Male vs. Female Poodle: Pros, Cons, & Difference (With Pictures)

Sometimes you already know what kind of dog you want, and all that’s left is to decide if you want a male or a female. There are advantages and disadvantages to both genders, and this guide will walk you through everything that you need to know so you can decide which is best for you.

However, keep in mind that all this information is about what’s more likely, as every Poodle will display their personality traits. Poodles are living, breathing animals, and they tend to have their thoughts and ideas about how they should act!

Visual Differences

At a Glance

Poodles 101

The Poodle is one of the most intelligent dog breeds on the planet, and when you combine that with the fact that they’re hypoallergenic, it’s easy to see why they’re so popular.

Even better for many people is that you can get them in so many sizes. While here we highlighted the “standard” Poodle, you can get a toy and miniature Poodles that can be as small as 8 to 10 pounds.

This means you get to pick if you want a small or large dog and still get all the signature characteristics of a Poodle. Most Poodles live between 12 and 15 years, but smaller Poodles tend to live a bit longer than larger ones.

Finally, the Poodle is an AKC-recognized breed, and there are many Poodle breeders to choose from. Do your research and find a reputable breeder, and from there, pick out your color and the gender that you want!

Male Poodle Overview

Personality / Character

Male Poodles tend to be more easygoing than female Poodles, and they often have a more playful spirit. However, they also tend to be a bit needier, meaning if you’re home, you should expect them to always be nearby. They also have no problem going out of their way to get your attention.

Training

Both male and female Poodles are easy to train, but male Poodles tend to be a bit easier. This is especially true when you consider that male Poodles tend to want to please everyone in the family.

This means that once you train a Poodle, they should listen to everyone instead of just one person. Finally, male Poodles tend to be a little easier to housebreak, especially if you neuter them.

Health & Care

Male Poodles tend to have fewer health concerns than females, especially if you neuter the dog. If you don’t neuter them, you run the risk of things like testicular cancer, which female Poodles don’t need to worry about.

But male Poodles do have lower risks for illnesses like urinary tract infections compared to female Poodles.

Breeding

Breeding a male Poodle is easy, though under typical arrangements, the females get to keep all the puppies. However, if you have a male Poodle with premium genetics, you might be able to “stud” them out and make money this way.

Unlike females, which have a set breeding schedule, you can stud out a male Poodle as often as you can find a female in heat.

Female Poodle Overview

Personality / Character

Female Poodles are protective of everyone and extremely loyal, but they typically pick one person to bond with. While they love to hang around their people, they don’t always need to be in their lap or touch them.

That said, a big part of this comes down to their specific personality, and it’s perfectly normal to have a cuddly female Poodle.

Training

Female Poodles are extremely easy to train, though not quite as easy as males. Females tend to have more of a stubborn streak, and if you don’t spay them, they might try to take over as the leader. Finally, female Poodles will do their best to boss around an inexperienced owner, so you need to have a firm and consistent approach when training a female Poodle, while still sticking with positive reinforcement.

Health & Care

While female Poodles tend to be healthier pets, they are prone to a few more health concerns than males. If you don’t spay them, they are at an increased risk of certain cancers. It also costs more to spay a Poodle than to neuter a dog.

Furthermore, female Poodles tend to get more urinary tract infections than males. Still, they’re a healthy breed and shouldn’t have too many problems.

Breeding

Female Poodles typically have their first heat cycle around 18 months old. From there, they can go into heat every 6 months. A single litter typically has between three and seven puppies, but it’s not unheard of to have more or less.

Between litters, it’s typically best to give a female Poodle at least one heat cycle of rest before trying to breed them again.

Conclusion

There’s no right or wrong answer when you’re trying to pick what gender Poodle you want. Think about whether you want your dog to try to bond with everyone or if you’d prefer them to have a stronger connection with one person.

That’s the primary difference between a male and female Poodle, so this is the factor that you should put the most stock into when deciding on a gender. But keep in mind that each Poodle will have their own personality, so it’s not a sure thing that a Poodle will act a certain way just because of their gender.

Featured Image Credit: (L) tsik, Shutterstock | (R) mullyadii, Shutterstock