Toothless's mother and father lived in two warring packs that competed constantly for territory, food and other resources. They met, courted and mated in secret, though of course Toothless's mother could not hide the result of their tryst. When their solitary son was born, the two star-crossed lovers were rousted and slain as an example to their respective packs. Toothless's maternal family allowed the puppy to live, yet made a very brutal point by castrating him not only to shame him but to prevent him from ever procreating in turn. Needless to say, he grew up as an abused outcast and developed a plethora of psychological issues accordingly, starting with glossophobia and eosophobia. Eventually, Toothless could cope with his existence only by withdrawing so far into himself that he lost all sense of personal identity, including any semblance of gender. It adapted to a mindless, feral way of life, which has actually offered significant relief from its suppressed former life.