23/08/2026
Hello puppy people!🐾
Look at young Ivor with his ears up. Brian is very happy. Anyway… WARNING — this is going to be a long read! 😂
After my last post, which certainly seemed to get everyone thinking (and talking!), I thought I’d throw another question out there…
Is there really a difference between a boy and a girl dog?
And more specifically… Is there a difference between a male and female Australian Cattle Dog?💙🩷
This is something I hear all the time when people are looking at puppies.
“I’ve always had boys.”
“I only want a girl.”
“Girls are easier.
“Boys are more affectionate.”
“Male Heelers are stubborn.”
“Female Heelers are bossy.”
“Boys stay puppies forever.”
And my favourite…
“I can tell just by looking at them which ones are the boys!”😂
Well… maybe sometimes you can, but I’m not sure Mother Nature gave us that particular superpower!
The truth is, there can be some differences between male and female dogs, but I think we often put far more importance on s*x than we should.
With an Australian Cattle Dog, in particular, there are so many other things that shape the dog you end up with:
Genetics → temperament → breeding → individual personality → socialisation → training → environment → and THEN s*x.
And anyone who has owned a Heeler knows they certainly come with a personality all of their own! 😂
So let's have a look at some of the common beliefs.
🐶 “BOY DOGS ARE MORE AFFECTIONATE.”
Are they?
Male dogs often get labelled as being more cuddly, goofy, attention-seeking and completely devoted to their people.
And yes… I have certainly met some male Heelers who think their sole purpose in life is to be attached to their person's hip! 😂
But I've also met plenty of female Heelers who are absolute shadows of their owners.
Australian Cattle Dogs are generally a very loyal breed. They can form incredibly strong bonds with their people, regardless of whether they have four legs and a little blue coat or a pink collar.
So I wouldn't choose a boy because someone told me “boys are more loving.”
🐕 “GIRLS ARE EASIER TO TRAIN.”
This is another common one.
Some people believe female dogs mature faster and therefore are easier to train.
But anyone who has owned a Heeler knows that, intelligence and cooperation aren't necessarily the same thing!😂
They are incredibly smart dogs.
They can learn something after being shown it once…..and then decide they don't feel like doing it.
That's not necessarily a male or female thing.
A motivated male Heeler can be an absolute dream to train, while a determined female can have you questioning every life decision you've ever made!
And vice versa.
The individual puppy matters far more than whether the puppy is a boy or girl.
🚽 “BOYS MARK EVERYWHERE.”
Not necessarily.
Male dogs are certainly more likely to urine-mark, particularly if they are entire and reach s*xual maturity.
But females can mark too.
And with Heelers, I'd be far more interested in teaching good habits from the beginning than assuming a puppy will behave a certain way because he's male.
🧍 “MALE DOGS ARE MORE AGGRESSIVE.”
This one is far too simplistic.
An entire male can display behaviours associated with testosterone — including roaming, mounting, marking and competition with other males.
But aggression isn't simply a “boy dog” problem.
Female dogs can absolutely be aggressive too.
And with Australian Cattle Dogs, what is sometimes perceived as aggression can actually be a combination of confidence, protectiveness, herding instinct, fear, lack of socialisation, poor boundaries or simply a very strong-minded dog.
This is one of the reasons responsible breeding, early socialisation and good training are so important with this breed.
🥰 “BOYS LIKE WOMEN AND GIRLS LIKE MEN.”
I don't think the puppies got that memo! 😂
A dog generally develops its strongest relationship with the people who provide love, food, play, training, security and companionship.
I've seen male dogs completely devoted to men.
I've seen male dogs completely devoted to women.
And I've seen female dogs do exactly the same.
Your Heeler isn't sitting there thinking:
“Sorry, you're the wrong gender. I was hoping for someone else.”😂
🧠 “FEMALES ARE SMARTER.”
I've heard this one plenty of times.
I've also heard that males are smarter.
So I think we can safely say that, everyone thinks their own dog is the smartest!😂
The reality is that Australian Cattle Dogs as a breed are incredibly intelligent.
