Do male dogs experience mood changes after being neutered?
As we mentioned before, the primary benefits of having your male dog neutered lie in an overall reduction of the odds that they develop a wide range of canine cancers. While male dogs who are neutered do experience an increase in aggressive behaviors right after the procedure, neutering can make them much less aggressive over time. In fact, neutering has bee proven to create a much happier and calmer male dog over time.
One of the huge determining factors as to whether your male dog will become more aggressive after being neutered is the type of breed they are. Certain dog breeds are naturally more aggressive than others, so the temporary imbalance in hormones that neutering causes can spike aggressive behaviors in male dog breeds that are predisposed to violent tendencies in the first place.
The most obvious physical change that your male dog will go through is the removal of their testicles; however, once the incision scars heal, it’s barely noticeable. Neutering your dog is great because it bolsters improved health and a longer life overall.
Other changes to expect in your male dog after being neutered
After being neutered, male dogs will display other beneficial tendencies besides a reduction in their aggressive nature. Take a look below to see some of the most common changes you will notice in your male dog after they have been neutered.
Neutering a male dog will ‘emasculate’ them
This is not true. Masculine brain characteristics are set under hormonal influences very early in life and dogs do not need testicles to maintain them. Neutering could, in fact, make your dog much happier. It also has proven health benefits as well – in male dogs castration will significantly reduce the incidence of prostate disease, and reduce the risk of some cancers. It also makes it less likely they will show aggression towards other dogs, whether on or off the lead. Some owners in other countries even go to drastic lengths to replace their dogs testicles with prosthetic ones after neutering so they ‘look the same’ but this has been declared ‘unethical’ by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons here in the UK.