Does neutering improve dogs behaviour?

Thousands of dogs were studied, the data is in, and it is astonishing. Neutering or spaying dogs can actually lead to worse behaviour. Do we need to rethink what is 'normal'? The Dog Scholar explains...
An audio version of this show is available now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
🐕 WHAT IS THE DOG SCHOLAR? 🐕
A dog-obsessed science show hosted by two expert dog-trainers and a neuroscientist, the dog scholar uses the latest cutting-edge research from neuroscience, psychology, and other life sciences to bust common myths about dogs and their relationship with people. Each episode tackles one common question we have about our canine companions, Dr Sab breaks down a related recent scientific study, and Jamie and Danny discuss how those findings apply to your dogs with practical take-home tips.
Send your questions and personal dog related icks to [e-mail].
Find us on social media @dogscholarpodcast.
For further information on services and dog training enquiries, visit:
⬩Danny Wells: unleashedk9uk.com/
⬩Jamie Penrith: taketheleadtraining.co.uk/
🐕 CHAPTERS 🐕
00:00 Intro
00:52 The question
04:20 The study
22:21 Practical tips
28:04 Listener questions
34:30 Dog owner icks
37:58 The final thought
🐕 MEET THE HOSTS 🐕
Dr Sabrina Cohen-Hatton 🧠
⬩Role: The neuroscientist
⬩Dogs: Luther, Red and Jimmy Chew (Xolo's / Mexican hairless)
Danny Wells 📢
⬩Role: The trainer
⬩Dogs: Wade & Logan (Malinois), Flint (Labrador), Ralph (Bull breed), Lenny (Parson Jack Russell)
Jamie Penrith 📃
⬩Role: The expert
⬩Dogs: Bonnie, Drake, Pumpkin, Truman, Tinkerbell (Labradors) and Sherlock (Labrador x English pointer)
🐕 THE SCIENCE 🐕
McGreevy, P. D., Wilson, B., Starling, M. J., & Serpell, J. A. (2018). Behavioural risks in male dogs with minimal lifetime exposure to gonadal hormones may complicate population-control benefits of desexing. PloS one, 13(5), e0196284.
Starling, M., Fawcett, A., Wilson, B., Serpell, J., & McGreevy, P. (2019). Behavioural risks in female dogs with minimal lifetime exposure to gonadal hormones. Plos one, 14(12), e0223709.
🐕 CREDITS 🐕
Produced by Will Carne
Created by Dr Sabrina Cohen-Hatton, Danny Wells and Jamie Penrith
Filmed on location at WillCarne Studio 1 in London. Set, graphic, lighting and sound design by WilCa Studios. With thanks to George Jennings, Stephanie Donowho, Jake Edwards and Matthew Crossey.
Copyright WillCarne Originals 2023.

[@jennabennett4236]

Just fyi- Pyometra happens when E coli from the dog's feces gets spread to the vagina and then works its way up into the uterus, causing an infection. If the dog happens to be in between heat cycles when the infection flares, the cervix will be closed, which traps all of that infection inside of the uterus. The bacteria then enters the bloodstream causing septicemia, which is when it turns into a true emergency. Open pyometra isn't quite as deadly because, due to the dog being in heat, the cervix will be open and this allows the infection to drain out of the uterus, lessening the risk of septicemia. Also, just my 2 cents, I think so many vets are still recommending spay/neuter so much because many of them literally don't know any better. Most vets, at least in my own experience, are good for knowing what to do when your dog gets a relatively common illness or a relatively common injury. Outside of those basic scenarios, they simply do not know enough to give you a knowledgeable answer. Many vets are also older and haven't done much to stay up to date on the most current science and discoveries. Plus, because of the vet shortage, vet offices usually stay pretty slammed, which means less time and attention for each individual patient. With the internet being what it is, I think it really falls to pet owners to take the time and do the research themselves to gather all of the information. Then, to use that information to make their own educated decisions about their pets and their health.

[@anniwilson2534]

A perpetual issue for some of us owning rescues as the dogs tend be spayed / neutered before being re-homed. Basically I’m dealing with the fallout of that 😕

[@MrYodaone902]

It’s an odd one. My malamute is very high drive. Before he got neutered he was trying to hump anything that moved and was developing aggression to animals. Maybe it’s because we waited but as soon as he was castrated the animal aggression went away.

[@kristina6211]

Thats's actually what happens in most cases all these new "anti castration" studies suddenly seem to be bunch of bs and not really objective and of course so many trainers are against it bc it can often improve something that would give them months or longer of work and money

[@zsahe21]

Love this new little podcast.

[@DogScholar]

🥰🐕

[@eartheclipse9623]

Jamie, I think there is an evolution aspect to female humping, cows also do it when ready to breed...I'm also interested in the evolution side of biology.

[@pickupnplay]

Great episode covered everything I expected 👏

[@RR-mb8hk]

On the dog humping subject. In my experience of a multi dog property (20+ dogs for over 30 years), it is a dominance behavior. Some dogs get humped all the time and by any dog. A few dogs never get humped, they hump the others, or just don't bother to participate.

[@sharoncunningham6826]

Another great episode 🎊 thank you 🙏

[@lynread5773]

Really good episode. Thanks. Over the years attitudes have changed over and over. Back in the 60/70s when we had a male lab there was never any thought given to the idea of castrating a male dog. 25 years ago when I got my GS the vet said let her have first season at least. 11 years later it was oh no spay at 6 months before even having a season. My current dog who is 2... Back to have at least 1 season and they should be fully grown 🤷

[@MichelleWright-ni6ij]

❤ loving these podcasts! 👍😊

[@JoJo_GSD]

Great topic as always, thanks 🐾🤗

[@DogScholar]

Thanks for watching!