But intelligence isn't the same as obedience.
A Heeler can understand exactly what you're asking… and then look at you as if to say: “Yes. I understand. I'm just not doing it.”
If you've own/owned one, you'll know exactly what I mean! 😂
🐾 “BOYS STAY PUPPIES LONGER.”
This one probably has a little bit of truth behind the stereotype.
People often describe male dogs as remaining goofy, playful and immature for longer.
But again, individual dogs vary enormously.
I've met girls who were absolute clowns and boys who were serious little old men from the moment they arrived!
🏠 “GIRLS ARE CALMER.”
Again…Not necessarily!
An Australian Cattle Dog is an Australian Cattle Dog.
They are an intelligent, energetic working breed that was developed to think for themselves, work stock and stay active.
You don't buy a Heeler because you want a quiet ornament sitting on the couch all day. 😂
You buy a Heeler because you want, a companion, a worker, a character and sometimes a dog that believes it is considerably smarter than you are.
Whether they're male or female, they need training, boundaries, exercise, mental stimulation and a job to do.
❤️ “BOYS BOND MORE STRONGLY WITH THEIR PEOPLE.”
This is another one I hear regularly.
And I understand why people say it.
Some male Heelers become incredibly attached to their owners and follow them everywhere.
But I've seen exactly the same thing in females.
The bond between an Australian Cattle Dog and its person can be ,very, very strong.
That's one of the things I love about this breed.
They don't just live with you.
They want to be involved in whatever you're doing.
Going outside?
They're coming.
Going to the shed?
They're coming.
Going to the toilet?
Well… apparently that's a family activity too. 😂
So what differences ARE actually real?
There are some genuine biological differences between males and females, particularly when they are entire.
Males are more likely to display behaviours associated with testosterone such as:
• Roaming
• Urine marking
• Mounting
• Interest in females in season
• Competition with other males
Females have their own reproductive cycle and can come into season, attract males and experience hormonal changes.
But these biological differences don't tell you, what sort of personality your puppy will have.
And des*xing can change some hormone-driven behaviours, but it doesn't suddenly change the fundamental personality of the dog.
A cheeky puppy is still likely to be a cheeky dog.
A confident puppy will still need appropriate boundaries.
A sensitive puppy will still need confidence-building.
And a very determined little Heeler…
well…
good luck! 😂
❤️ And this is probably the biggest point I want to make.
I think sometimes we get so caught up in:
“I want a boy.”
or
“I only want a girl.”
that we can overlook the actual puppy in front of us.
If I was choosing a puppy, I'd be looking much more closely at:
Temperament
Genetics
Parents
Confidence
Personality
Energy level
Socialisation
How the puppy responds to people
How the puppy responds to new experiences
And whether that particular puppy fits your lifestyle.
And then, somewhere down the list…
male or female.
Because there is no such thing as the perfect s*x of puppy.
There is only the puppy that is the right fit for you.
And let's be honest… if we had all girls available, everyone would probably want a boy.
If we had all boys available, we'd have people telling me: “But I really wanted a girl!”😂
That's just the way puppies work!
And ultimately… Mother Nature decides whether we get boys or girls.
We just get to love, raise and find wonderful homes for the little characters she gives us. ❤️🐾
And speaking of those little characters…
We now have THREE MALE Australian Cattle Dog puppies still available at 11½ weeks old.💙
They are growing into beautiful little Heelers and, as you can see from the photos, they each have their own personalities and plenty of character.
I must say, I absolutely loved the debate and discussion my last post created. It certainly got you all thinking — and I love hearing everyone's experiences with their own Heelers.
So tell me…
Have you owned both a male and female Heeler?
Did you notice a difference?
Or do you think it's simply about the individual dog?
I'd genuinely love to hear what you think.❤️
Enjoy the photos of our three remaining boys.
And if you're interested in one of these handsome little fellas, please give Brian a call on 0490 365 185.
If you've sent an email and haven't heard back, please give him a call — sometimes emails get missed, and a phone call is much easier.
Cheers
Kim 🐾
