If you are not going to breed your bitch, have her spayed as soon as possible, and avoid potential complicated and costly obstetrical problems later in her life. A bitch with ovaries and uterus intact stands a progressively increasing risk of developing pyometra (pus in the uterus) as she gets older. It is far safer and cheaper to opt for a routine elective ovariohysterectomy now, than to risk the possibility of an extremely expensive, emergency and life-threatening operation when she is older.
Reprinted with permission from How To Teach A New Dog Old Tricks by Dr. Ian Dunbar, James & Kenneth Publishers, 1996 (first published in 1981 by Sirius Puppy Training.)
Castration People seem to have numerous hang-ups about castrating male dogs. No doubt a psychologist could have a field day with the owners projections and complexes. Castration does not make dogs more lethargic. If anything, a castrated dog is more attentive and willing to please its owner, since it is less distracted. Neither does castration cause a marked personality change. And castration does not make a dog a wimp.
Dr. Ian Dunbar is a veterinarian, animal behaviourist, and author. He has written numerous books on dog behaviour and training, including Before You Get Your Puppy, After You Get Your Puppy, How to Teach a New Dog Old Tricks, and Doctor Dunbars Good Little Dog Book. He is Director of SIRIUS Puppy Training, founder of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, and host of the British TV series Dogs With Dunbar. He recently presented a four-day instructors workshop (“Sex and Aggression, Secrets and Games”) in Orlando, Florida, May 6-9, 2004. Upcoming speaking engagements include a three-day dog behaviour and training seminar in Richmond, B.C., April 1-3, 2005, to be presented by Dogsmart and sponsored by Modern Dog. Ian Dunbar lives in Berkeley, California, with Kelly and Claude, Ollie, Dune, Ugly and Mayhem.
The behavioral endocrinology of dogs is quite unique. Whereas the castration of most mammals appears to eliminate secondary sexual characteristics, the masculine characteristics of dog behavior appear to be emancipated from adult hormone levels. Whether or not a male dog will lift his leg when urinating, sniff and mount bitches and be more aggressive than females has all been preprogrammed by fetal testosterone in utero. Adult castration has absolutely no direct effect on urination posture, sexual preference or hierarchical rank.
Can a male dog smell like a female dog?
Males not only produce testosterone, but also oestrogen. Males excrete plenty of oestrogen in their urine. So making a wild guess (not seen in the research), without a large amount of testosterone production, then do some male neutered dogs smell more like a female in season.
Why do dogs start to “stink”?
When a dog’s coat gets wet, it smells stronger and, for some, more unpleasant. This is because when the coat comes into contact with water, certain metabolic products produced by microorganisms are released. Especially the sebum, which is produced to protect against moisture and bacteria, makes your dog stink. Humid air also absorbs more odour molecules, which is why we perceive odours more strongly.
Even if your faithful darling should roll around in carrion or the like, which is quite normal for our four-legged friends, he will probably not smell of roses. This is also the case if he should eat something that is rather unappetising for our human palate.
Food leftovers stuck in the teeth can also start to smell over time. For this reason, great importance should be attached to oral hygiene.
Likewise, older dogs can smell more strongly because their metabolism no longer works as quickly. The liver and kidneys are often less able to filter pollutants in old age, so more “waste” is excreted through the skin. However, older dogs generally have more risk factors (bad teeth, etc.) for developing bad body odours.
Digestive problems and flatulence can also cause unpleasant odours. If your pet often has flatulence, diarrhoea or similar, you should have this medically clarified.
If your pet sometimes smells more or less strongly, this is absolutely normal and harmless. However, if your pet smells unpleasantly for a longer period of time, it is important to find out the cause, as in this case illnesses and the like cannot be ruled out.