Does Speying change dogs?

[InklePickle]

My girls are going in to be spayed on Monday, both are quite anxious around other dogs and new people. Could this help them be more confident. They are being spayed regardless and don't need people's opinions on wether the operation is good or bad.

 

[SusieT]

it will not affect this. Training will help.

 

[CorvusCorax]

No

 

[windand rain]

yes it is possible they will be more anxious so as above training will help

 

[PurBee]

Sounds like the anxiety is behavioural and if the dogs are older it’ll be more ingrained.

speying my dog at age 9/10 (due to pyometra uterus infection) didnt change her personality at all….however she has put on weight. Not a bad thing as she was always a super slim gsd, but now she easily bulks up.…but alot of her is fur! Ive noticed her summer coat since speying her is thick like a winter coat - despite spring shedding a layer, it seems to have grown in again. So weight and fur changes are all ive witnessed with my GSD.

 

[buddylove]

I don't agree that spey/neuter can help with anxiety or behavioural issues. Many people believe it to be a magic wand, when training is the key. However, if the dog doesn't have a great temperament, neutering is very important so that these traits are not perpetuated.
I would not spey any of my girls (unless medically necessary) as they are a long haired breed and it ruins their coat.

 

[InklePickle]

I don't agree that spey/neuter can help with anxiety or behavioural issues. Many people believe it to be a magic wand, when training is the key. However, if the dog doesn't have a great temperament, neutering is very important so that these traits are not perpetuated.
I would not spey any of my girls (unless medically necessary) as they are a long haired breed and it ruins their coat.

You would rather risk pyometra (sp), phantom pregnancies and a whole range of other possible nasty things? than spay because it 'ruins their coat' to me that's nuts, but each to their own. I did say in my OP I'm not looking for people's opinions on of Speying is good or bad.

 

[InklePickle]

Sounds like the anxiety is behavioural and if the dogs are older it’ll be more ingrained.

speying my dog at age 9/10 (due to pyometra uterus infection) didnt change her personality at all….however she has put on weight. Not a bad thing as she was always a super slim gsd, but now she easily bulks up.…but alot of her is fur! Ive noticed her summer coat since speying her is thick like a winter coat - despite spring shedding a layer, it seems to have grown in again. So weight and fur changes are all ive witnessed with my GSD.

Mine are non moulting breeds so are clipped every 8 weeks year round. A little extra weight would be no bad thing for either, either

 

[InklePickle]

Mine are non moulting breeds so are clipped every 8 weeks year round. A little extra weight would be no bad thing for either, either , the anxiety has been since they were attacked by a German Shepard and then our house was broken in to, we are working on both issues constantly

I don't quite know why my post has gone like this, I was just trying to edit it. ??

 

[Karran]

I've been pondering the same thing. Miss (now Mrs Collie!) has been very reactive, has a massive chase drive and is a general loon which I think is anxiety related. The plan was always to get her spayed after her first season, and she's booked in for September. People keep telling me that her behaviour will change dramatically for the better once she's spayed and I understand that the coming and going of the hormones every few months would affect her behaviour but I can't find much about the long term behaviour affects post Spay, where there seems to be loads about post-neutering.
I'm on the fence about whether spaying will make a difference, or keep it the same, as a lot has to be genetics!
Regardless, she'll be done, in my mind the health benefits outweigh the doubt and she's most definitely not breed-worthy!

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Highly unlikely, training is the key.

 

[buddylove]

You would rather risk pyometra (sp), phantom pregnancies and a whole range of other possible nasty things? than spay because it 'ruins their coat' to me that's nuts, but each to their own. I did say in my OP I'm not looking for people's opinions on of Speying is good or bad.

Their coat is as it is for a reason, not just aesthetics. When their coat is altered by speying they struggle with maintenance of temperature. They are also small dogs inherently prone to spinal issues, so any extra weight can be significantly detrimental to their health.
I think the resounding answer to your post has been that speying is not the answer, but training is the key. Speying is pushed very hard by vets, but you need to be aware of the cons as well as the pros.

 

[Chiffy]

I have had spayed bitches for simply years. Not one has changed in any way. All have had super temperaments so I have no knowledge if it would help anxiety, but I imagine not.
I know this is not a thread on the pros and cons of spay but not one of my dogs have changed in their coat either! Timing of spay is the key.

 

[deb_l222]

Nope, none of my girls changed in any way.

 

[SAujla]

I have had spayed bitches for simply years. Not one has changed in any way. All have had super temperaments so I have no knowledge if it would help anxiety, but I imagine not.
I know this is not a thread on the pros and cons of spay but not one of my dogs have changed in their coat either! Timing of spay is the key.

What do you mean by timing, waiting a little bit to allow them to mature or number of seasons?

Sorry to hear about what caused your dogs anxiety OP.

 

[PurBee]

You would rather risk pyometra (sp), phantom pregnancies and a whole range of other possible nasty things? than spay because it 'ruins their coat' to me that's nuts, but each to their own. I did say in my OP I'm not looking for people's opinions on of Speying is good or bad.

Mine was an emergency spey due to pyo - i didnt know about pyo at all until i was suddenly dealing with it, as all previous dogs owned were fostered and already speyed so never had pelvic issues to deal with.

