Home Forums Birds & Dogs Hunting Dogs Bird Dogs? Male or Female

Well here is something to consider Males as a whole tend to be cheaper medically speaking.

You can argue this all day long and tell me how you had a male that had all kinds of health problems. But speaking to more than few very good veterinarians that are well educated on bird dogs and a mix of my own experience have shown it to be true.

As far as smarts goes that is very very debatable. Looking back at some of the greatest Field Trials dogs the majority are males.

Preferring one over the other to me is a personal thing and nothing more. I have owned both. I don't have a preference really. I have had pick of the litter twice and I didn't make the pick, the puppy picked me both times. I figure its a pure luck of the draw anyways as there is no way to tell as puppies what their potential will be. So Play with them and the one that locks onto you is the one I pick every time.

I agree with all this. I like to own the litters though. Selling top end Springers (my current preferred breed) for $1,000 a $1,200 a pup can defray a lot of med costs. Of course, if things go bad with a pregnant bitch, things can get dicey as well, so, you takes your chances.

I have had several goldens ...I much prefer females..

I am not a breeder but yes absolutely if you are or want to breed than you need to be in the drivers seat. Females would be what you need.

Not aimed at you RickBin. It is funny I have been around a lot of dogs. I have not experienced all this dog fighting. Though we usually only put two dogs on the ground at a time. Sometimes three if someone has a flusher or retriever. Anyways even the kennel dogs I have been around have been properly socialized. No problems with fighting.

Good blood first and then Birds. Male or female, Birds make the Dog and not the other way around.


Many spend the time and money on buying blood, but then short change the Dog on Birds. A great Bird Dog has little to do with male or female and more than a little to do with contacts.

Owning the sire, I have just as much control over a litter as the one owning the dam. We both have the ability to decide whether a breeding takes place. As the owner of the male, I have the ability to reject the offer if approached by the female's owner and the reverse is also true.

There are some advantages with the male that tipped me in that direction. As mentioned, vet cost. With males one has standard care costs and then whatever emergencies crop up. With females you have the same plus pregnancy costs if breeding.

One also has the time and space taken to raise the pups. Some like that process and have the "staff" to do so but I didn't and still don't. Being single and having a job that kept me from home well over 24 hours at a time was not conducive to raising litters and I would not dump that responsibility on others.

There is also the payment of stud fees which may or may not be upfront depending on the agreement. Owning the male I can decide whether I want to be paid at the time of breeding, from the sale of a pup, or take a pup in exchange. These are hopefully covered in the sale of pups but not always. I've had breedings not take and the breeder was on the hook for the cost as my dog was a proven producer while the female was not.

Another advantage of a male is not having to wait for the proper timing of a heat cycle if there is a particular time I want to start a pup. These can get difficult as the heat cycle might be early, late or even skipped; the breeding might not take; or life circumstances might change making it difficult to care for a litter. With a male I do not have those issue so nod it's have an advantage of possibly having multiple litters to chose a pup from as well as getting the timing I want.

As I mentioned earlier, it is a personal decision with the right answer being dependent on the person. I've had good females but would have to change the way I operate if I were to get an intact female. There are enough males in the house that the possibility of a fight breaking out over a female in heat is possible.

As for fighting, I have had just the one problem and I feel it was more health related than gender. My dogs are around many dogs and have been well socialized. I worry far more about the dogs of others picking fights with mine.

Lifting legs is a matter of training. From a young age I watch my pups and correct the most fa they try marking something I don't want them to. I also do not let my dogs run free if I can't watch them and keep them under control. So much of this nonsense is allowed due to the handler not putting their dog at heel or in place.

Good blood first and then Birds. Male or female, Birds make the Dog and not the other way around.


Many spend the time and money on buying blood, but then short change the Dog on Birds. A great Bird Dog has little to do with male or female and more than a little to do with contacts.

A friend of mine had about 25 English Pointers. Keeping the males separate and not fighting was a full time job.
I’ve only had setters. Fighting has not been a problem. Males are stronger but also hard headed.
I also lost my big male for 7 days in South Texas. He was lucky to survive the experience.
Have 2 females now . I’m pleased with them. Hasbeen

I like females as they seem to be easier to train for me and that leads to more personal enjoyment and a better bond IMO.......

This is my take on it also. I don't breed though, so mine have all gotten spayed.

Envy can be a horrible thing to live with. Best to just turn away....


Males also will not give you an unplanned litter of Wireiel's. Toby would have boinked them all. He may have had to make them back up to a high rock, but I have faith....

Not sure how many Brian had when he was just Chokebore Kennels all total easily 25 Plus. Never seen a fight there. Not saying there was never a fight. But why would you put dogs down you know are going to fight? I can't see how it is a full time job. You take one out of the kennel you train, you take out the next. If you need two out than take out two you know get along. Not very hard at all.

We used a 6 hole trailer and a 2 hole in the truck. Always tied them off short to the trailer. If we put the wrong two males side by side there would be a fight. Hasbeen

again how is that a full time job?

Yes it is a figure of speech implying something is a burden or pain. So how is it such a burden or pain?

Personally if dogs really want to fight they have not been properly socialized.

I must have said something to hurt your feelings or you have cabin fever.
In either case I’m not going to waste my time arguing with an internet expert. Hasbeen

Another consideration is size, males tending to be larger.

I currently have 3 female Labs, one of which is pregnant. I've owned Labs for almost 50 years, always females. I enjoy developing blood lines and breeding for hunters. I used to hunt a lot out of a canoe.. Did not want a hundred pound male jumping out/in the boat and so preferred smaller females.
I typically don't hunt very big water (EX: lower Columbia River) and so don't feel the need for the most powerful expression of the breed. I currently hunt most often with this female, #66 very agile, very fast.

gas close to me

Thank you Nebraska. She's preggers now. Looking forward to a basket of chocolate pups.
Here's a pic of her at ~1 year old watching coots swim through our decoys

Thank you Nebraska. She's preggers now. Looking forward to a basket of chocolate pups.
Here's a pic of her at ~1 year old watching coots swim through our decoys

That’s determination.

Thank you MCH. I'm crazy about her. Have had Labs for about 50 years now, have never had one with anything close to her drive and gaminess.
Cascade - great looking dogs!
Sidepass - that video made my morning

They equal out.

Males are big and strong and can buck heavier cover. They are a bit strong-headed, however.

Females tend to be a bit easier to train, IMO, and they are usually natural retrievers. They seem to time going into heat with the upland season opener and often can't smell their front feet, accordingly.

Personally if dogs really want to fight they have not been properly socialized.