So you’ve finally decided to get that German Shorthaired Pointer, but are reluctant which gender you should choose?
If you’ve been hearing lots of mixed opinions about both genders which makes you even more hesitant, then you’ve come to the right place.
We’re going to tell you everything you need to know about the differences in personality and temperament between both genders.
Let’s start by talking about the German Shorthaired personality.
Personality
Both male and female German Shorthaired are friendly, protective, and affectionate.
They’re very playful and the older they get, the more playful they become. Because of that, they earned the nickname “perpetual puppies”.
Both males and females of this breed share a similar personality outline, there are a few minor differences, though.
Males
Both genders are affectionate and caring, but males are a bit more eager to please their owners.
Additionally, male German shorthaired pointers tend to be more aggressive than their female counterparts.
The males are also a bit more protective of family members than females. They’re loyal by nature.
Females
Females are slightly less eager to please but they’re as friendly as males. They’ll love all family members but they prefer to bond more with a single family member.
This family member is often the one who gives the most attention to the dog. However, on some occasions, it just happens randomly.
The female German Pointers are also cleaner and more cautious around objects than males, making them safer to have around children.
Temperament
Just like their personality, both male and female German Pointers have a temperament that is somewhat similar. For convenience, we’ll refer to them as GSPs from now on.
However, there are a few more differences here.
Males
Just like most male creatures, male GSPs are clumsier. Their tendency to please their owners may make them do something silly while trying, like knocking off a cup or any other item.
They also ask for much more attention than females and could come up in your personal space most of the time.
Not only do they love pleasing their owners, but they’re also easy to please as well. They don’t have that calm distant attitude that female GSPs usually have.
Male GSPs tend to be pushy as well, to the point where they would throw a tantrum to get what they want. They won’t harm you if they suddenly have the urge to eat, for example.
But they will leave you no such thing as personal space and they’ll be all over your face till you give them what they want.
Females
Female GSPs are calmer, tidier, and more distant than males. They usually are much more attentive to the environment, and more likely to notice first when a stranger approaches.
Before trying to please them or have them please you, there’s something else that you should do. It’s earning their loyalty.
That’s right, unlike male GSPs who are loyal the moment they see you, the females require more time and affection before they could open up to you.
Lucky for us, that often doesn’t take more than a couple of weeks. However, even when you earn their love, they won’t be in your personal space as much as male GSPs.
Don’t let that discourage you though, play-time is still play-time and they’ll be all over it. But when you have your own thing to do, they respect the distance and they don’t interfere.
This makes them more suitable for people who don’t have the energy or the time to be interacting with their dogs all day.
Trainability
Dogs are known for being easy to train in most cases. And even if the training process is exhausting, it’s always rewarding when your loyal companion starts to learn as intended.
GSPs are full of energy, eager to please, and they have a strong prey drive. This makes training them a breeze.
The difference in training ability between male and female GSPs isn’t that big, but it’s worth mentioning nevertheless.
Males
Training male GSPs is harder than females because of their short attention span. But worry not, because they are easier to motivate with food and more eager to please than females.
Since they’re slightly bigger than females, they’re stronger and can cover more ground while hunting.
But, because of their clumsy nature, females could still keep up with the males because they’re more focused and composed.
Females
Female GSPs have a longer attention span than males which makes them easier to train.
However, their distant nature gets them bored easily. So they are less likely to train for as long as males do.
Females mature faster than males by nature. That makes them more aware of their surroundings than other GSP males of the same age.
In the long run, female GSPs tend to be better hunters than males.
Socializing
Both males and females are quite friendly and social with some differences.
Males
Male GSPs have a lot of energy, maybe too much energy to handle that is sometimes destructive. They need quite the amount of exercise every day.
On the other hand, they’re great, protective, and affectionate with kids. And they don’t take long to get acquainted with strangers.
However, they shouldn’t be left unsupervised with kids. Their messy nature and impulsive movements could cause accidents or injuries.
You won’t have a problem getting our GSPs to socialize with other dogs as it’s in their nature. If you have other dogs, you shouldn’t worry about adding a GSP to the family.
Females
Just like it takes time for you to earn their loyalty, strangers need some time and interaction with your female GSPs before they can open up to them.
They are generally safer around kids than their male counterparts because of their calmer nature, but no dog should be left unsupervised with kids nevertheless.
Regarding other dogs, they won’t mind having them around, but they want dominance and control.
Female GSPs wouldn’t like it if another dog tries to step too much on their territory which could lead to fights.
Tone down their alpha nature by disciplining them during training. They should be reminded constantly that they don’t own everything.
Male or Female: Which One Is for You?
Dogs were never chosen over which dog is better. All dogs are great to their right partners. It’s all about suitability.
If you have other dogs at home and you love having dogs being affectionate towards you most of the time, then a male is a better choice.
If you want a better hunter that gives you your own personal time and space whenever needed, consider having a female GSP.
Both genders are beautiful to have and you won’t be disappointed.
