Do Dogs Listen To Men More Than Women? And Does Your Gender Even Matter?

The answer may surprise you.

Is your dog a good listener? Does it often feel like he’s hanging on your every word, while other times pretending you didn’t just call him for a bath?

And, is it possible his attention varies depending on who is giving the commands?

While some might assume (this author included) that dogs listen better to men because, in general, their voices can be deeper and thus more authoritative, that’s not always the case. In fact, the answer to who dogs listen to the most is more layered than you might think.

Studies have shown that dogs do, in fact, process speech similarly to humans (which on its own is pretty fascinating). But several factors, including tone of voice and vocal cues, can help determine who your dog will respond to most often. Listen up, because how well your dog can listen and follow cues is an integral part of the dog training process!

Dogs listen and respond to tone of voice, regardless of gender

When it comes to communicating with your dog, remember that how you talk to your dog is equally as important as what cue you’re using.

Julia Jenkins, a certified dog trainer at Pet Dog Training Today, told The Dodo, “The tone of your voice does matter when it comes to how well your dog listens to you, so it's not just about being male or female. The way you sound to your dog is based on a variety of factors, including the pitch, tone and volume of your voice.”

She adds, “Generally speaking, dogs do tend to respond more favorably to people with a higher pitch and softer tone, but there are always exceptions. Be positive and upbeat, and use lots of encouragement when training your pup.”

Research appears to confirm this theory, particularly a UK study in 2018 that demonstrated dogs were more responsive to high-pitched “baby talk” when combined with “dog-related” speech, similar to how adults often talk to babies.

Dogs respond to who they perceive to be the leader of the pack

Jacquelyn Kennedy, founder of PetDT and a canine behavioral specialist and certified dog trainer, told The Dodo, “Who a dog listens to depends on who he identifies as being the alpha in a family unit. If he thinks that a woman is the head of the pack or household, he’ll be more likely to listen to her than the man of the house regardless of the tone of anyone’s voice. For a dog, pack position is all-important, and the alpha will always be his primary focus regardless of whether said alpha is male or female.”

Dogs listen to your voice but will also watch your body language

Physical movement, such as a hand wave or snap of the fingers, will make your voice stand out even more as you’re giving a cue to your dog.

Mikkel Becker, a certified trainer, dog behavior counselor and lead animal trainer for Fear Free, told The Dodo, “Dogs can also respond to our VISUAL cues as well as our verbal commands, such as the way we're standing, our facial expressions or tilting our heads slightly — things we might not even notice we're doing with each command.”

Using this technique, the person who demonstrates hand movements the most will likely be more successful at getting a dog to respond, regardless of their gender.

That being said, you will still want your dog to respond to a cue even if he isn’t looking directly at you. Becker notes, “A come and call is an example of one that is important to be able to respond to just based on the verbal sound because they may be far away.” So you’ll want to avoid relying on hand motions for cues only and incorporate verbal cues during dog training as well.

When training, try these tips to teach your dog how to listen

Becker added, “Make the words you say and want them to listen to stand out as more significant by keeping your body movements still when you say a command. Then, follow up with body movements and gestures. Doing this makes the word more salient and the words predict the prompts that get the dog to do the desired behavior.”

When tried in this order, the dog can eventually learn to respond to the word or cue on its own, with no hand gestures necessary.

As with all dog training, being consistent is key. “Use the same words across the family to better ensure the same word is consistently used to avoid confusing the dog and trying to make him guess what you mean,” Becker said.

Combine the cue with an attention-getter, which can be saying your dog’s name or making a certain noise or movement. “Remember, since dogs are primarily visual, most of the words we say are ‘blah-blah-blah’ in the background, like Charlie Brown’s teacher,” Becker said.

Reward your dog’s listening skills

Jenkins notes, “It's important to remember that the tone of your voice is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to training your dog — be sure to use positive reinforcement and treats as well! With a little bit of patience and persistence, you can get your dog to listen to you no matter what tone of voice or technique you use.”

So, while many things in life can spark our competitive spirit, who your dog listens to the most shouldn’t make the list. Whether he’s rewarded with a treat or a scratch behind the ears, training your dog to be a good listener, while using the techniques that work best for you, will be beneficial for every member of the family.

Especially when a certain furry friend is taking up too much room on the couch.