what is a male dog called

What Is A Male Dog Called

Dogs are known to be man’s best pal. A dog is a loyal animal and loves its owner way too much. That is why they are adored and kept as pets worldwide. Man has learned a lot from domestic dogs, but there is always room for learning.

Typically, a male dog is called a “Dog.” However, they are also called “Stud” if the dog is used for breeding purposes. Another name for a male dog is “Sire” if he has produced puppies.

Generally, the males of a breed go by the breed name. This practice is especially very common among canines. However, the female cat is called a cat, and its counterpart goes by tomcat.

To most people, it is unknown what a male dog is called? And no, it is not just called a good boy. People ask this question a lot, what is a male dog called? To some people, the answer is obvious as they have known only one word for dog, i-e dog.  But in this post, we’ve given a detailed explanation for this.

Why Are Dogs Called Dogs?

The origin of the term dog is unknown. It might be derived from the old English word docga, which describes a particular dog back in the 16th century. Docga means solid and powerful. Later, different languages picked up other words for dog, such as it is termed as Dodge in the danish language.

Male dogs are given their names by default, whereas female dogs are then names accordingly concerning the species. Until the 16th century, all dogs were called Hounds, derived from the German word Hund, a masculine name. Hundin was the feminine version of the hound.

Now, all dogs aren’t called hounds, only those trained to help cops find missing items or persons are called hounds. Rest are just called dogs. We are not discussing the species of dogs, such as German shepherds, golden retrievers, huskies, or others; we are just discussing their nomenclature.

Some years back, male dogs were referred to as cur. However, that name is no longer used because it is considered offensive. People think that it sounds like cursing, so in today’s world, the word cur is no longer used to describe a male dog.

The same is the case with the name of a female dog. Everyone knows that a female dog is called a bitch. Still, it is a derogatory term with the sociolinguistic time and has become an abusive word.

What Do You Call A Male Dog?

Following are some of the terms that are used to describe a male dog.

  • Stud: As discussed, a dog is called a stud when it is used for breeding purposes. The female version of a stud is a bitch, which has offensive meaning in the modern world.
  • Sire: Stud dogs that produce puppies, or litters known in the breeding terminology, are called sires. Term sire means a male parent animal. Term sire is mainly used in pedigree listing only.
  • Jerry: This is a very uncommon word. However, veterinary doctors call castrated male dogs jerries. It is not known to many people and isn’t a widely used term. Some people may be a made-up term, as there is no specific terminology for neutered dogs.
  • Bastard: In some areas of rural Australia, dogs that are used to manage and protect herds are called bastards. Again, it isn’t widely used and can be offensive as it is a negative term.
  • Mongrel: It is used in some rural parts of Australia used by natives. It is also not very widespread among other countries.
  • Rude: This name is used in the UK.

It is to be noted that all these terms are used for adult dogs. Puppies are only called puppies and have no distinguishing names until they reach adolescence.

Name For Male Dogs In Other Countries ( Languges)

Every language has its naming methods and linguistic words that other countries’ citizens do not hear.

In some parts of Australia, a male dog is called mongrel, whereas it is called Rude in the UK, but they are not widely used. Such mongrel is used in only some parts of rural Australia.

Which Term Is Used For Breeder Dog

A male dog used for breeding purposes is called a stud. If the male dog has produced puppies, then it could be called a sire. A female dog is called a bitch or dam. When they breed, they together produce puppies or whelps.

Male and female puppies are not distinguished by terminology; they are all called puppies. In the professional breeding literature, a puppy is called a litter.

Among livestock, castrated animals are given particular names to distinguish them, but castrated dogs aren’t given any names. However, the sterilization process is different for both genders. Male dogs are neutered by getting their testicles removed, and female dogs are spayed by removing their uterus and ovaries.

Male Dogs Vs. Female Dogs As Pets

Dog owners are always discussing this particular thing. Some believe that male dogs are difficult to be trained in the house due to their inborn characteristics. But, male dogs are the most affectionate and loving creatures. It also depends on how you raise and treat your pet.

Suppose you have trouble deciding about what to get as a pet. In that case, veterinarians say that a dog’s gender has minimum impact on being kept as a house pet. So it is equal to get any. Keep in mind the behavioral, hormonal, and physical differences while getting a pet dog.

Are Male Dogs Easier To Train?

Pet owners always think that male dogs are easy to train because they are excellent in sports. But this is so not the case. The training does not depend on gender; rather, it depends on the species of dog. For example, a female golden retriever would be easier to train compared to a male pug.

A male Labrador is always easier to train than a female Shih Tzu. Hence, it is not the gender that counts, so always check the breed’s characteristics you want to purchase. Mainly, the level of intelligence determines this trait.

Are Male Dogs Clingier?

It is a general observation that male dogs tend to cling to their owners more than female dogs. They demand more attention than the females. But, it still is determined by the type of species and how it’s been raised since its birth.

Another common misconception is that dogs love male owners more than their female humans. Again, a study proved wrong that observed dogs stay closer and cling to their owners irrespective of the gender of the owner.

Nicknames For Dogs

Owners love their dogs a little too much and often give them nicknames for their identity out of love. Monikers are mostly gender-neutral and are given to both male and female dogs except the good boy, as it is a widespread nickname for a male dog.

Some pet owners like to call their dogs are buddy, pal, matte, just like addressing a friend. Some nicknames are given based on the breed, such as hound, mutt, goldie, etc. Pooch, doggo, doggie, tiger, spike, chi-chi, Lapooh are some other nicknames that are famous among dog owners.

Frequently Asked Questions


        i. What is the contrast between a stud and a sire?

A stud is a dog that is used for the breeding motive. If a dog mates with it female but cannot produce a litter, it is called a stud. But if a dog produces puppies with its female, he is called a sire. Sire is used for identifying a parent male dog. Sometimes, it so occurs that the sire dog produces so many puppies that it can cause excessive gene pooling.

      ii. Are puppies also given different names?

No, puppies are not given distinguishing names. Both male and female puppies are called puppies only, or pups. Another name for a puppy is Whelp, but it is not so commonly used since it does not sound as cute as a puppy. Sometimes, breeders formulate names for their puppies that reflect their breeds perfectly according to their pedigrees.

    iii. Is the dog an offensive word?

The dog is not an offensive word. But certain words, such as the English word for a female dog, is bitch, which is often characterized as an offensive word in the normal day-to-day language. So, it is not advised to use this as it has become an abusive word in the modern dictionary. So it is better to refrain.

    iv. Are sire and studs a breed of dogs?

No, sire or stud is the name given to the male dogs of any breed, provided they are used for breeding purposes. Stud is a male breeder dog, and sire is a male dog that has produced litter and is a father. A breed or species of dogs is different, such as Husky, Labrador, German Shepherds, etc.

Conclusion

To conclude this research, a male dog is called a dog if it is not used for any breeding motive. The terms sire and stud are only used for technical reasons and aren’t used in daily conversations of a layman.

Your common friends might not know about these technical terminologies, and mostly they aren’t used except when required to mention a particular type.

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