The heat cycles do play a role for some but I think it is more along the lines of reproduction. Granted, keeping up with heat cycles would play a major role in doing bitches but I think the fact more males are done than females is the 'amounts' in reproduction.

Males can produce a hundreds of dogs in a lifetime. Bitches are limited to two cycles per year (on average) and usually one of them is skipped. Owning a good producing bitch can be worth her weight in gold. Lots of people use this as a reason to lean toward males.

Personally I have no preference. I am not a breeder, nor do I keep 'brood' dogs. So factoring in getting a bitch bred vs. taking her out is not an issue for me, but I can see where it would factor in for another. Some would rather have a bitch that produces a litter of potential match dogs vs. a match winning bitch. Some get both. I doubt there is a right or wrong answer, just personal opinion.

Some check their females hard, some check them and do them once then breed, some complete a performance career then breed, some mix and match the two and then some just breed well bred bitches without ever knowing. Tons of success stories from any of these. Again, no right or wrong answers, just personal preferences.

Great series of posts. EWO