Growling, barking, or biting, though undesirable in a pet, are natural responses to fear or protecting family, including you. However, if your male dog has persistent challenging behaviors, you will need to address the issues. Is neutering a “quick fix” to curb aggression? The professional staff at Rolling Hills Veterinary Hospital, serving Columbia, MO, offers the following guide to neutering—what it is and how it may affect your dog.

How Neutering Will Affect Your Dog’s Behavior

What Neutering Does

Neutering is done primarily to control reproduction. In a male dog, the testicles are removed, thus making him unable to produce sperm. This process also affects his testosterone, the hormone that is linked to aggression in males. However, an animal will usually fight to defend itself, regardless of whether it is neutered or not.

Fighting for Mates

One of the reasons dogs fight with each other is to gain dominance over a female. The neutering process does alter this desire, so a male dog is less likely to be aggressive with other dogs for that reason, or to wander when he smells a female in heat. 

Fear-Based Aggression

Like any animal, dogs may growl, bark, or bite if they feel threatened, either by a person, another animal, or environmental situations such as noise or unfamiliar surroundings. Your dog may interpret eager children as a threat, for example, or dogs larger than itself, and will respond out of fear. Neutering will not change this behavior.

Protection & Possession

Neutering may calm challenging behaviors that are related to protecting family, food, or toys. If your dog usually growls when he perceives a threat to his favorite chew toy, or bites other dogs who are around his food dish, neutering may help. 

Training to Change Behavior

If your dog does have aggression issues, talk with a veterinarian about possible causes. Rule out any medical issues, such as undiagnosed conditions that may be causing pain. Neutering is a good choice if you are not planning to breed the dog, as it keeps the unwanted pet population down. The process will help calm your pet in some situations and make him more family-oriented and less likely to stray. But neutering is not a quick fix for aggressive behavior. Training and working with an animal behaviorist are the best ways to work with a challenging dog.

Neutering is a responsible choice and may improve some aspects of a male dog’s behavior, but it shouldn’t be used as a quick solution to the issue. Rolling Hills Veterinary Hospital offers spay and neuter services, pet surgery, grooming, boarding, and emergency vet care. Visit their website to learn more about their services or call (573) 449-7387 to schedule an appointment.