Best Dog Breeds - Top Men and Top Women Dog Breeds
77If men are from Mars and women are from Venus,
I was curious to see if Martians and Venusians also have big differences in their preferences for dog breeds. Sure, there is the usual stereotype of men preferring larger dog breeds and women preferring smaller dog breeds but is this actually true?
To find out, I decided to collect top dog breed information from Yahoo! Answers.
Here are the five top dog breeds for women and the five top dog breeds for men.
Top Dog Breeds for Women 1
Labrador Retriever
Not too surprisingly, the Labrador Retriever is chosen as the top dog breed by women.
According to the AKC, the Labrador is the most popular dog breed in the United States, and has been so since at least 1997. The Labrador is also the most popular dog breed in the world according to Wikipedia.
This top place is well-earned because the breed is well-temperamented, enthusiastic, attentive, and willing to work. All these qualities make the Labrador a good family member, a loving companion, and a helpful hunting partner.
Dog Breeds
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Top Dog Breeds for Women 2
German Shepherd Dog
German Shepherds are the third most popular dog breed in the United States.
They are self-assured, eager to learn, focused, obedient, and have strong guarding instincts. These traits make them a popular choice for law-enforcement work.
At home, they are a good and loyal protector, but must be carefully obedience trained and firmly handled. Otherwise, the German Shepherd may show dog aggression in his zeal to lead and protect his family.
Top Dog Breeds for Women 3
Golden retriever
The Golden Retriever comes in at a close third after the German Shepherd. In AKC rankings they are the fourth most popular dog breed in the United States.
Like the Labrador Retriever, the Golden is a versatile dog with a gentle and eager to please temperament. Perhaps they are less popular than the Labrador because of their longer coats which need more frequent grooming.
Top Dog Breeds for Women 4
Pit Bull Terrier
The term Pit Bull usually includes the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier (#68 on the 2007 AKC rankings) and Staffordshire Bull Terrier (#85 on the 2007 AKC rankings).
Pit Bulls have gotten a fair amount of negative publicity which have contributed to their image as a dangerous, and aggressive dog breed. In fact Pit Bulls are banned in some cities in the United States and they are totally banned from some countries.
It is therefore somewhat surprising that Pit Bulls should come in at a strong fourth place, especially among women.
This ranking probably has a lot to do with the Yahoo! Answers population who are more online savvy and who are willing to do the research into the breed and discover that they are actually loyal, fun, and friendly dogs.
"A 2008 study of 6,000 dog owners who were interviewed indicated that smaller breed dogs were more likely to be "genetically predisposed towards aggressive behaviour." Pit bulls were rated as "average or below average for hostility towards strangers." ~~[Excerpt from Wikipedia]
Top Dog Breeds for Women 5
Chihuahua
The Chihuahua is 12th on the AKC list of most popular dog breeds (2007). Among the small dog group, Yorkies have recently become the second most popular breed in the United States.
Therefore, it is a bit surprising that the Chihuahua was picked as the most popular small dog breed by the women of Yahoo! Answers. We can only surmise that this discrepancy is due to the poor representation of Yorkie owners in the Yahoo! Answers community. Perhaps Yorkies are commonly preferred by more senior dog owners who spend less time online.
In is unexpected that only one small dog made it onto the top dog breeds for women list. I did not expect to find German Shepherds and certainly not Pit Bulls on the women's top dog breed list.
The common stereotype that women prefer smaller dog breeds is certainly not borne out by this data.
Top Dog Breeds for Men
- German Shepherd Dog.
- Pit Bull Terrier.
- Labrador Retriever.
- Rottweiler.
- Great Dane.
Surprisingly, the choice of dog breeds among men and women are not that different after all. The German Shepherd, Pit Bull Terrier, and Labrador Retriever made it to the top five in both lists.
Perhaps the most striking difference is that the top dog breeds for men are all larger dogs, whereas the little Chihuahua made it to number 5 on the top dog breeds for women. Perhaps it is not so much that women do not like larger dog breeds, but rather that men have a preference against smaller dog breeds.
The most manly small dog breeds are the Jack Russell Terrier and Beagle.
Which is your favorite dog breed?
See results without votingTop Dog Breeds Data Collection
To collect the top dog breeds data, I did a search on Yahoo! Answers for the keywords "favorite" and "breed". I then went through each relevant favorite dog breed question, and extracted the answers. When several breeds were listed, I simply picked the first one.
I collected a total of 1064 responses from Yahoo! Answers. 676 were from women, 190 were from men, and another 198 were undetermined because the names, photographs, and profile associated with the answer did not indicate gender.
For the purposes of constructing the lists above, I only used the clearly male and female responses. The undetermined answers were not counted.
An interesting statistic to note here is that the number of female responses is more than three times greater than the number of male responses. This may indicate that women are more active in discussing their dogs. It will be very interesting to see if more women than men own dogs.
