Male or female??

There aren’t any hard and fast rules; they say a male is more protective of his female owner, but a female can be just as protective. I’ve always had boys, first at my parents’ and then in my own place. I find it more practical, as a female comes into season twice a year, which I find to be more of a hassle. The temperament between males and females is slightly different, but it depends on the breed and the individual dog; there's no set rule. When I’m choosing a puppy, I go for the one that comes towards me—not necessarily the first one, but the one that really makes an effort to get to me. I’ve been lucky so far; I wanted boys and I came home with boys. But if it had been a girl who’d stuck to me like glue, I’d have come home with a girl.

Personally, I don't see much of a difference in temperament between boys and girls. However, as someone who's always had males and now has a female Lab cross, I'd say you really need to consider spaying. Mine had some health issues even though she's only 18 months old, and getting her spayed wasn't exactly a pleasant experience... Other than that, whether you go for a male or a female really just comes down to what you prefer.