Once you decide on bringing a bulldog into your family, the next question might be: should you get a male or a female bulldog? It is a good idea to compare both genders and learn the differences between the two so you can make an informed decision.
Male vs female bulldogs: what are the differences?
The differences between male and female bulldogs are their size and temperament. On average, male adult bulldogs grow to about 50 lbs, while females grow to about 40. Some say male bulldogs are more aggressive, others say females are more territorial. One thing is for sure, both sexes are stubborn!
We will compare male and female bulldogs on various parameters to help you understand which one will be better suited for you and your family. We hope that this will help you in deciding which bulldog, make or female, will be best for you!
What are the size differences between male and female bulldogs?
The weight of an adult male bulldog is around 50 lbs, and the height is between 10 inches to 15 inches at the shoulder. The female bulldog’s weight is approximately 40 lbs. The height of the female bulldogs is about the same as the male bulldog. The only other real distinguishing feature between the two is the head size. The male bulldog tends to have a slightly larger head than the female.
If you’re wondering what products to get before bringing home your English bulldog, we got you covered. We created a recommended products page which links to every product we personally use for our English bulldog, Ollie.
What are the temperament differences?
The usual perception is that male bulldogs are more aggressive compared to the female ones. But, is that really true?
Some folks say male bulldogs are more aggressive than females. Others say female bulldogs are more territorial at home compared to males. The truth is all bulldogs, male and female, have unique personalities and over a large enough sample size, there is probably no significant difference between the two sexes. Temperament will mostly come down to how you raise your bulldog: one that is raised with lots of love and socialization with kids and other animals from an early age, will likely not be aggressive.
Immediately after picking which sex of bulldog we wanted, we started doing research on how to pick a great breeder and the products we would need to have ready when welcoming our bulldog home. If you are at that stage of research before welcoming your bulldog home here are a few comprehensive posts, we have created to help you out:3
How to Find a great English bulldog breeder
How to pick the perfect English bulldog leash
15 of the best healthy dog treats English bulldogs
Are male or female bulldogs easier to train?
Once again, there is no truly measurable difference between the two sexes when it comes to trainability. Both male and female bulldogs are very food-oriented and using a combination of treats and a clicker will help facilitate productive training sessions.
We recommend a combination of obedience and positive reinforcement-based training for both male and female bulldogs.
Both genders are known to be stubborn, but with enough patience and treats you can successfully train both sexes of bulldogs effectively.
Are male or female bulldogs better with kids?
Both males and females are great around kids. Once again it comes down to great training and proper introductions. Bulldogs are a slower, less excitable breed and tend to be very patient with kids. They are known to be a bit lazy and therefore will tolerate a bit of poking and prodding better than other dog breeds. There is no truly distinguishable advantage to having a male or female bulldog with kids. Either will do great!
Do male or female bulldogs live longer?
Of course, when you’re looking to choose between a male bulldog and a female bulldog, you would look at the life expectancy. So, which one of them lives longer?
It’s a tie! The average life expectancy of male bulldogs, as well as female bulldogs, is between 7 to 10 years. That is why, when it comes to life expectancy, there is no differentiating factor between the sexes.
Do male or female bulldogs have more health issues?
Bulldogs, as a breed, are susceptible to a lot of health problems. When you’re looking to add a bulldog to your family, either male or female, you need to spend a higher amount on pet insurance as well as care than perhaps you would need to for other breeds. The health problems vary but both sexes can suffer from similar health problems like:
• Overheating
• Skin infections
• Cherry eye
• Respiratory problems
• Pelvic deformities
• Chondrodysplasia
• Spine problems
Sadly, both male and female bulldogs are susceptible to these health issues. One medical difference between the two is reproductive procedure costs. Males get neutered, while females are spayed. According to our research, spaying costs about $50 more on average than neutering.
Are male or female bulldogs more energetic?
Once again, both male and female bulldogs have similar levels of energy. When male and female bulldogs are young, they tend to have many rambunctious bursts of energy throughout the day. Later in life they slow down and tend to lounge and nap most of the day away.
Are male or female bulldogs better with other dogs?
Both male and females do great with other dogs if they are regularly socialized with other dogs while growing up. Make sure to take them to local dog meet-ups, dog parks, and group training sessions to increase your bulldog’s exposure to other dogs.
Should you choose a male or female bulldog?
So, this brings us to the crucial question, which sex of bulldog do you choose to bring home when the time comes for you to choose your puppy? Guess what… that decision is entirely up to you! As discussed above, both genders tend to be quite similar, and it’s really the size of the bulldog which is the most defining difference.
Picking either a male or female bulldog will give you many years of love, companionship, and laughs. Make sure to train your bulldog properly and provide lots of opportunities for socialization with other dogs to help ensure a well-tempered bulldog friend.
Here are some of my favorite Dog and Bulldog Products
Thank you for reading this article. I hope you found it helpful for your dog and bulldog questions. Here are some products I like that I hope you’ll also find helpful. These are affiliate links, and I am compensated for referring traffic. But in all honesty, these are the exact product that I use or recommend to everyone.
Food For Bulldogs: Royal Canin Bulldog was the dog food our breeder recommended for our bulldog with a bit of canned pumpkin added for each meal to give a bit of extra fiber
Poo Bags: For poo bags we use Greener Walker poop bags. We have used them for over a year without having a single leak. Also, these bags are made to be friendlier for the environment.
Wrinkle Cleaning Wipes: We use Huggies natural care fragrance free baby wipes to clean out our bulldog’s wrinkles. They are good for sensitive skin which bulldogs are known to have.
Durable Dog Bed: I can’t begin to tell you how many dog beds we have gone through as many fall apart over time. Without a doubt, the most durable one I have found is PetFusion Ultimate Dog Bed. I love this dog bed because it has an outer liner which can be replaced if it gets too beat up.
To see all our most up-to-date product recommendations, check out this resource that I made for you!
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