Does any one have any experience of all female litters? I have heard that predominantly male litters can cause any bitches to become very masculine in their behaviour due to the increased testosterone, so does this mean that if there were no males in the litter they are going to be affected by not having enough testosterone? I have never come across any all female litters before (the one i am thinking of contains 5 bitches!) Someone has suggested that perhaps they will lack drive as working dogs? (they are intended for dog sports).

Seeing that I had the single bitch puppy from a litter with 6 male siblings, and she was the sweetest, most feminine, maternal bitch one could have hoped for, I don't think it makes any difference whatsoever!

I have had all bitch litters and predominantly bitch litters, actually my bitch to dog ratio over the years is 2 to 1, and I haven't noticed any differences.

Thats a relief! I'm slightly disappointed that there were no males as i was quite tempted by a male, but they are all so gorgeous and healthy i don't mind too much!

Now as I only ever keep bitches an all female litter would generally suit me fine.

I've had six bitches before and I was delighted....I don't keep dogs...(well I've got one now but that's another story)  :-)

predominantly male litters can cause any bitches to become very masculine in their behaviour due to the increased testosterone,

I would say more the fact they are fighting for their doggy position against their big bros who try to push them around lol

Turbos litter was 5 boys and 1 girl and she was a feisty lil girl because of it, lovely nature and so so sweet but she wouldnt take any c*** of the boys and more often beat them up when they tried it on with her for a toy etc lol

She grew up no less feminine then other bitches who have mixed litters but you could deffo see her behaviour in the litter was different to a bitch in a litter which had say 3 males and 3 females, the poor girly may have been out numbered but she was a toughie lol!

ETA - Brainless out of curisity...why dont you keep dogs and have only bitches? Is it you prefer the bitches to the males....just wondering! :)

We had an all female litter- with six bitches in the litter and no males at all
what breeds are you referring to

Our first litter was 11 dogs and 1 bitch.  Our little girl pup was exactly like the dog pups as a youngster, as have bitches from more evenly mixed litters, all rough and tumble together.  Our single bitch has grown up to be a lovely girl,  just like her mum, although she does cock her leg up to pee occasionaly, which is just something some bitches do and not due to an excess of testosterone in the womb I don't think!  Her owners have another bitch and they have never commented that she is anything but 'girly'.

I 'm guessing? but  sure I've read somewhere that male pups don't actually have testosterone swirling in there system until there bits have dropped anyway?
takes maturity to become manly does it not ??

Both males & females have Testosterone in their bpdies(in all mammals BTW)it is linked to the closure of the growth plates in dogs-hance the reason for not neutering until after canine"puberty"

It's the single X chromosome that that makes a dog a dog

> It's the single X chromosome that that makes a dog a dog

I thought it was the Y chromosome?

Certainly in humans Turners - one X chromosome no Y - is a woman - and XXY, Klinefelter's - is a man.

>I thought it was the Y chromosome?

Yes it is. Female = XX. Male = XY. Easy to remember - think of a man, think "Why?" :-D :-D

> think of a man, think "Why?" :-D :-D

I think ever so much more than that... :-D

> I thought it was the Y chromosome?
>
> Certainly in humans Turners - one X chromosome no Y - is a woman - and XXY, Klinefelter's - is a man.

?????

The male sex characteristic genes are carried on the X chromosomes at the top end the Y chromosome is shorter & one X one Y produces a Mal & two Xs produce a female, so a single X chromosome produces the male  QED

I am not sure what is confusing you - XO the absence of Y but only one X chromosome is a woman. XXY - two X chromosomes but with a Y is a man. Admittedly the normal is XX or XY - but the presence or absence of Y is the relevant part. Female is the default development of the mammal as I understand it.... it requires the Y chromosome to produce the hormone etc that will cause the male to develop as a male.

http://www.psychotherapycape.co.za/article008.htm

under 'the genetic factor'

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=qFv0KRJFs64C&pg=PA16&lpg=PA16&dq=foetal+development+male+Y+chromosome&source=web&ots=9s1hCt0j1A&sig=KVUpsGAd6_JnHg-tWjUj0pdV-Wk&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=3&ct=result

third paragraph down

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=vTCDzpnJu0IC&pg=PA10&lpg=PA10&dq=foetal+development+male+Y+chromosome&source=web&ots=0_Em6EqJP-&sig=BlASlw7mZTrSJV6ZY2bmsbiq2qI&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=7&ct=result

under genes, hormones and brainsex.

Y determines male.

You are all saying the same thing just from different sides LOL Although Munrogirl not sure where your getting the extra X chromosome from you get one chromosome from the ovum always an X and one from the sperm either X or Y so as you have all said XX female XY male,  a single X does indeed mean a male as does carrying the Y. Easy.

I was talking about abnormalities of sex chromosome numbers as well - so XX normal female XY normal male. In humans XO single X - Turners, female. XXY - Klinefelters, two Xs but has a Y therefore still male - was to illustrate the point that it is to do with the Y chromsome and not the number of Xs. ;-)

Right now I've read it again I can see what your saying lol.

But the Male sex characteristics are carries on the X chromosome not the Y & if there is one X chromosome in dogs the dog is a male not a female. (BTW in dogs an XXX is still a female in appearance, but male in some behaviours tell me about it had one many any years ago !!) Male dogs always inherit their sex characteristics from their mother as they receive an X chromosome only from their mother

In chickens it is the other way round ;-) XX is male & XY is female :-O

In answer to the OP question No a female dog is not affected if she is the only female in a litter of males & vica versa & yes both sexes have testerone present from birth in small qualities

The SRY gene responsible for sex determination and sexual trait differentiation is on the Y chromosome in the male specific region of the Y chromosome (MSY). XX are female, XY are male and XO are female. There is a mutation that causes canine Sry-negative XX sex reversal where male type characteristics develop.

XX/XO determination where XO are male is found in insects.

Birds are ZW/ZZ and yes, as opposed to mammals, the males are homogametic and females are the heterogametic individuals.

I believe X monosomy in dogs is quite rare with the first published case reported in 1989.

I've a bitch that was the only bitch in a litter of 8. She's brilliant with pups (not her own yet) and is an amazing work dog.  Her mum's second litter also had 1 bitch out of a litter of 7 ... she's a real softy, though not got the work instinct mine has.

Which determines the sex of pups. Is it Dog or Bitch?

Dog - pups always get an X from the bitch, but can get either an X or a Y from the dog. :-)

> ETA - Brainless out of curisity...why dont you keep dogs and have only bitches? Is it you prefer the bitches to the males....just wondering! :)

I haven't facilities to keep dogs and bitches apart. 

In that I mean they would be within earshot and scenting distance of each other and I could not stand the stress of dealing with seasons and love lorn males several times a year.  Would have caused neighbour nuisance.

Previously when the kids lived at home I would not have trusted to them not letting the wrong dogs out.

I do actually prefer owning bitches as I hate the leg cocking that males do.

Bitches are less likely to provoke or have negative reactions from other dogs on walks.

I think the males are more impressive in looks though.