Aggressive Behavior in Puppies After Neutering

According to Wendy Brooks, DVM, at the Y2spay website, neutering decreases the aggressiveness in 60 percent of male dogs. There are also significant medical benefits, including removing the risk of testicular cancer and decreasing the risk of prostate problems. In few cases, aggressive behavior remains.

  1. Behavioral Aggression

    • Behavioral aggression is a result of testosterone levels. When a puppy is neutered, the decrease in hormone levels lessens the likelihood of aggressiveness. However, some continue to show signs such as dominance tendencies, whining, excessive barking, urine marking and inappropriate mounting.

    Misconceptions

    • Though neutering reduces the level of testosterone, the reduction in negative behavior is not guaranteed. Puppies neutered between 6 and 9 months are more likely to experience a decrease in aggressive behavior than older dogs. Inappropriate mounting is rooted in the expression of dominance and is not necessarily motivated by sexuality.

    Expert Opinion

    • According to veterinarians on the Vetinfo website, aggression is only reduced if owners are willing to enroll in a behavioral modification program as well.

    Considerations

    • Although surgery reduces the amount of testosterone, it does not eliminate the hormone entirely. Dogs that are strongly driven by the testosterone levels in the blood will take some time to show change in behavior.