Hi, Brady,
My own thouhts on castrating male dogs is that it seems to have little effect of growth and conformation if it is done at 12 months old or more.
Castrated males do tend to run to fat, so extra care not to overfeed in later life is essential.
Not all veterinarians will agree with me - some think that early castration at 4 to 6 months is OK.
Walter