TEMPERAMENT
Temperament within a litter varies regardless of gender, spay or neuter.
First & foremost: Cresteds are NOT loners - they are not happy to be left alone for many hours a day, devoid of stimuli & companionship. Left alone, they turn destructive, howl or self-stimulate (i.e. chewing paws until skin breaks). They crave cuddling, love & company: human or otherwise. Cresteds do very well in pairs - napping together for warmth - grooming each other like old biddies - chasing one another thru the house.
Some breeders believe the dam's personality dominates temperament, while others believe the female is simply a "purse".
One saying goes, "If you put gold into a purse, you pull gold out of a purse" - indicating the stud carries the dominant "golden" traits - females offer nothing but an incubator/belly for the embryos to thrive.
I respectfully disagree.
While personalities within a litter vary as widely as our own families, it appears the dam's temperament greatly impacts the babies & how they respond to the world as they grow.
Not all males are the feisty boss with the females feminine & retiring. Some pups are excitable & remain silly clowns thru out life - others are serene & placid from birth, wise beyond their years. All are deeply, deeply devoted to their families.
As a rule of thumb - by age two, the Crested is physically, mentally & emotionally mature - dripping w/ beauty & dignity. Unlike other breeds, their maturity evolves slowly -- their love, however, is overwhelming from the moment they set eyes on you. Neutered males seems to mature earlier, train faster & act in a more placid manner. Females, even when spayed, tend to be a bit more territorial & bossy - like my girlfriends ;)
Sleeping w/ your CC rapidly escalates the love & bonding - even at a young age. Cresteds easily sleep the night thru - rarely changing positions, holding bowel & bladder until morning. (Regardless, diapers & bellybands are strongly encouraged - especially during early months.)
You will never, ever find a dog w/ a bigger heart. They love to be loved, love to be cuddled, love to sleep nestled THISCLOSE to you. Some are jealous & require attention equal to or greater than another is receiving. They can NEVER get enough kisses & hugs - and you will never, ever be worthy of the enormous adoration in their eyes.
Truly, it's a love like you've never known.
