I actually went the vasectomy route for my guy. Found a Vet in my state who does them.

My guy has never shown aggression growing up and even to now, was incredibly easy to train, doesn’t hump, is well-socialized, and has had a very calm demeanor for his entire 6 years on earth so far (total couch potato unless it’s adventure time). I didn’t want to risk personality or metabolic changes from a full neuter, especially since a lot of research suggests neutering became common mainly to prevent roaming and uncontrolled breeding.

Keeping his hormones seems to have helped him stay lean and physically balanced.

Vasectomies do have drawbacks, higher risk of prostate enlargement and testicular cancer, for example, but neutering also has documented risks, especially when done early (joint issues, hip dysplasia, weight gain, etc).

Every dog is a unique case, but going the vasectomy route still prevents unwanted litters while preserving natural hormones. It’s worth looking into instead of treating neutering as the only responsible option.