Let’s start with the males. A male Lab is going to be 10-15% heavier than a female Lab. The reason most people like a heavier male Lab is that the weight shows up in the head and chest to give it the classic blocky Lab look. If you’re going to get a dog fixed (spayed or neutered), the surgery is less invasive for a male than a female. Males have a little more of an even temperament. Because of their strength, endurance, toughness, and balanced temperaments, male Labradors are the gender of choice for service dogs.

A few negatives are that, first, male dogs can be more aggressive than females, although it’s seldom true in the Lab world. Second, male dogs can tend to mark their territory by urinating on things, but this is less likely with neutered male dogs. Third, intact male dogs are more apt to wander in search of a female dog in heat.

Female Labs are a little smaller than males and can be alittle more sensitive in temperament. Some people believe female Labs trainmore quickly than male Labs, but I don’t necessarily agree with that. The developmental difference may be only a week or two, so it’s not thatsignificant.

A couple of negatives are that, first of all, a female’s spayingsurgery is a little more invasive. Second, intact female Labs can be a littlemore sensitive and experience some hormonal mood swings.

Spayed and neutered dogs are, in general, more even-tempered, so we recommend this for most dogs between the ages of 12 and 18 months.

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