Neutering - Does it change dog's behaviour?

krlyr

crazyguy wrote: »

I got my dog done and she was worse after it as she dry humped everthing in sight for months after.

Animals can often have a surge in hormones post-neutering which can cause problem behaviour like this for a short period of times. Also worth noting that humping isn't always a sexual behaviour but done for several reasons in animals - my female dog will start to hump things if you get her overexcited in a playfight and end up kneeling/sitting on the floor!


Neutering dogs has pros and cons and it's a personal decision. I don't agree with breeding any old dog but you can have an unneutered dog and be a responsible owner who doesn't breed it or allow it to wander. Obviously you have no control over whether people walk their in-season dogs in public places which can be an issue for the owners of the entire male dogs, as a dog that picks up the scent can try anything to get to a !!!!! to mate her - have heard of dogs scaling over or digging under 6' fences, jumping through house windows, etc. to mate, it's their natural instinct. Even a dog with perfect recall can fail at the scent of a female in heat nearby, so neutering does have the benefit of preventing any accidents.
However, I wouldn't say a blanket neutering policy is best for dogs, especially not males. Neutering can have negative effects - e.g. it's often not recommended for nervous (as in, causing serious behavioural issues) dogs as it can worsen this. It can have an effect on the likelihood of certain cancers, like prostate cancer (but can decrease others -testicular cancer being the obvious one!). Judge it on a case-by-case basis, speak to your vet (but remember many will push for neutering because that's what they've been taught/that will make them money!), speak to the breeder or rescue your dog came from if possible, even ask a local behaviourist for advice if your dog is having behavioural issues that you feel may be worsened or improved by neutering. I definately agree in being a responsible Staffie owner and not contributing to the already huge issue of more Staffies than there are decent homes, but this doesn't necessary need to be achieved by chopping his nads off.

As for calming him down - he's a 1 year old doggy, which I suspect is more of a factor here than whether he's neutered or not! Staffies have lots of stamina but they can be smart little cookies so I'd look into forms of mental stimulation to use alongside physical exercise. Clicker training, feeding him with Kongs and treat balls rather than just out of a bowl, games of hide and seek etc. to tire his brain out as well as his body.
I'm not sure how Jollyes dog food rates on the grand scheme of things but I know some of their food isn't great - if you're on a budget then I'd really recommend CSJ dog food, they do a lamb & rice version which can be great for sensitive tums, and it's a good economical food without all the unnecessary colourings etc. The Wainwrights range at Pets at Home is meant to be a good food that's slightly cheaper than all the premium foods too, and their wet food trays are very similar to Naturediet (but cheaper) that often really suits sensitive dogs. I've known several Staffies who've thrived on Naturediet so the Wainwrights stuff could be worth a try.