[@TeenyTheOne]

When I got my dog he was already a year and half old, extremely reactive and really hyper, he just needed training. The last thing the vet said to me at his first appointment was "well he's got a big ol' pair of conkers! Should we book him in for his neuter?" I had to laugh out loud. Thankfully his behaviour is better now he's with me, he isn't perfect by any means but I kept his conkers away from them conker grabbing vets. I wish the reactivity was concentrated inside his bollocks, how easy would life be then?

[@highdrivehomes1932]

The entire podcast is great 🤩.it has amazing info laphter😅 and more keep it going ❤🐾🐾

[@sharonwhyte2651]

My current dilemma, thank you 🙏 literally having these conversations right now. Looks like chemical wins for the now 🤞🏼Great podcast 💕

[@fpolitics]

Great as ever, although always seems to only last 10 minutes, could happily watch for an hour lol

[@DogScholar]

Thanks for watching!! 🐕

[@navdeeprehill1957]

Another great discussion

[@joda7771]

Nowadays it seems to be the most natural thing, in some countries, to neuter your dog. If it’s not for reactivity it’s for preventing diseases in the future. Not many talks about what kind of diseases and other health problems the dog could get BECAUSE of neutering.

[@vinceking7651]

Very interesting and I think hormones are a very tricky subject. I can relate to everything through experience and talking to people but if we get a neutered and intact dog come together there are dog fights. My friend's dog gets all aroused and starts trying to hump an intact dog. My dog has started being odd with an intact dog. I adopted my dog and he was neutered before I adopted him in the same week but everything was going against him so I knew he was right for me and I can relate to what Danny says through experience but I am having trouble with older intact dogs now , especially when people let their dogs run up to us .

[@eartheclipse9623]

Exactly right danny on dog prices, I couldn't afford a pure breed because of it, despite 5 yes ago I would have been able too (prices vs what I had to spend). I had £600, I shouldn't be paying that for a cross breed, especially with no performance credentials of the parents, with much less checks & paid for it with his health, love him, he's mine for life but I can't work him like I wanted to.

[@lynnpritchard8682]

Just been reading on a GSD training page that someone has a husky & gsd the young gsd has attacked the huskies vet put gsd on prosak and people saying castration, 😱😩

[@gazgibster]

as i understand it the dogs that are in protection dog sport like igp shutzhund french and mondio ring the dogs that are at the top winning things and competing at the very top are the one that are used to produce the next generstion of police military and security so casteration and neutering is probably a no no as a trainer i never tell any client to nueter or castrate in my experience it doesnt on the whole change behavior issues that changes thru proper training and good advice. great episode by the way really good.

[@fpolitics]

I have a 6. Month old puppy who humps my arm when I sit down or if I sit on the floor, he’s been doing it since I got him at 12weeks old, always seems to be after he’s been out running or playing mainly so I think it’s just an over arousal/. Excitement release, rather than anything else. Gradually doing it less with corrections but sometimes looks at my arm as if to say I really want to, so some semblance of impulse control coming lol

[@1cbrracer]

Amazing studies and facts every single time. No1 being Danny has self retracting ballocks😂😂

[@DogScholar]

Truly nobody knows what’s going to come out of Danny’s mouth next, Danny included 😂

[@lynnpritchard8682]

Part of the agreement for my rescue gsd was that she was Speyed, so cant make money from her, have to send invoice in to prove it.

[@riojimatsuoka]

Indoor marking is a myth, that's just bad management.

[@kristina6211]

Just because it's "illegal" like here in Germany it doesn't mean there aren't all kind of exceptions to the rule that make it basically possible to do it anyway in any case so this rule/"law" here is useless and doesn't prevent it

[@jennifermarshall4535]

Our Shepherd bitch was spayed at 15 months because she had 2 phantom pregnancies. I wanted to wait until she was 2 years old but didn't want to put her through that again and was worried about mammary cancer. We went for laparoscopic because she is a deep chested breed.

[@georgienjj6783]

I caught my puppy humping a few times but stopped him as soon as possible, he hasn’t humped anything since, not even once, he’s 3 years old now. My neighbour’s Frenchie full on sits there m@sturbating with his paw, I was speechless when I witnessed that 😂😂

[@redpony101]

I think vet position advising speying could several things. Years and years of public education to prevent unwanted excess puppies. The idea is that it will cure all behaviour problems. But also a bit cynicism from me, money??? A bread and butter income? Especially with some surgeries taken over by large pharmaceutical companies pushing for higher profits etc ??? Of course, there are times speying and castration are the necessary. And there has been some decrease in irresponsible breeding. I had one entire GSD, who was never an issue, he was not even overly interested in females, except one speyed female collie. If we were at the same show that was it, he was lost to me! No prizes those days😂 I have had dogs speying and castrated since. But because of my experience with him I have always allowed them to mature first. And I think, correct me if I am wrong, it is not recognised that the brain in all animals need to mature to be full adults, still do silly things until then, I believe humans brain not fully mature until around 25

[@redpony101]

And meant to add the connection between the sex hormones and brain development is crucial. So can be freeze an Animal at the age and stage of brain development

[@Senza.archive]

👏

[@samanthalangford6325]

I got my sons collie at 5 and who had remained unneutered so we didn’t feel the need to change that. My vet recommended that I didn’t neuter my other young collie because he’s a more fearful dog so keeping his hormones would help him moving forward. My rescue dogs had to be neutered as part of their adoption contracts. I just had my young bitch spayed though.

[@zsahe21]

!!!!!