Does neutering a dog change the dynamics of a group walk?

You’ve done the puppy visits, given them solo lead walks, done your best to support the owners training with recall and introduced them to your group walks. Now your teenage male dog (12-18 months roughly) is being neutered. Will it change the group dynamics and if so, will it be in a positive or negative way?

In this article we’re going to take a look at the changes you should expect when walking a recently castrated male dog. We’ll cover the girls another time as the effects are very different.

TLDR: It depends (Sorry). If the behaviours that the owners were hoping to reduce by castration were caused by teenage testosterone then these behaviours may well reduce afterwards once the hormone levels settle at around 6 months after surgery. But, if the behaviours were anxiety led, as humping can be, or just training based (or lack of) such as over excited greeting behaviours, then these are unlikely to reduce with just neutering.

Things to look out for after a newly castrated dog returns to group walks.

1. Bolting – higher anxiety can lead a dog to spook easily and bolt if you’re not watchful. Keep them on a long line for a while just until you’re comfortable and convinced that they’re okay.
2. Fights – be careful who you load them into your vehicle with, especially intact males. It should be fine especially of they’ve known each toher for ages but it pays to be cautious just in case.
3. Unknown dogs – be mindful that your dog may not react to other random, unknown dogs in the same way once neutered. Keep an eye out for any signs of stress or anxiety and step in if needed erring on the side of caution.

What does science say about neutering and behaviour in male dogs?

There have been a multitude of studies over the years regarding the castration of males dogs and it’s effects on behaviour and although some studies are contradictory, when you look closer there is a thread of common findings that runs though them.

Decreased aggression, Increased Anxiety, Decreased Urine Marking, Decreased Roaming and Decreased Sexual Behaviour (Mounting).

But…

Aggression can sometimes be caused by anxiety, so dogs can become more aggressive.

Mounting (Humping) can be caused by anxiety, so dogs can continue to hump, or start to hump.

Urine marking can become a learned behaviour, a self rewarding behaviour, so neutering may not stop this.

As you can see, it’s not always clear cut when it comes to neutering, especially if the owner was trying to facilitate a behaviour change.

If you’d like to do some further reading, I’ve linked the studies below.

1. “Behavioural changes associated with castration in male dogs” (Overall, 2001) – This study found that neutered male dogs showed a decrease in certain aggressive and sexual behaviors, such as mounting and urine marking. However, neutering did not always eliminate these behaviors entirely, and some neutered males showed an increase in fear-related behaviors.
2. “Behavioral and neuroendocrine effects of endogenous testosterone and estradiol in an aromatase-deficient mouse model” (Yang et al., 2018) – While this study did not specifically focus on neutered male dogs, it looked at the effects of removing testosterone in mice. The researchers found that testosterone depletion led to changes in behavior, including decreased aggression and increased anxiety.
3. “The behavioral effects of neutering male dogs” (Hart and Eckstein, 1997) – This study found that neutered male dogs showed less mounting and sexual behavior, but also showed an increase in certain types of aggression, such as territorial aggression.
4. “Long-term risks and benefits of early-age gonadectomy in dogs” (Howe et al., 2001) – This study looked at the effects of neutering male and female dogs at different ages. The researchers found that neutered male dogs had a decreased risk of certain health problems, but also showed an increase in some problem behaviors, such as noise phobias.

Testosterone and confidence

Testosterone is a hormone that plays a role in the development of secondary sex characteristics in male dogs, as well as in their behaviour. In particular, testosterone has been linked to behaviours associated with confidence.

Studies have shown that male dogs with higher levels of testosterone tend to exhibit more confident behaviours, such as marking their territory and engaging in sexual behaviour.

Neutering, whether removing a dog’s testicles or chemical castration, can lower their testosterone levels and reduce their confidence levels, creating an anxious dog. Or if an aggressive dog is acting from a place of anxiety having been misdiagnosed as aggressive, castration can make the problem far worse.

Why are there more arguments between entire and neutered males?

Fights between male dogs can be influenced by a variety of factors, including their individual temperaments, socialisation experiences, and the context in which the interaction occurs. However, there is some evidence to suggest that fights may be more common between entire (unneutered) and neutered males.

Intact male dogs have higher levels of testosterone, which can lead to more confident and assertive behaviour. Neutered males, on the other hand, have lower levels of testosterone, which can make them lack confidence and lead them to overcompensate when faced with a confident male. (Pubs and bars can be a very good place to witness this behaviour in human males…)

The fight is almost always started by the un neutered male dog.

How long before the hormone levels settle down after castration in dogs?

After castration (neutering) in dogs, it can take at the very least several weeks for hormone levels to settle down. Testosterone levels will begin to decrease immediately after surgery, but it may take a few weeks for the body to fully adjust to the new hormonal balance and after a miximum of 6 months the dog’s hormones will become stable.

Will my dog stop humping?

Neutering can sometimes reduce or eliminate humping behaviour in dogs, especially if the behaviour is driven by sexual or hormonal motivations. This is because neutering typically lowers the levels of testosterone in male dogs, which can reduce their sexual drive and diminish behaviours such as humping.

However, humping can also be a learned behaviour or a way for dogs to express excitement or anxiety, and in these cases, neutering may not have a significant effect on the behaviour. It’s important to work with a veterinarian or certified dog trainer to address any unwanted behaviours in your dog, including humping, and to develop a comprehensive behaviour modification plan that takes into account your dog’s individual needs and temperament.