Will my dog’s personality change after being spayed or neutered?

There are effects of hormones on personality. The main ones we're going to lose are testosterone on a male dog. Generally, testosterone is what leads to aggressive behavior. So dogs tend to be more compliant and easier to handle. If they have learned behaviors, then that doesn't change. It doesn't take away their drive to play and have fun. There are a few dogs where we would not recommend castration on a male dog. These would be active, working police dogs, or any high-performance dog. The lack of testosterone could remove that drive. But for the average pet that lives in a house, they're going to be easier to manage. They're going to mark fewer things and be less likely to run off. In female dogs, we really don't see any changes in the behavior. Some people believe they need to have one litter to get a nice personality, but we've never seen that. There are many nice dogs that have never had puppies.

Not typically, unless it's for the better. These guys can have some behavioral changes when they have testosterone or estrogen running through them. In general, females are not as affected as males. Sometimes, by removing that testosterone, your male dog could become a little better and less territorial if he has been aggressive in the past. But unfortunately, a spay or neuter is never a guarantee to change a behavior, whether it is positive or negative.

No, it shouldn't. Things you might see would be a decrease in hormonal behaviors. For example, our intact males can roam more if they smell a female in heat. They might not feel the need to do that. Other things like marking their territory; they might not feel the need to do that with reduced hormones. But it doesn't usually change personality.

No, spaying or neutering does not alter a dog's personality or demeanor. However, neutering or spaying can help reduce certain behavior issues if done early enough. For instance, male puppies showing signs of aggression or excessive humping may benefit from neutering by six months of age. After this point, such behaviors may become ingrained and less likely to change after neutering or spaying.

No, your dog's personality will not change after they're spayed and neutered. If they're a little sweetheart and love to be loved on, they're going to be the same. If they are a little bit assertive and maybe have aggressive tendencies, then those aren't usually going to change either after they've been neutered because those are more behavioral concerns as opposed to just spaying and neutering.

Generally, no, it does not alter their personality. They may have less urge to seek a mate, but it doesn't shift their overall behavior.