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You can call it "castration" or "neutering". Most people say neutering...probably because it doesn't sound so graphic!
Good reasons to neuter
Complete protection against testicular cancer. Partial protection against prostate disease.
Less marking (spraying urine on vertical objects). Marking can be an obsession in toy breed males, and in dominant breeds.
Less likely to pick fights with other males.
Less likely to be picked on by unneutered males.
Better attention span, focusing more on you than on other dogs.
Fewer embarrassing signs of arousal. Less licking of genitals. Less humping of stuffed animals, other dogs, and people's ankles.
No more worrying about him getting away and breeding someone's female.
Freedom from agitation, whining, drooling, pacing, loss of appetite, and distractibility whenever a female in heat comes within smelling distance.
Less expensive to license.
If your dog has retained one or both testicles up inside his body, it is essential that he be neutered. A retained testicle is hereditary, so you mustn't breed him. A retained testicle is very likely to develop cancer. For health reasons alone, neutering is always your best course of action here.
Possible cons
Some males do become overly placid, as though something has gone out of them...but these are in the minority.
You can't show a neutered dog in conformation classes...but you can show him in every other canine activity, such as obedience and agility.
Surgery always carries some risk...but neutering is normally a simple operation. Simpler than spaying.
When to neuter
Toy breeds should be neutered at five to six months -- to prevent the obsessive leg-lifting and territorial marking habits they are prone to develop.
Larger breeds take longer to develop the masculine shape of their head and body, so I prefer to wait until nine to twelve months.
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