Spaying your dog may be a tough decision for some. However, given the alternative, many believe that spaying is a better decision than running the risk of producing puppies that won’t be properly cared for. In either case, it’s wise to consider the female dog behavior change after spaying.
Spaying a dog can have a serious impact on their hormones and behavior. This article explores some of the changes that you can expect to see if you choose to spay your dog.
Why Spay a Dog? Desirable Female Dog Behavior Change After Spaying
For the most part, people spay their dog because they believe it will be helpful. Spaying tends to reduce female dog aggression and eliminates the chances of them getting pregnant. This helps to reduce the chance of fights as well as prevent unplanned puppies.
Some professionals believe that reduced aggression helps to make dogs more affectionate, ultimately turning them into better companions. At the very least, this makes it easier for them to befriend other dogs.
Dogs that aren’t spayed tend to have higher levels of hormones. This can make them harder to train and more difficult to socialize. When dogs are spayed earlier, this helps to eliminate problems with aggression.
Potentially Negative Female Dog Behavior Changes After Spaying
Not everywhere agrees that spaying is the best decision, however. Europeans, in particular, seem to disagree with the concept almost entirely. Only one percent of Swedish dogs are spayed, and nearly half of all dogs in Britain are not spayed. In Norway, it’s completely illegal to spay or neuter your dogs.
There have actually been quite a few studies done on the effects of spaying and neutering dogs. And, surprisingly, the results of these studies seem to suggest the opposite of what people commonly assume.
One such study, published in The Proceedings of the Third International Symposium on Nonsurgical Contraceptive Methods for Pet Population Control, revealed that spayed dogs actually become more aggressive than those that are left intact.
Both female and male dogs tended to show this increased aggression, though it varied quite a bit from dog to dog. These studies also revealed that spayed dogs tended to be much more fearful than non-spayed dogs. They were also more sensitive to touch which could increase fear.
In fact, the only positive result reported from this study was that most of these tended to mark their territory with urine less often.
These studies suggest that spaying causes undesirable effects that are quite different than those which the public generally assumes. In either case, it’s certain that dog behavior will be quite different depending on whether or not you get them spayed.
To Sum It Up
Overall, there seems to be some disagreement about what happens when you spay your dog. However, everyone agrees that there are definitely some significant changes.
If you’re wondering how to prevent your dog from having unwanted puppies, you might want to check out our article on dog behavior during heat. Above all, make sure that you put in the time and effort to train your dog properly.
