Neutering - behavior effects?

I will be following this. I have no current plans on altering Pan. He does some chattering, but not a lot to make me consider altering. We are dealing with some DA, but not horrible and I doubt altering will change that anyways. And this breed usually grows out of the DA as they get older and are fully mature. He also doesn't hump, well at least other dogs. He does try and hump guys who come and visit and they are super high energy people.

His balls oddly don't bother me. And they are also not super in your face. I call them baby balls. So until he gives me a reason to alter. I won't be

I've seen both sides of the spectrum, but it's only anecdotal advice, nothing scientific. I've had friends neuter males that had certain behavior issues (fearful, neurotic, aggressive) and it helped, while others neutered males with similar issues and saw no change. In a few the behaviors got worse. Hormones affect everyone just a little bit differently. Same with dogs.

I think the typical boy behaviors usually get better (chattering, interest in females, etc), while other, more personality specific behaviors don't always change.

I will also chime in that exercise plays a huge role. Rhys is almost two, very strong and energetic, and displays many more annoying 'boy' behaviors when he's bored or underworked. So for me I've been able to control the more annoying behaviors. I have no plans to neuter him.

Thought I'd update this. I've postponed Abrams neuter until probably May or June when I get credit on my account at work. (And then at that time, I might just wait until August after Michael's back...) Once I finally decide to do it, I'll be sure to update again if I've noticed any behavioral changes.

So as of now, he gets to keep being a gross boy dog. -.- (He's actually not that bad. I just now know why I only want one male at a time. Hahaha)

Do you mind me asking why you decided to neuter him? Just personal curiosity, you don't have to answer if you don't want to.

Harrison, I apparently spoke entirely too soon. He's not displaying them like they're the Hope Diamond, but they're not as fuzzy as they were before Maybe I should crochet him something like "ball keepers" so people who are offended by dog balls don't have to look at them

I've told Gimmick multiple times that I'm getting him a jock strap. But I would totally buy him a testicle coozie. Keep those poor things warm in the winter.

Mainly due to him blowing me (and his most favorite rewarding toy/game ever) off to sniff girl dog pee and his apparent distaste for other intact males. And his jaw chittering, foamy, glazed expression when he smells something purty drives me up the wall for whatever weird reason. Lol

Basically, no good reason. I knew I wasn't going to alter him until he was done maturing. He'll be two years old () in April, so I'm much more comfortable health-wise in having him neutered. I never really planned to keep him intact forever and ever, either, and always thought I'd do it when he was around 3-5 years old.

Figured having him altered before we have a kid/move again might be the best thing now that he's physically mature, even if it is a year or so earlier than anticipated.

But, who knows. I may change my mind. Again.

Bwahahahaha, he might thank you for it with a punch to the head though!

(I do notice sometimes they don't want to put them on cold floors though, lol. I mean, it's got to be a bit uncomfortable for them, hahahahaha.)

Following this thread as well. Itztli is only 8 months right now and I currently have no plans to neuter him. He definitely won't be neutered until at least 2 years old per my breeder contract, but honestly I'm not going to neuter him at all if I don't see the need to and if I do then I might seek out the vasectomy route. Still, I'm always curious to hear about other experiences. Bamm and Joey came to me already neutered so I can't really say if neutering has had any affects on them behaviorally.

I know with Cricket, she got much bitchier after she was spayed, but a lot of that could be due to maturity as well so I can't really pin it necessarily on her being spayed.

Itztli's balls are sort of little for now lol.

Abrams has no shame.


When it was cold outside over the winter, when he'd curl up in a ball to sleep he always tucked his tail between his legs to cover his testicles. I thought it was pathetically adorable. Hahaha

I'm not sure why when I replied I didn't mention my own neutered male lol.

He doesn't chatter at girl pee, but he is a horn dog around female dogs. He also initiates humping and marks outside. And as best we can tell (shelter records) he was neutered really young.

I'm planning on keeping Rhys intact as long as possible. I prefer males, though, and at some point in the next couple of years I want another show/performance dog, so I think Rhys will probably have to be snipped. No guarantee that it will help them live together peacefully, but I have my fingers crossed.

I can't find a pic that shows the amazingly big set King had, or I would post it, but they were big enough to get comments from people on walks, and from vets and dog trainers. We nearly named him "Snowballs", but chickened out. I had him neutered at about 3 so he wouldn't have any change in personality, and he didn't. The only change was he softened up a little and wasn't rock hard muscular like he was previously.