Mary Allen
Are you considering having your dog neutered? In that case, you should consider it carefully in consultation with your veterinarian. The procedure is irreversible and it is not certain that it will have the effect you are looking for. Are we neutering our dogs far too lightly? Has it become a routine procedure to deal with behaviors that we find troublesome?
The Swedish Kennel Club, SKK, is worried that more and more people are neutering their dogs for reasons other than purely medical. It is a threat to long-term and sustainable breeding, especially of breeds with small populations, as the selection is limited. Change of mentality should not take place with routine castration but through well-planned breeding work. SKK also believes that it would be devastating if the Swedish tradition of educating and training dogs was replaced by surgical procedures in an attempt to make dogs easier to handle.
Neuter the Dog – This is How It Works
However, in some cases, it may be justified to neuter a dog for reasons other than avoiding illness. That is the opinion of Ann-Sofie Lagerstedt, professor at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SLU.
Troublesome with Females
– When it comes to working dogs, for example hunting dogs or guide dogs, it can be difficult with a male dog who does not concentrate on his work when there are running females or other male dogs nearby.
But when it comes to regular companion dogs, you should think twice. Many times, the knowledge of dog owners is deficient when it comes to the advantages and disadvantages of castration, says Ann-Sofie Lagerstedt.
– The most important thing to be clear about is that the only behaviors you have the opportunity to influence are those that are controlled by the dog’s sex hormones. So do not think that castration solves all problems. Maybe it’s better to take a dressage course. Many times it is enough to deal with unwanted behavior.
Ann-Sofie Lagerstedt thinks that there is a dog daycare that requires the dog to be neutered.
The Dog Daycare’s Wish
– It sounds silly that they can make such demands. But at the same time, I can understand them. Of course, it can be difficult, but it should be easy to solve practically in the premises with different rooms and different rest areas.
Dogs are neutered for many different reasons. Medical reasons can, for example, be to avoid uterine inflammation which is a very common disease in bitches. The risk of udder tumor can also be reduced if the bitch is neutered early, preferably before the second race. And in male dogs, castration can avoid prostate problems and of course cancer of the testicles.
But as I said, it can also be a behavior in the dog that the dog owner finds troublesome and wants to deal with, for example, that it makes outbursts against other dogs, picks up territory in time and out of time, or is very prone to escape.
– It is important to go to the vet and talk through why you want to neuter your dog. The reasons must be well justified. You do a procedure that affects the dog both physically and mentally, says Anne-Sofie Lagerstedt.
Best when the dog is mentally mature
It is also important to be aware that there are no guarantees that you will overcome a problem behavior through castration. According to Anne-Sofie Lagerstedt, the best results are obtained with escape behaviors. But against, for example, dog aggression, it is far from always helpful to neuter.
Decisive is when in the dog’s life the procedure is performed. If the behavior has been well established, it is more difficult to influence it. So when is it really best to castrate?
– It goes well from the age of 6 months, then the dog is mentally mature. But I do not want to say any upper limit, it is so dependent on the cause of the procedure.
If you are unsure whether castration is a good alternative, you can try chemical castration that is not definitive. But it is only recommended for male dogs (see fact box).
There are some side effects that can accompany castration. First and foremost, the procedure itself is understood, an operation always entails certain risks, but they are not that great, says Anne-Sofie Lagerstedt. But there is something else.
– What you do with castration is that you put the dog in menopause, with all that it entails, including lower metabolism. The dog gains weight more easily. The coat can also deteriorate, which is mainly noticeable on long-haired dogs. In addition, the dog may become urinary incontinent. Obesity, impaired fur, and incontinence can affect both bitches and male dogs.
Deteriorated Metabolism
You simply have to hold on to the food so that the dog does not get up too much and risk suffering from diseases linked to obesity. Some recommend that you reduce the feed by about 30 percent or switch to special food for neutered dogs. There is medicine for any urinary incontinence that the dog may suffer from. But to have an operation performed on a healthy dog who then needs medication for the rest of his life, not all dog owners may feel completely comfortable with it.
– The dog can also become more anxious and alert, perhaps because it has no gender identity.
You should therefore not expect the dog to become braver after a castration, on the contrary, the risk is greater that it will be more afraid. So a male dog that has bitten a human who has approached his mistress or master definitely does not exhibit behavior that castration can cure.
– That dog does not get better from a castration. The male sex hormone does not cause a dog to bite people.
Anne-Sofie Lagerstedt also dismisses the idea that you should communicate better with your dog after it has been neutered.
– No, how well you and your dog communicate with each other depends only on what kind of relationship you have built. We used to cut tails and ears, which is thankfully forbidden, but now it’s okay to remove the gonads. But it does not solve all problems. No, a dog must be allowed to be a dog.