Pleading for males
“ I’d like a female” “no male, thanks! ” ” …preferably a bitch“
” not a male ! ” “I am desperately looking for a female”
For several years now, over 80% of the requests we receive have been for females. When I ask why this is the case, I hear so many prejudices that I needed to take stock of the reality.
Size
According to the standard, a female measures between 54 and 60 cm at the withers and weighs between 24 and 29 kg. The male, on the other hand, is 56-62 cm tall and weighs between 27-32 kg.
So the difference is not so obvious, and a bitch can be just as powerful as, or even more so than, a male!
Character
Certain character traits are typical of the breed: the Dalmatian is lively, friendly, active, cuddly, sensitive, loyal, attentive, intelligent, affectionate and fond of children. They can sometimes be obstinate, especially when they don’t understand the benefits of changing their behaviour or when orders are given in a too imperious tone.
But generalities aside, every dog is a unique individual with a distinctive personality that is determined not only by breed or origin, but also by experience, environment and many other factors. Your personality and lifestyle have a major influence on the behaviour of your four-legged friend. Training your dog is essential!
As the dog’s owner, you are largely responsible for its character!
A male dog will be just as cuddly, playful and friendly with humans and other dogs as a female. His tolerance threshold is often even higher than that of a female, who is subject to greater hormonal variations.
Adolescence is a period of testing, which may be more marked in males. But it’s a time when dogs, whatever they’re sex, seem to forget everything they’ve already learned!
Bitches have a more stubborn side and training a male is often easier, as long as your rules are benevolent, consistent and clear (= the basis of all good training).
As for marking, my female is much more sensitive to smells than other male dalmatians around me!
So why not a male ?
We don’t have any males at home: not because we don’t want to, but because day-to-day life with two full females would be much more complicated!
So I’ll let the families who live with males have their say!
