need some encouragement

Hi everyone. I have been reading here for a few months already. I dont have a springer yet, but am considering one. I am in Europe, and I have carefully chosen the breeder. It is not easy here to get a springer puppy, not too many breeders around who do it officially adn according to the rules ( it is a small country). The breeder I have chosen usually has only one nest of puppies per year, so I still need to wait until Sep-Oct next year when I can have a puppy. I am going for the 100% bench type ESS, as this will be my first dog.

I am someone who can make decisions very quickly, but if I have time to "research" the issue, I typically start having second thoughts. I read a lot here some people say they would not be recommending a springer as a first dog. The breeder I have chosen is very active on social media and keeps in touch with all her puppies owners through the years, also always wants to know if anyone of "her" dogs has any health issues, including mental health, among others to make sure this particular dog is not used for breeding by the owner, in case the issues are genetic etc. As far as I can see, almost all of her dogs are being carefully selected, DNA tested etc, and they seem quite laid back. Some are used for helping in the nursing home with people with dementia, a couple of her puppies are in families with family members who have handicap, mental issues etc. trying to say to me this means, OK, the springers are highly intelligent, but also can adjust, I guess, to different living styles/environments? Lately I was talking to someone who has a dog, and this person told me it is all BS, and you can never predict the temperament of a puppy. I understand this, but, however, if I see my breeder has generally dogs who, with the right training of course, seem to be very balanced, if i can put it like this, I was thinking I have a chance to have a more or less "balanced" dog?

The reason I am asking is among others because we have 2 cats, which are not the most easy going, one of the cats with a chronic condition where stress can be a trigger - but God knows what is stress for the cat, sometimes nothing happens and he is miserable, and sometimes you can have fireworks here in the garden and he does not care. Anyway my breeder says her dogs have been placed often in families with cats and other pets and it was never a problem.

Sorry for a long post, just need some reassurance. I am also a type of person who really wants to "invest" in a dog as in I love learning new things, for me learning about how dogs are functioning, how they have to be trained, going to a puppy course are all the things I would enjoy, as well as just spending time outside an playing actively with the dog.