occsasional cuddle but usually on his terms and more often than not i end up sat on the floor alone as he has headed off to his basket.

Sydney wants to be wherever i am - preferably touching! He loves cuddles and will lie in the hall with pud but prefers the living room and will always follow if i get up and leave the room x

 

[Basil]

Give a dog an order and it's "Drr orwite den." Give a bitch the same order and it's "Why?"

Further proof that my Basil is such a girl - he is definitely a 'why' dog :lol:

 

[sue51]

I would sit somewhere inbetween John and Jules / Angela.

I have girls that are aloof and girls that are constant cuddlers - but my boy - awwwwww - he's a right cuddle monster and great fun

 

[_Linda_]

Twix has never been a cuddle monster and is a bit aloof, though she gives it :roll: :roll: :roll: alright then, when I insist :lol: Roly was the biggest cuddly monster, Jana is a bit of both and Cori would let you cuddle her all night :lol: :lol:

I dont think you can generalise, it depends on the dog not on the sex of the dog

Saying that, it is bitches all the way for me

 

[cherylhodgson]

All the dogs I have had have been proper mammy's boy's and followed me everywhere, constantly wanting cuddles. Whereas the girls come for a cuddle when they want to. Someone once told me that a dog is more loyal to mistress and a bitch is more loyal to a master. I think it just depends on the dog.

 

[-Angela-]

Give a dog an order and it's "Drr orwite den." Give a bitch the same order and it's "Why?"

Further proof that my Basil is such a girl - he is definitely a 'why' dog :lol:

Max will join Basil in the girlie boy corner.

 

[Pippy]

Thanks, that's interesting. It's sort of what I thought but don't have a huge amount of dog experience to go on. But, I couldn't see why male dogs would be more affectionate just because they're male.

John, your post made me smile. I know what you mean about the 'why?'. I'm trying to perfect a dog version of "because I said so!" ... As with my daughter, it's a bit hit and miss at the moment.

 

[Tammy_]

Dogs and bitches do have a rather different mentality. Give a dog an order and it's "Drr orwite den." Give a bitch the same order and it's "Why?"

OMG John, that soooooooooo sums up my dogs.

Whilst I am training my dogs, Henry and now Reuben will jump to do as I ask, and never question it. They can never do enough to please me, and always try soooooooooo hard to get it right, and if they dont they really get upset with themselves.

However, Annie on the otherhand is, WHY ?, ARE YOU SERIOUS ?, YOU MUST BE KIDDING !!!!!, then eventually she will do it, but got help me if she gets in wrong, and I correct her, she will just sit there are sulk, and becomes a stubborn little mooo. (which obviousily does wonders in the ring!)

She is as affectionate as the boys, but again hers is on her terms, whereas the boys would sit on my lap 24/7. :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[JohnW]

Someone once told me that a dog is more loyal to mistress and a bitch is more loyal to a master. I think it just depends on the dog.

I used to find it so interesting at dog club Cheryl. So often it was men who came in with bitches and women with dogs. Probably that held up in 75% of dogs coming in the door.

Oh yes, Bitches can be cuddly, but their mentality is so different!

Regards, John

 

[BenLora]

I was told the same about children that boys are more cuddly than girls.

Personally I prefer bitches although I currently have two boys

I grew up with bitches and perhaps boys might be more cuddly but I feel girls are more loyal.

Cindy my childhood lab could be quite aloof but at the same time she was always there when it mattered. Anytime I was sad she was always at my side. Aloofness was Lora's (my last girl) speciality but again she was there when she was needed and also I was the one she wanted when she wasn't well.

Much as I do love my boy dogs my next one will definitely be a girl.

I agree it is just an individual preference though and just as well we are all different.

Eileen

 

[AbLab]

At home, Jake will come for cuddles but tends not to stay for long, and will take himself off to chew on a bone or curl up on his bed. Abby on the other hand is so the cuddle monster and will snuggle up to you forever.

Out on a walk however, neither want to know :roll:

 

[_Donna_]

Well Madison was my sidekick she followed me everwhere and was always by my feet, very affectionate bitch. Training was always on her terms when she could be bothered,,,lol

Alfie on the other hand is such a sweetheart, love nothing more than snuggling with me all day if he could, an absolute dream to train..even got comments tonite from fellow dog walkers on how well behaved he is and how well he walks on his leash. Every command he has been taught so far, my 4 year daughter and give him them and he listens to her too. Put my hubby or one of my boys in front of him and he's a total nightmare....doesn;t listen to them and just hollys around...lol

So i so see some differences in the sexes.

 

[goldiesgirl]

Never had girls but our 2 boys are quite different...

Goldie isn't a cuddly dog, he'd rather lie in his favourite spots on the floor and if you give him a cuddle he will walk off rather quickly, he is also not a basket dog preferring to spread out on the floor or doormat! until we removed the basket and replaced it with a bed.

Theo on the other hand is mr cuddles... It's a fight most days to keep him off the sofa when he wants a cuddle, he will sit and whinge at you when he wants a cuddle and likes nothing better than someone sitting on the floor with him and cuddling him. Interestingly Theo is a basket dog, he nearly always sleeps curled up and loves to be in something.

This does create a conflict of interests at times as Theo likes nothing better than to cuddle up with Golds but Golds isn't always so keen and normally moves off leaving Theo looking rather sad and rejected! Theo has now sussed as long as Goldie is sleepy he can cuddle in no problems so they do tend to have an evening cuddle.

 

[Kazz59]

Sasha can be a bit aloof with strangers, until she gets to know them, but with us she is just so incredibly affectionate and soppy. Wherever we are, she has to be, and lolls about all over us - she tends to love us both equally and swaps her time between us. I've always had Border Collies and they were affectionate but very difficult to cuddle for long as they never sit still The only boy I've ever had was a LabxRed Setter, he was the same as Sasha and a real character, but OMG was he troublesome until he was about 8 - I could write a book on him, but still miss him to this day. Sash is the first full Lab I've had and it's a real pleasure to share her life - if I could get another one like her I'd have a houseful :lol: I know now why lots of people on here have more than one :wink:

 

[roxi123]

Roxi is alittle aloof and is a "why" dog, i must admit i love all my dogs to bits, but Roxi has always been the hardest work... there is a special bond between us, she is a bit special to me :angel:

 

[...]

There is a phrase with horses..... You TELL a Gelding, you ASK a Mare and you Negotiate with a Stallion.

Now I never had a lot to do with Stallions, although the Colts before they were cut could be a handful but the bit about the Geldings and Mares I did find to be very true in the vast majority of cases. The other thing I noticed was that most Geldings would work for anybody, whereas the Mares had to like you and if they didn't you never got the best out of them. However the Geldings were affectionate to all and anyone (whoever fed and cared for them) Whereas the Mares were far more loyal and loving to the person they really liked and unfortunately (and rather embarrassingly at times) that wasn't always their owner. Once you made friends with a Mare, as long as you didn't do anything to upset that bond of trust, you had a friend for life.

The Lads were much simpler to look after but give me a Mare anytime and I'm the same with my dogs. I love that mutual agreement you have with a bitch. I love the fact that they need a reason to love us and do as we ask of them. Perhaps because I'm not a person who likes to Do as I'm Told without a good reason myself. :wink: