Hi Everyone
I was reading an interesting article and wanted to see what you think.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/ca ... ve-females
http://www.yourdog.co.uk/Puppy-Advice/s ... *****.html
both articles say that male dogs are more likely to fight with each other or get attacked by another dog than females because male size each other up. is this true or false?
are male dogs more likely to fight than females
Moderators: emmabeth, BoardHost
Re: are male dogs more likely to fight than females
Neither - just too simplistic 
Dogs don't do anything for no reason - so if a dog (either gender) never needs to aggress - then it won't. Any dog can show aggression, any dog can fight. Or not. Fighting is an 'expensive' behaviour as it can result in receiving injury.
Adolescents are sparkier than adults, just like human adolescents, or indeed adolescents of any other species. So what applies with adults doesn't with adolescents. So studies on immature dogs skew results.
From observation, normal males will focus on other males and size them up, but be chivalrous to females. Males that attack females do exist, but they are not displaying normal social behaviour. Males checking out other males will not automatically spill over into fighting unless other issues exist.
Females that fight often will not stop until one is mortally injured or dead. It is far less common (but not unknown) for males to do this.
"Studies" do not necessarily reveal truth - only hypothesis. Many studies are carried out on atypical dogs, such as neuters and early neuters, or dogs kept in unrealistic conditions. Badly socialised dogs will behave differently from normal dogs. Dogs that went to the wrong sorts of puppy classes may be more antagonistic, and it is arguable that dogs badly kept (bored, underexercised, understimulated, fed rubbish food, scared by their humans etc) will be more likely to show aggression. Studies need to address these points in order to reach good conclusions.
Dogs don't do anything for no reason - so if a dog (either gender) never needs to aggress - then it won't. Any dog can show aggression, any dog can fight. Or not. Fighting is an 'expensive' behaviour as it can result in receiving injury.
Adolescents are sparkier than adults, just like human adolescents, or indeed adolescents of any other species. So what applies with adults doesn't with adolescents. So studies on immature dogs skew results.
From observation, normal males will focus on other males and size them up, but be chivalrous to females. Males that attack females do exist, but they are not displaying normal social behaviour. Males checking out other males will not automatically spill over into fighting unless other issues exist.
Females that fight often will not stop until one is mortally injured or dead. It is far less common (but not unknown) for males to do this.
"Studies" do not necessarily reveal truth - only hypothesis. Many studies are carried out on atypical dogs, such as neuters and early neuters, or dogs kept in unrealistic conditions. Badly socialised dogs will behave differently from normal dogs. Dogs that went to the wrong sorts of puppy classes may be more antagonistic, and it is arguable that dogs badly kept (bored, underexercised, understimulated, fed rubbish food, scared by their humans etc) will be more likely to show aggression. Studies need to address these points in order to reach good conclusions.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog
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Re: are male dogs more likely to fight than females
I think many of us that have 'enjoyed' adolescent boy dogs swear they've gone through some sort of Vulcan 'Pon Farr". I've threatened DIY neuter a time or two.Nettle wrote:Adolescents are sparkier than adults, just like human adolescents, or indeed adolescents of any other species.
