Spaying my puppy will change her personality?

Question

Is this true? If so, how much of her personality will change? Please share if you have had experience with this.

Background: I have two boxer puppies (seperate litters). Now, I am thinking about spaying my female, but I am really concerned that she will lose her aggressivness and her passion (what makes her really special).

Now, she is not a mean dog, very loving, but she is like an alpha female. She is really territorial, possesive, and smart. Out of the two dogs, she is the dominant and smarter one. Now, my male (from what I can tell), will be the larger of the two dogs. So I would prefer that she stay dominant and in control.

Now, if I get her spayed, how dramitically will her personality change? Do you think she will still have most of the instincts that have made her special and dominant?

Answer 1

No, it will not change her personality. It is an annoying myth that neutering changes personality.

What you have to understand is, most (but not all) of the sources of sex hormones are removed when an animal is neutered. Therefore it is only sexual behaviour which will change - if your dog is under 7 months of age, sexual behaviour will not have developed yet so you won't notice a change.

You need to get your female dogs spayed before their first heat to protect their future health - you'll be saving them from pyometra and ovarian cancer, and giving them a 75% chance of being safe from mammary cancers if you spay them before the first heat (a 50% chance if spayed after the first heat, and a 25% chance thereafter). Male dogs need to be castrated, even if the females are spayed, to save them from prostate and testicular cancer. Uncastrated males are also more likely to be dominant.

The pack status of alpha male/female, hunter or omega dog or whatever in is something a dog is born with. You can change this to an extent with training, but not by neutering.

Apart from anything else, I don't know many things that can calm boxers down! Certainly not neutering.

Chalice

Answer 2

No, and No.
I have a boxer girl fixed when she was about 5 or 6 months old and she is now almost 3. Never a personality change. She's still full of energy and definitely still thinks she is the queen of the house (even if she is the only dog)!

Before the boxer, I had a male and female littermates from the same litter of yellow labs. The male was a good 20 lbs heavier than the female. I had the female fixed when she was about 6 months old, and she was still the alpha dog, queen of our house. Wolves and dogs packs are controlled by females. The alpha dog is female. It is just a myth that an alpha dog has to be male.

Unless you want to really go through the work it takes to make a few bucks selling puppies, fixing a female is best. She won't go into heat, she won't soil your floors and furniture with her bleeding, etc.

Answer 3

I have not found in my experience with dogs that there is a dramatic personality change with spaying. She should still be "alpha" is she is now alpha. When the dogs mature, there may still be small spats over dominance but never forget that while you and your pups together form a pack, YOU are always to remain alpha. YOU are the leader & both dogs look to you for training & guidance that they need to become integral parts of your "pack".

Answer 4

It doesn't change the personality. She probably will stay dominant. I have yet to see a really dramatic change in personality with a spay or neuter. Male dogs (at least mine) become a little less territorial (ie, they stop trying to mark everything). My female still thinks she's alpha, until our big male feels he has to step in (which is rare).

Answer 5

Unless you are a professional breeder, affiliated with the AKC, there is absolutely no reason why you should not spay your Boxer. Backyard breeding is the reason why my Boxer came from rescue and any personality changes that might come from spaying can only be positive. Why would you want your dog to be aggressive? For protection? If you are a good parent to your dogs, they will protect you regardless. Please do spay them both ;)

Answer 6

No, no, /no/. This is a VERY common misconception with no basis. Your puppy will be pretty much the same as she already was. Dogs don't change that much after spaying--I have never noticed any difference. (:

Answer 7

I dont think the dominance thing will change i mean it did not change my female . she is dominant over my male . of course she will still have the instincts that she had before . I doubt you will notice much of a change . good luck with your babies .

Answer 8

I've had a couple males change, but I've never seen females change personalities from spaying..

Answer 9

No, it will not change their attitude. Regardless, males are usually subservient to females. Spaying her will make sure she never dies of Pyometra. A deadly infection that only affects intact females.

Answer 10

I've had lots of females spayed and I've never noticed a personality change.