Reasons to Neuter Your Dog

Unless you plan on breeding your dog, it is generally a good idea to neuter him. Neutering--removing the testicles of your male dog--is good for a few reasons. It can help your dog stay healthy, it can keep accidental pregnancies from happening and it is a valuable contribution to society, preventing unwanted puppies from being born and neglected.

  1. Health Reasons

    • Your dog's health should be the No. 1 reason for considering neutering. If your dog is neutered before it is 6 months old, it will reduce the risk of it having testicular cancer. Spaying a female dog will help reduce the risks of ovarian cancer, uterine infections and breast cancer.

    No Place Like Home

    • Another good reason for neutering is that your dog will become less inclined to roam away from home. An intact male dog will instinctively try to get out, to find a female and breed. If it gets out of your yard, it may wander into traffic, or get lost. Neutering reduces the urges for a dog to leave his territory.

    Population Control

    • Neutering your dog helps reduce the overpopulation crisis. There are an estimated 6 to 8 million homeless animals that enter shelters every year, many of which are dogs. Strays that aren't neutered may have puppies--feral dogs, that run wild in the streets. If animal control captures these dogs, it is forced to kill them if they are not adopted. Controlling unwanted litters and reducing the number of homeless dogs are excellent reasons to consider neutering your dog.

    Calming Effect

    • Another reason dog owners may consider neutering is to calm down the dog. Many aggression problems can be resolved by neutering, if behavioral therapy does not work. Neutering your dog for calming reasons, especially if you have small children, can prevent your dog from accidentally biting you, your children or your neighbors if it is feeling frisky.