I’m not pet owner and I don’t spend much time around animals in general. (Don’t get me wrong, I love them, It’s just I know I would be a terrible pet owner.)
How common it is for people to see, let’s say, a dog and immediately just know whether it’s “she” or “him”? If two dog owners meet in a park, would it be awkward for one of them to misgender the other’s dog?
Of course, I mean without looking at the “obvious” traits.
Are there behaviors that are typical for male/female pets outside the one directly related to mating?
I recognize that within the animal kingdom, the traits are not always clear, and I guess gender is quite more flexible than sex. I would be interested in both aspects.
What about cats or other animals?
Usually the males are bigger and heavier, and the females are smaller and more slender. It’s relative to the breed. If you see a husky, but it’s a bit small and thin, you can safely guess it’s a girl. But if the dog is totally average and well behaved, you can’t tell.
Or it’s a mix.
Depending on the breed, males are often fluffier too.
The famous Lassie is actually played by a male dog due to the thicker coat