Cali gets spayed on Wednesday - will she settle down?

[Deb's Tiny Dogs]

My little Cali-girl is getting spayed on Wednesday! This is the first female dog I ever had. You know how they say males "settle down" some after they get neutered? Is the same true for females? Or is it strictly a testosterone thing? I took her for her first nursing home visit today (my other dogs are therapy dogs). Boy, do we have a ways to go. She's lucky she's cute. But it was only her first time. She's got a lot of years ahead of her.

[Moo]

Kirby didn't settle down a single bit after his neuter.

No clue on the spay, but I wouldn't count on it. Crazy dogs are crazy dogs, it makes them all the more fun.

[Blaze]

You know how they say males "settle down" some after they get neutered? Is the same true for females?

I think that it's just a myth really. None of the female dogs that I have owned have settled down after being spayed.

[GretaJack]

You are going to notice more of a difference if they are an adult that a juvenile because as a puppy they haven't experienced the hormonal influence yet. If you fix them before they are hormonally mature, you probably are going to see little to no change in their personality. You are preventing unwanted behaviors by fixing early.

And it really is a myth about fixing changing their personalities. It can seem like it since you are removing their hormonal drive, but honestly, if you have a hyper dog before they are fixed, you are only going to have a hyper fixed dog later. It takes growing up to become more settled. And sometimes that doesn't even work!

Have fun with her at the nursing home right now. The residents just love them as puppies. I use to take Carbon after his KPT class and they were in love! Puppies just have a special power of love. Don't worry about her energy level at this point. It brings a new sense of life to the residents.

Are you going to TDI her or get a Therapy Dog, Inc. title?

[Love_My_Labs]

I agree with you GretaJack...

I had DJ fixed and noticed NOTHING. I have no idea if that's cause he is a lab or what, but I did get my Sheltie fixed after DJ came home and he only gained weight, he is still high energy and high strung.

It may depend on the breed too... I have no clue.

But the two that I had fixed, I noticed nothing in their behavior as far as "calming down".

[hisfirst]

No, they are just as crazy afterward....they slow down for maybe one day...

[weezyNollie]

You know, now that I think of it.. Ollie is more crazy now then he was before he was neutered. But I think it has more to do with his age and coming out his sheell then the actual neuter.

And Weezy.. didn't know her before she was spayed.. wish I would have!

All in all, I think it's a myth. I think overall throughout the life, there may be a difference, but you won't notice anything right away. That's for sure!

[Deb's Tiny Dogs]

Well. I guess I'll enjoy the 1-2 quiet days I'll get from the sedation, etc. Then it will be back to wild times. She does laps around the house for about 2 hours at night. If you don't let her "get it all out", you can't get her to settle in for the night. A tired dog is a happy, more well-behaved dog, I guess. Maybe I'll ask to be sedated, too, and we can both sleep for a couple of days! LOL

[Evil One]

Just got Baja done last Monday..She was settled down for like 24 hours and that was it...She is now full of spit and vineager,her same old self,but now we have to try to keep her settled due to the stitches...Man what a chore...Hers come out on Thursday...Yeah and then she can play with her brother Blue....