Spaying and personality changes?

[Walter]

I am going to spay my B at about 9 months, she is currently 6 1/2, will her personality change after the spaying? She is a very sweet girl and loves everyone she meets and I don't want that to change.

[tanza]

Should not make any difference. Didn't to any of my girls

[Nemo]

I doubt it. Usually the case is that they may have some behavioral changes due to the hormone swings surrounding their heat cycle. If she is spayed you will be avoiding any potential issues surrounding that. My bitch would always get the blues for a month or so after her heat cycle ended.

[lisastewart]

I have spayed 3 basenjis and one whippet. Did not make any difference at all in the basenjis. It made my timid whippet much more outgoing and friendly, so I think spaying is a good thing.

[Walter]

Thank you everyone!

[DebraDownSouth]

I just spent 30 mins trying to find a research article on spaying and aggression. I did find one on rats, but the one I had before was dogs.
http://www.associationofanimalbehaviorprofessionals.com/dog.html

My head hurts, I give up. So let me state I am old and senility is in question, but basically this is what I recall.

In some rare cases, bitches spayed have exhibited increased aggression and needed hormones to help. I will write Wendy and ask since I am fairly certain she was the one who pointed me to it years ago (She owns Mar Vista Animal Hospital and is the editor for the Veterinary Information Network). At any rate, this was with bitches who already demonstrated aggression and evidently removing the hormones that helped calm increased it. But it is VERY rare.

In general, spaying shouldn't change your dog at that age. There are some studies on pediatric spay/neutering where the brains and body never get the hormones, but that also isn't your situation.

[sharronhurlbut]

No affect at my house, with spaying at 7 month.

[agilebasenji]

@tanza:

Should not make any difference. Didn't to any of my girls

:mad: Well, darn! Are you sure you didn't mean to type "After spaying the little b!tch turns in to a wonderful performace dog that hangs on her handler's every utterance" ???? That's more of what I was hoping for.

[tanza]

@agilebasenji:

:mad: Well, darn! Are you sure you didn't mean to type "After spaying the little b!tch turns in to a wonderful performace dog that hangs on her handler's every utterance" ???? That's more of what I was hoping for.

LOL,….. I think that Brenda with Lucy was hoping that... NOT.... but she still does pretty well

[tlish]

oh, i was hoping that with suki as well. but… no change whatsoever! still her ornery little self!

[Walter]

Scarlett is a very sweet B, but she also a typical b as well…very ornery!