Well my family prefers females but i'm not sure why. I think the dogs themselves depend on how easy they are going to train and how active they are. My friend has a cocker spaniel female and she isn't that hyper at all... more laid back. But it does greatly depend on the dog and the training. (what are the limits) I've heard that females are easier to train but i dont know, personally, if that is true. Yeah, i would look at petfinder. They have some great rescues and when i was looking for a puppy they had 15 cocker spaniel puppies that needded homes- a lot of puppies will also be with a foster parent so it will help you determine the personailty better good luck