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Yeah I love Sibes as well. They are so beautiful, affectionate, and always ready for action! :D
Aaaaw my favourite breed 'Siberian Husky' isnt on the list. Oh well... i guess it because they are quite hard to train and a lot of effor to take care of... But one of his doggy kisses is payment enough lol...I Luv My Little Man...x
I'm glad pitbulls made the list. My mom has three and I used to have one as well. They are simply the sweetest, most loyal dogs in the world. They wouldn't hurt a fly unless one of us was in danger.
Golden lover 6, that is the stupidest thing that I have ever read. Pit bulls are not evil, it is the irresponsible owner that causes the wrong that these dogs commit. I have had pit bulls and they are among the most loyal, and loving dogs that I have ever been around. Just remember, "Blame the deed not the breed!"
I have a 1 year old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and recently got a 3 month old black American Pitbull. My ex boyfriend has two American Pit Bulls and I fell in love with them. A great dog for single women.
Golden retrievers are the best dogs to have!! They are beautiful loving dogs! Pit bulls are horrible evil ugly dogs who have killed far too many children! The entire breed should be banned!!!
pit bulls should not have bad repations beceuse of what humans did thay should have all the same rights as all other dogs do thats what i think. People if your readind this you should not make pits fight it back firing on the dog no us u may go to jail but the dog would be put down for aggrstion
i love the German Shepard they are so playful and hug gable and i voted for that in the which breed do you like we have a German Shepard accaully pure German Shepard well that's all I want to say!!!!!! :)
i like german seprate dog because they are the best paltu dog for their malik
Rottweilers, any Pit mix, Dogo Argentino, any Mastiff breed, Bulldogs... FTW
I like Bully breeds, just any big tough looking dogs.
lol..I read the article!! The pictures are so adorable too!
Yeah I love Nordic breeds as well. I have a Siberian Husky. They are such great dogs.
"So sad they didn't make the list"
I know ... neither of my dogs made the list either. As you say, Sibes and Mals are independent and require A LOT of exercise.
"I must ask....what is this stunning creature on your avatar??"
Heh - he is a Shiba Inu. They are also very independent, but unlike Sibes and Mals they are a lot more aloof, like a cat. You may find this article interesting - I write about Shiba and Sibe similarities and differences.
hmmmm...I am a female I have 2 Alaskan Malamutes...my favorite dog. lol So sad they didn't make the list but I guess they really are a handful to train for the average female without experience with the breed but they are so brilliant and loyal. I do LOVE pitbulls though so I'm glad they at least made the list!! I must ask....what is this stunning creature on your avatar??
Anyone who loves animals is a fan by me. I adore dogs especially and thoroughly enjoyed this read and info. Cheers.
Hi John,
I collected the data around the time that I published the article.
when did this survey start?
No realy email i will get abck to you
I have a chihuahua and they are 100% awesome. For first time dog owners I recomend not buying these frisky dogs. If you want a good dog please buy or save a chihuahua. These dogs are not good with children under the age of about 6. Great with single persons. A chihuahua will most likely get attached to one owner even if owned by many people. The shaking is nothing you should worry about.
Questions e-mail... katherinedewolf@gmail.com
thanks
Hello Jacob, Thanks for pointing out the American Indian Dog. I really like their look - very husky-ish.
you forgot another dog the native american indian dog they are nice ggod with kids and love animals they are not AKC recgonized but i still love the breed!
Wow, thanks for visiting. (*^^*)
Yup I love anime, although I also haven't seen anything new. But I know some that my friends loved. Maybe I should tell you about them in a private message. I'll send you an e-mail, if that's alright with you.
Chows are natural guard dogs, I think. If the owners understood that, maybe they wouldn't have let other people just go and approach the dogs, or let the dogs walk around outside unleashed, or whatever it was that made the Chows hostile. The Chows we had never harmed anyone unless they thought we or they themselves were threatened. I feel bad for the Chows...
Thanks for the interesting tidbit, though. I'll make sure to share it with my family. =)
Hello Rizza,
Enjoyed your webpage. :) Btw - I am also a fan of anime and anime music. I haven't watched any new ones lately but if you have any recommendations let me know.
Yeah Chows have somewhat of a bite reputation here. They got very popular in the 80s, and there was widespread breeding with little attention to temperament. As a result there were apparently a fair number of bite incidents associated with the Chow.
If I got a Chow, for example, my home-owner's insurance would go up significantly because their statistics say that Chows are more likely to bite than other breeds.
One of those things. Once a breed gets a bad reputation, it is difficult for it to shed that reputation even though it is not very true.
"Yeah I really love the Chow Chow. They have gotten a pretty bad rep lately tho."
What kind of bad rep is it? My family has had Chows before we got a Sibe. We love Chows. Very popular where I'm from, and no negative rep at all...
Hi Eddy,
Yeah I really love the Chow Chow. They have gotten a pretty bad rep lately tho. I have always wanted a Chow except that it would cause a hike in my home insurance. Still thinking about it ...
