Bitches favoured

[rawry]

Just a quick queastion on a subject that might of been coverd before but i am just curious as to why people prefer bitches to dogs after talking to a few top breeders they are finding the same over the last couple of years weather for trialing or picking up/beating/ shooting dogs . i have a good idea why the trialers like bitches but if you don't have a few dogs/bitches in reserve and your bitch come into heat during the shooting season you can miss a big part of it.

[Pink Gundog]

Some think they can make money from bitches by producing pups. There is no reason to favour a bitch over a dog for temp or ability. Those who favour bitches over dogs are nieve and have not experienced how fabulous male dogs are. Any old wife's tales of bitches are easier to train than dogs went out with the dinosaurs like the old methods of training

[Shep]

Well for what its worth my theory is that like Fathers and daughters / mothers and sons, in general men trainers bond instinctively to bitches and female trainers to dogs. That doesn't mean that its the best result, because as we all know daughters can twist their Dads round their little fingers and same with mothers and sons

Feel free to disagree with this though - its only a homespun theory

[Judy]

I've had both and I much prefer bitches, simple as that. I haven't bred from them for one reason or another so nobody can accuse me of money making! They are a pain when they all decide to come into season together during the winter but it's a small price to pay. I was sorely tempted by a chunky dog pup bred by a forum member but decided it would require too much of a lifestyle change to accommodate a male amongst all the entire bitches.

I don't understand why triallers keep bitches in preference, there's money to be made in stud fees with a successful dog, the bitch can only have 4 litters. Apart from the obvious wanting to keep your line going and be able to choose matings rather than rely on who uses your stud dogs of course.

[vicky payne]

I like my dogs and I like my bitch too. They are all very different but I'm not sure their sex is what makes them different.

[craigavonjoe]

Depends on the connection/bond with the dog or bitch.
I usually kept bitches, and liked the temperment of a bitch better, less aloof and more focused on me.( or so I thought)
I kept a dog back fom my last litter and we have bonded better that any other dog that I have had.
He is a real pleasure to have, easy trained and hard hunter.

[alpha]

Old wives tail is that bitches have a nicer style to catch a judges eye when trialling also I suppose to some extent it does stop the amount if money you can make a ftch bitch can never make the amount of money an equivalent dog can make.
I have both and the cocker bitch will always be my favourite but then is that a cocker vs springer thing?

[Alice]

Like Shep I think there is some truth to the thought that male handlers generally get on better with female dogs, and vice versa, as a generalisation. Something to do with the typical temprements of dogs/bitches and men/women.

Of course there are exceptions (Judy has bitches, Eddie Martin prefers dogs etc etc etc), and some dogs might have a 'bitchy' temprement (or vice versa again!) though.

I don't think money making comes into it at all- a regularly used stud dog would make you a ton more money than having a few litters from a bitch.

[Alice]

alpha- my cocker bitch is my favourite, but my springer dog was VASTLY easier to train and. Is it sex or is it the breed? who knows.

[rawry]

All interesting theories myself i have dogs and bitches and i admit that one of the bitches is my favourite but that might be because she is the oldest and was my first winner no other reason.the easiest and most pleasing dog i have trained was a dog.