Her coat change has been thicker if anything. I wouldnt say its ruined. If a person did dog showing it might affect that aspect of their life but i agree with you inkle, its not the only reason id choose not to spey.

Now I know about how easy uterine infections are for bitches, due to them licking themselves, especially when in season, (mine got pyo after 2 week season bleeding) and germs travelling up into the uterus too, i wonder if thats the reason my dog struggled to put on weight all along, as she could well have been having low grade infections without overt symptoms. Recalling back, the only symptoms she ever had was sometimes going off food for a day or two, then returning to normal behaviour. When full pyo hit, she went off food completely, that was the only overt sign, then loads of drinking water…which in the summer months with a long haired dog, youd think was normal and not a sign of infection.

I hope you manage to sort the issues youre having with the aggressive gsd you’re dealing with - that kind of encounter can cause anxiety in the attacked dogs.
Will cctv cameras give you more peace of mind for your home? Theyre a good deterrent against break-ins, especially with a ‘cctv surveillance’ sign near/on property clearly visible. The resolution of most home cams these days is very good and burglers must now loathe them.

 

[InklePickle]

Mine was an emergency spey due to pyo - i didnt know about pyo at all until i was suddenly dealing with it, as all previous dogs owned were fostered and already speyed so never had pelvic issues to deal with.

Her coat change has been thicker if anything. I wouldnt say its ruined. If a person did dog showing it might affect that aspect of their life but i agree with you inkle, its not the only reason id choose not to spey.

Now I know about how easy uterine infections are for bitches, due to them licking themselves, especially when in season, (mine got pyo after 2 week season bleeding) and germs travelling up into the uterus too, i wonder if thats the reason my dog struggled to put on weight all along, as she could well have been having low grade infections without overt symptoms. Recalling back, the only symptoms she ever had was sometimes going off food for a day or two, then returning to normal behaviour. When full pyo hit, she went off food completely, that was the only overt sign, then loads of drinking water…which in the summer months with a long haired dog, youd think was normal and not a sign of infection.

I hope you manage to sort the issues youre having with the aggressive gsd you’re dealing with - that kind of encounter can cause anxiety in the attacked dogs.
Will cctv cameras give you more peace of mind for your home? Theyre a good deterrent against break-ins, especially with a ‘cctv surveillance’ sign near/on property clearly visible. The resolution of most home cams these days is very good and burglers must now loathe them.

The aggressive GSD was reported to the police as it had attacked other dogs before mine and was known to be a problem by other dog walkers in the local woods, they all told me to report as a record was being taken. Mine are really small terrier mixes. We now have a ring camera doorbell and other cameras outside our property plus some other anti burglar stuff, thankyou.

 

[dogatemysalad]

No. Two of my bitch puppies were nervous, sensitive souls and the operation didn't change their personality. As they matured, they became less worried by life, but that was due to training and their environment. Essentially, the character traits they were born with were who they were, but as they matured, they increased in confidence.

 

[windand rain]

To many cons for me to ever spay a bitch again but thats my decision especially as my chosen breeds have hundreds of contra indications to spaying especially before 3 years of age

 

[InklePickle]

I'm sorry but I do not agree with not Speying. All the anti Speyer's can put me on UI as its utter rubbish you/they waffle. It is far far better to spey than to not. As I stated in my OP I am not interested in the rediculous for/against waffle!!

 

[windand rain]

Research for some breeds would not agree but each to their own it is far from rubbish not to spAy but there you go.

 

[AmyMay]

Their coat is as it is for a reason, not just aesthetics. When their coat is altered by speying they struggle with maintenance of temperature. They are also small dogs inherently prone to spinal issues, so any extra weight can be significantly detrimental to their health.
I think the resounding answer to your post has been that speying is not the answer, but training is the key. Speying is pushed very hard by vets, but you need to be aware of the cons as well as the pros.

Certainly much of what your implying is not my experience. My Bichon is spayed, fit, healthy a perfect weight and has a glorious coat.

 

[Clodagh]

Op seems a bit stroppy!

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I'm sorry but I do not agree with not Speying. All the anti Speyer's can put me on UI as its utter rubbish you/they waffle. It is far far better to spey than to not. As I stated in my OP I am not interested in the rediculous for/against waffle!!

What makes you think anyone cares what you think about spaying, when you obviously have so little experience that you have to ask strangers on a forum whether it will change your dogs' behaviour? If I needed opinions, which I don't, I would ask those who know.

 

[InklePickle]

Certainly much of what your implying is not my experience. My Bichon is spayed, fit, healthy a perfect weight and has a glorious coat.
View attachment 75422

Beautiful

 

[InklePickle]

Op seems a bit stroppy!

????????

 

[MurphysMinder]

If anything spaying may make your bitches more anxious. I am not anti spaying, most of my bitches have been done , but I wouldn’t do it to help behavioural problems.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I'm pro spaying, but it will not help your bitches to become more confident.

I've never known a bitch to change her behaviour or her coat after spaying.

 

[TPO]

Op seems a bit stroppy!

OP has previous as multiple different user names over many years ?

 

[scats]

The coat change depends on coat type. I find it’s more common in spaniels.