BehaviorSocial BehaviorAre Male or Female Dogs More Protective?

Are Male or Female Dogs More Protective?

Female dogs are likely to be more protective than male dogs. Although male dogs tend to get more aggressive, the maternal instincts in female dogs cause them to be more protective. Research shows us that female dogs are even more protective of young children.

It’s no secret that dogs are mankind’s greatest companions in the animal kingdom. When it comes to the security of your home, your family, and your property, a loyal dog is quite literally your best friend.

If security is one of your priorities when choosing a furry friend for your home, you may be wondering which is better, a male or a female dog? Which sex will be more protective when it comes to you and your property?

Protectiveness vs. Aggression

It’s important to make the distinction between protectiveness and aggression. Many dog owners mistake their dog’s aggressive behavior for protectiveness. This is a dangerous assumption for dog owners to make. While aggressiveness can hold short-term benefits, the trait will cause a lot of harm in the long run.

Aggression

Aggressive behavior is inherently selfish behavior. Aggressive dogs can show aggression to anybody that makes them uncomfortable, or if they feel as though their dominance is being challenged, no matter how good your relationship is with them. There are two main types of aggression:

1) Dominant Aggression: Dogs that wish to dominate other dogs and people in their environment will show this type of aggression. They will lunge at strangers, deliberately disobey you, and are very protective when it comes to their food. Dominant-aggressive dogs will give no warning before attacking.

2) Defensive Aggression: Defensive-aggressive dogs are inherently insecure and difficult to predict. They will show submissive body language such as holding their ears back, lowering their head and gaze, and tucking their tail between their legs. If approached or touched, the dog will attack.

The main reason why you need to be aware of aggression is if you have children or guests at your home. Both types of aggression are incredibly dangerous in the presence of children. An aggressive dog will either attack a child to exert dominance or do so out of anxiety. They will do the same to house guests that are unfamiliar with the dog’s personality.

While both male and female dogs have the potential for aggression, it’s known that male dogs are more likely to be aggressive. Male dogs tend to exhibit more territorial psychology and have more dominant tendencies than female dogs. This aggressive behavior can be mitigated by neutering a male dog.

That being said, a dog’s gender has significantly less influence on their tendency toward aggression than their upbringing. How you raise and train your dog is the primary factor determining their behavior.

Protectiveness

Protectiveness is, without a doubt, the most desirable trait to look for in a dog. But which gender is more likely to be protective? The jury is still out on this question. Protectiveness is a difficult trait to quantify, so we don’t have a clear answer to this question. However, we can extrapolate a conclusion from the information that we do have.

Which gender of dogs is more protective? The research points to females.

Why is this? Female dogs are easier to train than male dogs, are generally less aggressive, and their maternal instincts increase their protective instincts, especially for children.

Here is evidence that supports these claims.

Female Dogs Mature Quicker than Male Dogs: Female dogs tend to mature younger than male dogs. This makes the dog much easier to train in comparison. The instinct to protect you and your home is not a learned trait, but an earned trait. You need to earn your dog’s trust and respect for them to have the instinct of protectiveness. Since female dogs are easier to train, it’s easier to instill trust into them; increasing the likelihood of them growing protective over you.

Less Aggressive: Since female dogs are less likely to be aggressive, they make better protectors of young children. Female dogs are more likely to be better with children because they are less likely to act aggressively toward them.

Maternal Instincts: As a female dog matures, she will develop maternal instincts and the pack instinct that dogs have developed over their evolution. A female dog’s natural instinct is to protect her puppies. This instinct will no doubt make a female dog a better protector.

While the research points to female dogs being better protectors than male dogs, this is not an absolute truth. Gender is not the most important factor in this question. What makes a dog a good protector is its upbringing and training. No matter the gender, as long as you raise your dog with care, the dog will be a fiercely loyal companion and an intrinsically good protector.

Protectiveness is a trait hard-wired into a dog’s psychology. Wolves, from which dogs evolved, are pack animals. As long as you are a member of their pack, they will love and protect you no matter what.

Loyalty

You cannot have protectiveness without loyalty. This is the most important trait in a dog, and it builds a pathway to other desirable traits. How do you attain loyalty in your dog? It all comes from the training. Regardless of gender, the consensus is that how you raise a dog is the most crucial factor in their personality as adults.

How to Develop a Loyal Dog

Be Their Leader: Wolf packs always have an alpha, or a leader. With your dog(s), you must be the alpha. Once you establish yourself as a leader, your dog will naturally follow your lead.

This can be achieved by rewarding your dog only when they exhibit appropriate behavior. Only show affection when your dog is calm and orderly. Develop a routine for your dog that they can adhere to.

Do not ever bully your dog. Be loving and empathetic, but firm when they step out of line.

Develop Deep Trust: For your dog to be loyal to you, they must trust you implicitly. To achieve this, you must be consistent with your dog and never do anything that betrays their faith in you.

Never strike or yell at your dog if they disobey you. Never deprive them of food, shelter, safety, or affection. If you do any of these things, they will always remember. These memories will always influence their feelings about you.

To develop meaningful trust between you and your dog, you must only use positive reinforcement while training them. Train by rewarding good behavior. In response to poor behavior, ignore the dog for a short period. Dogs crave affection and approval. Denying them their validation is the only punishment necessary.

Loyal Dog Breeds

Certain breeds are definitely more loyal than others, based on their historical role in relation to their owners. Work dogs, for example, have been bred to help humans maintain their farms and protect livestock. Here is the consensus on the top five most loyal dog breeds, in no particular order.

St. Bernard

This breed is a household name when it comes to beloved family dogs. They are clever and easy to train, and they make outstanding family members. Incredibly gentle with children, this breed’s intimidating bark and large size will undoubtedly deter any strangers from making trouble with you.

German Shepherd

One of the most intelligent and loyal dog breeds, German Shepherds are the military and police force’s dog of choice for a reason. Incredibly intuitive and easy to train, these dogs are fiercely loyal companions with a soft side.

Labrador Retriever

As the most popular sporting dog in the world, the labrador retriever is bred to be your best friend. Historically bred as hunting dogs, this breed lives for human affection, making training easy and their loyalty unfettering. Their incredibly high energy levels can at times be a handful, however.

Akita

These historically Japanese dogs were bred to be the loyal companions of Japanese royalty. The Akita is known for its intelligence, alertness, and profound courage when protecting its owners. There’s even a viral video of a loyal Akita barking at a stranger for approaching their owner’s car!

Boxer

As the historical hunting dog of choice in Germany, the Boxer is known to be one of the world’s best watchdogs. Incredibly alert and energetic, the Boxer is a loyal and loving companion.

Protectiveness is Not Solely Determined By Gender

Now you know that a dog’s level of protectiveness is not solely determined by their gender. Many factors go into protectiveness, and the most important of those factors is upbringing.

To have a dog that will protect you, your family, and your property, you must develop a relationship of trust and respect with your dog. Loyalty is another vital factor you must pursue when searching for a protective dog. Remember that for a dog to be loyal to you, you must show loyalty to your dog.

While upbringing is the most critical factor in having a protective dog, you came here to learn if male or female dogs are more protective. The data contends that female dogs have more protective characteristics than male dogs. However, it doesn’t mean that females are guaranteed to be more protective.

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