Buying My First Springer Spaniel Puppy....Which Sex?

by Jasmine
(South Staffordshire)

Hi,

My little family are purchasing our first springer spaniel. I've visited the breeder and I am due to visit again in 2 weeks time.

Initially we wanted a bitch purely because I know they are smaller in size (ideal as my children are very young) and are said to be less bold/ aggressive. However when I got there a deposit had been paid on the only bitch of a litter, I spent some time with the pups (who are all equally gorgeous and non seemed to display any bad traits, parents are also lovely too) and selected a lovely little boy puppy.

Problem is the breeder has contacted me to say she is reducing the price as people have let her down and now all pups are available (apart from mine). This has left me a bit confused as the bitch we initially wanted we could potentially now have, on the other hand I have said we would give this little boy pup a home and it doesn't seem very fair to just change my mind although the breeder wouldn't mind.

Really torn as to what to do so have looked on forums such as this and although it seems problems are largely down to how you train and exercise the individual dog/bitch i've noticed there seems to be far more complaints about dogs being aggressive or badly behaved than with females. I've also noticed people who have had both say they prefer females.

My mum and dad and grandparents have all owned springers. I'm very familiar with my mum and dad's two Barney and Poppy and whilst they are both lovely pets Barney is more bold and less likely to do as he is told, my parents also say he is more likely to bite (hence why my children are not allowed to play with him and are picked up). Poppy on the other hand is the more dominant but better behaved and is a very sweet little girl. Both were trained in the same way and brought at the same age by my parents.