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Standards are clowns at heart. But remember they are extremely bright and the more dominant ones will try and run your life. They like to have fun, run, play or just lay around. I have heard of some aggression in dominate dogs but that is very rare. Also some will be shy but that is normally from lack of socialization. In general they have very sound temperaments, Make sure that you see the sire and dame they will give you a good idea of the temperament of the puppy. Keep in mind that a dogs temperament is 80% environment and only about 20% breeding.
Standards are classed as a non allergic breed. In most cases people are not allergic to the hair but to the dander in the coat. They say poodles are non shedding but they do loose hair like other dogs, but the hair is a different quality and tends to wrap itself up in the coat instead of falling out.
If you have a park or walking area near by that are really all you need in the way of exercise, but if you are a jogger they will demand to go with you. This breed likes to do things with the owner, whether that means lying on the couch or in the car. I would not class them as an "outdoor dog" but defiantly a house pet.
Standards are great with kids and tend to tolerate a fair amount of bugging from them.
Grooming is very important, especially with allergies. You need a good groomer and the dog should be done every 4-6 weeks and bathed whenever they are dirty.
Be sure you have a good slicker brush and that you are brushing right to the skin. Your groomer will give you advise on how to brush the dog. Grooming is the most expensive part of owning a standard.
Standards tend to blend well with any life style. Standards are great dogs to train they love to please and learn quickly. They do become bored quickly and need a lot of variety in their training. They tend to be on the soft side and do not need hard corrections. Most dogs are products of their environment and if they are raised well they will make a great pet.
Standards were bred as water dogs and love to swim if encouraged at a young age.
This breed is not normally barkers but they learn what is wanted by the owner, if you allow a lot of barking at a young age you will probably have a barker. My dogs only bark to let me know that someone is there.
This breed tend to adapt to most temperature. They are used in the north for sledding but they also live comfortably in southern California.
I find that males Vs females is a personal preference. Males will tend to be slightly larger and heavier and may be more independent. I think that a neutered male and a spayed female make equally good pets. (females don't lift their leg on all your trees)
I tend not to decide on a dog based on colour. Colours other then black and white are more difficult to breed. It is harder to find a good colored dog. For example with chocolate the color tends to be blotchy, the ears and tail are sometimes darker then the rest of the dog. There color also fades as they get older, what looks like a dark brown as a puppy will turn into a light brown as an adult. Browns and apricots tend to have light or yellow eyes and the nose is light brown or pink instead of black. This is not very desirable. Make sure you see the parents of the puppy as some people believe that the colours do not tend to be quite as smart as the blacks or whites.
I am not sure if the above is true in all case, likely it is not, but this has been my experience. I have found that the breeders of the unusual colors, such as brown, apricot and silver have concentrated more on color and less on structure and quality.
Talk to anyone you see with a standard and find out where they got it from and how they felt about the breeder. If you do find a breeder make sure you visit their place and see how the puppies are raised. Breeders should screen they stock for Hip displysia, eye problems, bloat and temperament. There are many others as well but each breeder has things that they deem most important. Talk to them and feel good about their information.
Also contact your local kennel club, they can tell you about breeders in your area as well as any upcoming shows. Make sure that you see a least the dame and if possible the sire of the puppies. Talk to them about genetic testing and get names of other people they have sold puppies to and check them out. I always recommend that you try and find a breeder close to your area.
Age of maturity varies in each dog. They are mature enough to breed at about 3 years but they may act like a puppy at times even at 12 years old. In general they tend to be out of the puppy stage by 15 months.
Dogs do not need to have a litter before they are spayed or neutered. You are better of having them done by the time they are 6 months old.
Good Luck