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Community | Ask The Vet
Dog Castration - what benefits are gained by it?
25.04.2010Hi,
Can you please let us know if castration will stop a dogs urges to get to a female in season or does it just minimise the urge. What other benefits are gained by it and does it change a dogs disposition. We are 3 out of 4 in favour of castration as one family member thinks it will totally change our dogs character.
Many Thanks.
- Elaine
Hello Elaine
Thank you for your question which reached us after a delay. We think that castration only changes undesirable aspects of dog behaviour such as the one you mention-reducing the urges for a male dog to wander off and seek out a bitch on heat. Hormones levels drop gradually over a period of time after castration so you can expect a gradual reduction in behaviour traits. It rather depends on how old the dog is at the time of surgery. Also any male to male dog aggression in individuals who have started showing this trait often becomes much less. Castration is not a general cure for difficult male dog behaviour but it certainly can help the training process. Your dog will still retain his character, some of which is not due to his hormones but formed by his genetic make-up. The rest is shaped by his upbringing and training. To discuss this further it would be very useful to know the full details about your dog and and this can be done with telephone advice from Barton Lodge Veterinary staff who are experienced in dog behavioural issues.
- The Barton Lodge Veterinary Team
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