I'm sure this has been discussed on here 100's of times, so sorry in advance if I am rehashing something that the brain trust has already decided upon...lol

Lost my lab a few weeks ago and looking to replace and considering a female this time. As for hunting, any reason to stick with a male? I have heard lots of debates and thought I would get you guys to weigh in on it......

GO!

Everyone seems to have a preference but I think there are great females and males.

There are more males with titles but many say that's because good females are taken out of commission to raise litters. The two highest point derby dogs ever were both female.

Some say males are more loyal but I would say you'd have a very very hard time finding a more loyal dog than my current female is to me. With females you have to worry about heat cycles, with males you have to crack down and train them to not mark everything.

I've only had 4 labs. 2 males that couldn't be more different and my two current females that couldn't be more different.

My next lab will be a male but I couldn't say why...just to change it up I guess.

crazy question cause i have never had a female hunting dog....does the cycle change their hunting behavior or do you just have to watch her around other male dogs?

I've hunted spayed females for 50 years and none have been consistently beaten by males.

Both. Females tend to get quirky in and around their cycle. I have both males and females. Females because of what they bring to the table in reproduction but i primarily hunt my male. He is definitely more loyal and concerned about what i am doing. Both my females can be self employed at times. However i am certain this doesnt paint the entire gender for these traits.

I also tend to think males can be easier to train overall. Females are females just like a wife or daughter. They bring a whole different set of problems with them.

I've heard trainers say that their female's marking ability increases greatly just before a cycle, I've read some trainers say they get quirky and others that they hardly notice any difference. My pup has had one cycle and we didn't miss a beat. It also helps that I do not have any males around and I train alone 95% of the time.

I hunted Sunday morning with 3 males and 2 females. We pointed 9 coveys. My female pointed 4 of them. The three males pointed a combined 5 coveys one of which they bumped. My female was to the front of all the males.

She looked a lot like this.



The red setters did fine. This is Beckett with his first covey.



This is Yeats pointing a covey.



We picked up 9 quail and 3 snipe.

I'm no dog trainer/breeder, but might it be the male is more loyal because you spend more time with him and hunt him and leave the females at home?

I bought a female and had her fixed asap because I didn't want an aggressive dog and I didn't want her peeing on everything. Well the peeing on everything part worked, but she can be a nasty mean little beagle!

Certainly its a possibility but i spend plenty of time with all of them. An example is when i clean kennels in the evening my male will air for a short period of time then get glued to my side. I move he moves. My females dont check in near as often unless i call them or whistle.

Both genders are more than capable but each has a different personality to bring to the table. Personal preference for most people.

I have found that the difference between men and women is roughly the same as the difference between male and female dogs. It's amazing how consistent nature is.

I like females

On my 3rd female lab, had all 3 spade. I prefer females, males piss and hump on everything, and I don't want to look at their junk.

It just depends on your personal preference.
Females appear to mature a little earlier than males, but both can make excellent hunting dogs.
Both can mark, females just don't lift their leg when they do it.

I like females too.

Have had nothing but black females and intend to keep it that way.

Male

I prefer males. Neutered males to be exact. Neither of my current male labs lift their legs to pee - they both squat..thus neither have any inclination to mark anything.

Males will rust out your kennel fence. Females won't.

That's because they think they're girls.

I have always been partial to the ladies.

My males have been trying to melt my kennel panels for years...some places, they have pretty well done it.
Thru the years, my very best pointing dogs have been males, but I still am partial to my females...be they labrador, spaniel, or pointing dog. Why?? I don't know, just am.

Males win more trials for a reason. I go with boys when i need to get stuff done. Pets, dont care either way.

Why limit yourself, get one of each. My male thinks every time I let him out of the kennel its hunting/retrieving time. A retrieving machine but will sometimes let that get in the way of obedience. My female is cool, calm, and collected. She can just as easily lounge around the house all day and just like a light switch can be in hunting mode in an instant. She does have a penchant for food though... Buck won't even eat until I go inside and he's certain he doesn't get to retrieve anything, be it bird or bumper. If I'm going on a tough hunt with heavy brush or large ponds, heavy current I'll take Buck. If I'm taking my 8 year old or someone new, I'll take Zipper because she's pretty much autopilot in the blind. I literally don't have to utter a command to her the entire hunt and I can focus on other things like making sure my kids have a good hunt.

This has more to do with economics/heat cycles rather than inherent ability of males vs females.