Do females make better sporting dogs?

[SheltieChe]

Mr. Independent and Mr. Attitude here. IF I have any more I would not know what to do with it so no girls allowed in our club

 

[ortegah]

I've had so many people, breeders included, that try to convince me that males are better obedience dogs. More devoted to their owners, etc. I personally love my girls. I like a dog with a little attitude! I'm sure the others are right, but girls for me all the way!! I had a golden who was so clingy and adoring, but that drove me crazy!!

Well I think Goldens are a different thing altogether. I think it's a sheltie thing where the differences are concerned. My guys are not clingy at all and very independent but at the same time they still check back to see that I approve. My dog Trax is ANYTHING but sensitive. He's the perfect dog for me because it's virtually impossible to shut him down. I tend to get anxious and irritated quickly and he's always been so forgiving of my nerves, but I think that has more to do with the parents backgrounds than the sex. Nonetheless, I and most of the agility people I know prefer boys for agility. I know nothing about any of the other sports though.

 

[mcemily]

I don't think it is the sport that matters so much as the person.
For me, I am a big fan of females. They are more resilient, independent, mature faster, not as soft, and want to please without clinging.
The boys I have had have generally been clingy, have to be with mommy types, who take too long to mature mentally, don't take as much to get upset, and because they are more clingy, don't tend to want to work distance as easily as the girls.
Now, that's not saying all males are that way, but of the ones I've had, that's what I've gotten.

Yeah, that sounds about right! When I was a kid, we had a Sheltie girl. She was very well-behaved and definitely wanted to please, but she wasn't clingy. Affectionate, but not clingy.

When hubby and I brought home our puppy, Lerwick, I was expecting much the same. WRONG! He is way clingy (to the point of separation anxiety, I suspect), and very, VERY mommy-focused (I suspect because I do not work outside the home, so I'm the one he's most bonded to)... and he is the softest little coward EVER.

We don't compete in anything, so I can't comment about that aspect. Lerwick seems to have a pretty strong herding instinct, definitely stronger than the girl we had when I was a kid, but I'm not sure he'd be brave enough to actually DO anything with it, LOL.