The other thing that I worry about is that the Chow may be too sedate compared to my two other dogs - and would not enjoy their crazy high energy.
Other - Chow Chow :)
Thanks for the interesting information Talia. I have never heard of Lurchers before so I had to look them up. What an interesting breed. They also have a cool history ... bred by Irish Gypsies for poaching ... lur means 'thief' in the Romani language :)
Yeah certainly sounds like they would be totally awesome in agility - smart, with that sight hound physique. Post a link to some pictures - would love to see your dog. :)
You forgot Lurchers they are the best they are so loyal and they love people and are so playful they are great pets cos you can use them to hunt and they can just be pets they are so cool cos when you want them to be crazy they will be and when you want a cuddle on the sofa or a buddy to watch a film with there great cos they build really stong bonds with there owners + I do agility with mine and they rock !!!
"great hot water bottles for those cold nights!" - lol
I'm just reporting on what people said on Yahoo! Answers. You will have to take it up with them ;)
You missed out Dachshunds! Wonderful companions and great hot water bottles for those cold nights!
I love German Shepherds! And Pitbulls!
Sincerly,
Random
Great hub btw, Yes LOVE LOVE LOVE the Pitbull group, greatest dogs i ever owned. Their smart, athletic, always willing to pleased thier owners. You get everything when it comes to the group. you get a passionate loving dog, a good running partner, fairly good hunter and a fairly good guard dog. Don't Believe the bad media and most importantly
Punish the Deed, not the Breed!
Akita and Chow - two of my favorite breeds. She must be a real looker and a real alpha :). I have always wanted to get a Chow mix but can't yet because of home insurance issues. Also, it is unclear if my cocky Shiba will get along with a Chow. I am leaning towards getting something more like a lab as a third dog; would be a nice change from my Shiba and Sibe :)
Interesting hub. I had a lab and she made that breed become my favorite. She thought she was everything's mother...birds, kittens, hamsters and of course dogs. She was a joy. We now have an akita / chow mix. She is another wonderful dog! She will never think she is everything's mother, but she has her own very special (and alpha) personality :)
Personaly i love my boxer dogs and labrador retrievers best
lol - gotta love those rulers of all! My Shiba has the same God-complex :) BIG personality but can be a big pain in the ass. Shibas didn't even come near to making it in the top ten :)
What!?!? No Min Pins? Now, to me, the Min Pin are great!! They are small, but have the attitude of a "Big" dog. They don't require a lot of grooming. They love to run and play and are very active! They also carry the attitude that They are the rulers of all! LOL
Yes, collies aren't for the faint-hearted.
lol - Yes they do! I live near some hills and during the winter they have goats come over to clear the brush on the hills. The person in charge has 2 border collies to help him herd his goats, and it is amazing watching them work. They really need a lot of activity though, a trainer once told me that she has to throw balls for her b.collie pretty much all day long.
border collies rock!
how come you dont have boxers? thry are way better than chiwawas!
Back in India we had a Pomeranian. It was really cute and when it died a part of me died with it. I am not sure if I can go through the pain again. Nice info about different breeds.
Yay! a dog *and* anime lover. Yeah I like the look of Corgis too. Shibas actually have a very similar face to Corgis; they are just a bit taller.
For some reason after watching a ton of cowboy bebop I have this love for corgi's. The giant ears and stubby legs are awesome. I know, it's not a Man's dog but they look awesome.
Yes there are :) The basic concept of even identifying dog breed preferences by gender could be considered a stereotype all on its own. The key though is to make sure that there are no negative stereotypes that could be detrimental to any particular group. Hopefully the stereotypes contained herein are all in the spirit of fun and harmless speculation.
There are sterotypes in those results.
Hi Jim, Thanks for visiting. Yes I agree with the both of you that mutts are great dogs. I have had several myself. There was a strong showing for mutts on Yahoo Answers as well; which I think would have been even stronger if the questions were perhaps phrased differently. When someone asks about favorite breed, most people just assume purebreds.
Hi Julie, That is an interesting observation; about women being more likely to respond to surveys. Just from my own experience though it also seems like there are more women in the dog profession. It also seems like there are more women in the dog newgroups that I participate in. It would be interesting to collect data on those things.
Yes I was very surprised too that pitbulls made it to the top 5. I think that the people who are active online are likely to be the ones who are also active off-line with regards to dogs. So many of them probably have rescued pit bulls or have worked with pit bulls. Sadly, there are just very many of them in shelters and rescues.
Thanks for your thoughts and kind words :)
I got my family a black lab mixed with chow and whatever else she might be. She is definitely the friendliest dog I have ever seen. She is always excited to see any dog or person.
shibashake, Interesting results. I think women are more likely to respond to surveys. The most surprising was popularity of pitbulls despite the bad press they receive. I still think my favorite is the good old mutt! Interesting topic for a hub. Julie
Catherine 2 weeks ago
My favorite breed of dog is the rough collie. They are very beautiful, sweet, gentle, intelligent and extremely loyal dogs.