When I first saw Ashkii, he stuck his little hiney up in the air, cocked his little ears and opened his mouth like he was smiling--I was hooked. So I didn't have a choice--he chose me! I love my baby and like I said, he's my 3rd Sheltie, but my 1st male. My other 2 were female and there are some temperamental differences between male and female--the males are more aggressive--so you might want to take that into consideration before deciding. Shelties tend to be hyper and bark a lot and they are VERY high energy dogs with a strong herding instinct--they require LOTS of attention, patience and exercise. Since they are so high energy, it's a good idea to have a playmate for them--another dog or cat will keep them company. Shelties get depressed when they are left alone too much and they are very emotional dogs. You should pick up a book on the breed to learn more before you make your final decision. Good luck!