For years, I have used the following vignette as an example of the difference, in my experience, between male and female dogs:
"Several years ago, I was mowing grass and it was hot. Under the bright sun, my male dogs sat at the kennel fence and watched my every round on the lawn tractor. Their devotion stuck out like major headlines. Where were my female dogs? They were in the kennel building, lying on the cool cement in front of a big fan!"
Today, I had a lot of (overdue) mowing and weeding to do. It was the first time I have mowed this year and I was at it for three hours. The sun was bright when I began, and it was one of the warmest days we have had this spring. Who do you think sat - alone - at the kennel fence persistently monitoring my whereabouts? Taya. The female. The three boys had all gone inside!
It was very interesting to me to see it after years of telling a different tale.
I decided to get my camera to illustrate a new conclusion. Maybe the two genders are not that different after all.