Boy or girl? In an AKC article on sex differences in dogs, AKC Breeder of Merit Jessica Freni, who breeds English Toy Spaniels, says around 70% or more of the prospective puppy owners who come to her have a particular sex of puppy in mind. If you are weighing a male against a female Dutch Shepherd, here is what the breed standard says about size, what research has found about behavior, and when sex really does matter.

Azul, Alpha Kennels' Dutch Shepherd dam, sitting on lead on a sandy beach, ears up and looking at the camera
Azul, our female and the dam of our planned litter, on the beach.

The short answer

For most homes, it matters less than you might think. The AKC article names two situations where it is important to consider the sex of a new puppy: "when you want to breed (or avoid breeding in a home with other, intact dogs), and when you want to avoid behavioral issues in a home with other dogs." Outside of breeding, it concludes, "sex isn't the most important factor when finding your next dog."

Breeding does not apply here: every puppy from us is spayed or neutered before going home, and we never sell breeding rights. That leaves a dog already in your home as the main reason to choose by sex.

Size and build

The AKC's official standard for the Dutch Shepherd gives each sex its own height range: "Males should be 22½ to 24½ inches in height and females 21½ to 23½ inches, measured at the withers." The female range starts and ends one inch below the male range, and the two overlap between 22½ and 23½ inches. On the standard's numbers, a female at the top of her range is taller than a male at the bottom of his.

The standard adds that "The difference between sexes is clearly recognizable, especially in the shape of the head and build of body," and that "Both male and female should be judged equally." It gives no weight in pounds for either sex, and the AKC's breed page lists one weight range for the whole breed, not one for each sex.

Our pair, for the record: Azul (our female) is 75 to 80 pounds and Dabo (our male) is heavier. Those are two adult dogs, not a promise about any puppy's adult size. Our size guide covers height, weight and growth.

Temperament: small differences, on average

In 2018, Anna Scandurra and colleagues at the University of Naples Federico II reviewed published studies on sex differences in dogs in the journal Animals. In those studies, "aggressiveness and boldness, described as a behavioral syndrome, were reported as being higher in males than females." Females seemed more inclined toward "social interactions with humans in tasks that require cooperative skills," while "males appeared more inclined to social play" with people.

Read those as averages across many dogs, not rules for your dog. In the AKC's summary, the review found that male and female dogs "do behave slightly differently." Its authors note that some aggression studies used samples "not representative of the complete dog population" or were based on owner surveys, and they write that "the conclusion that male dogs are more aggressive would seem not robust." Because aggression scores differ between breeds, they add, "females of some breeds might appear to be more aggressive than males of other breeds." The review does not mention the Dutch Shepherd.

Bias is part of the picture, too. The AKC notes "it's very difficult to design behavioral experiments that rule out any existing bias," and points to a study that found owners "use gender norms to (1) select what they consider to be suitable dogs, (2) describe their dogs' behaviors and personalities."

The breeders in the AKC article put the individual first. "Sex is pretty superficial, color is definitely superficial," Freni says. Siberian Husky breeder Sheila Goffe agrees: "I think a lot of it really comes down to the individual dog."

The AKC standard gives the Dutch Shepherd one temperament section, with no split by sex: "loyalty and reliability, alertness, and watchfulness," in a dog that is "active, independent, with persistence, intelligence, prepared to be obedient." The AKC's breed page adds that without training, "this breed will become very independent and will start to make its own decisions." Our temperament guide goes deeper.

Dabo, working-line Dutch Shepherd, sitting on a wooden porch between potted plants, ears up and tongue out
Dabo, our male and the sire of our planned litter, on the porch.

When sex does matter: a dog already at home

The second situation the AKC names is a home with other dogs. If Freni knows a family is considering a second dog later, she tends to steer them toward a male, in a male-male or male-female home rather than a home with two females, "because if there is going to be a conflict, it tends most often to be female-female conflict." Goffe says a male and a female will often get along best, though she stresses that it ultimately comes down to the individual dogs' temperaments.

Two studies in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association looked at dogs that fought at home. The 2011 study covered 38 cases seen at a veterinary teaching hospital: "Most cases (30/38 [79%]) of interdog household aggression involved same-sex pairs," and 26 of the 38 involved one female or a pair of females. The 2020 study covered 305 pairs from a referral veterinary behavioral clinic, and most pairs "included at least 1 female dog (214/305 [70%]) and dogs of the same sex (188/305 [61.6%])." Same-sex pairs were one of the factors associated with a poor outcome, which that study defines as permanent separation, rehoming or euthanasia. Its authors conclude: "Owners should be advised to avoid same-sex pairs during preadoption counseling."

Both studies counted only pairs already in trouble, so neither can say how likely any one pair is to fight. Still, if you have a dog now, tell us its sex, age and temperament. Our guide to bringing a puppy home to your dog or cat covers introductions.

Intact dogs and our spay/neuter policy

The AKC article also notes that sex can matter when dogs in a home are kept intact. Goffe says that when one or more dogs are not spayed or neutered, "that can open the door to a whole other series of issues with jealousies, or a girl in season that you have boys fighting over."

A puppy from us will never be the intact dog in your home. Every puppy from us is spayed or neutered before going home, and no breeding rights are sold, so choosing a male or a female is never a choice about breeding. If a dog already living with you is intact, tell us when we talk.

How to choose

The short version: the AKC standard puts males at 22½ to 24½ inches and females at 21½ to 23½, and the ranges overlap. In the AKC's summary of a 2018 review, males and females "do behave slightly differently," and the breeders the AKC quotes put the individual dog first. For a puppy from us, sex matters most when another dog lives with you: in two clinic studies of dogs that fought at home, most pairs were the same sex.

Still deciding on the breed itself? Start with our ten honest questions.

Sources