Will neutering help with aggression??

[howlk9]

I see a lot of people jumping to the neuter decision, however there are several recent studies that actually show an increase in aggression among altered dogs.
Here is just one:
http://www.vizslacanada.ca/SNBehavio...taSnapShot.pdf
Many skilled and experienced behaviourists also now recommend working on serious issues such as aggression BEFORE undergoing a neuter/spay. Even if you decide to go thrugh the surgery now, getting in touch with a good trainer is a must.

[Falkosmom]

Wow! Thanks for sharing that howlk9.

[msvette2u]

In my personal experience, I've never seen neuter make a dog more aggressive.

. The view of spaying and neutering as benign and perhaps
even beneficial to dogs has been based on extremely limited scientific study of how gonadectomy
affects dog behavior and physiology.

"extremely limited scientific study", what about millions of dogs neutered yearly, who don't become aggressive?

Speaking of studies, it was found that intact male dogs were doing the most biting and even killing (humans), wasn't it?
I would need to see an environment and genetics for the dogs in the study before chalking any aggression up to s/n solely.

It's like saying "dogs who are altered get more HD", when there's no study on the lineage with regards to HD.

Kind of like saying autism in kids is related to their vaccines, when the diagnosis merely coincides with the vaccination schedule.

[gsdraven]

Originally Posted by msvette2u

In my personal experience, I've never seen neuter make a dog more aggressive.

I have. But, I think it's the exception not the rule.

[Jax08]

My trainer told me that spaying a female can make them more aggressive because their hormones are not balanced anymore. Anyone that knows someone that has had a total hysterectomy could probably relate to that. I would assume that could also happen with males.

[msvette2u]

I think with males it's the exception.

With females, I could see it (estrogen is a calming hormone), but also all our girls (5) are spayed and the only one who is "aggressive" is only aggressive in certain circumstances.
In fact she ignores most everyone else (with 4 legs).
So I'm not sure what they mean by "increased" aggression. She's actually our "neutral dog" tester when we have fosters.

She's a drama queen and all that entails but is not inherently aggressive. She's been spayed since her puppy teeth fell out and is now 10yrs. old.

[msvette2u]

Originally Posted by gsdraven

I have. But, I think it's the exception not the rule.

My question would always be, are we certain that neuter "made" him aggressive or did he just get that way as he matured?

I'd like to see how they designed the study and if the aggression could have merely coincided with the dog becoming mature, and also as mentioned, we'd need data about the parents and if the aggression was inherited rather than a by-product of altering.

[msvette2u]

Originally Posted by Jax08

My trainer told me that spaying a female can make them more aggressive because their hormones are not balanced anymore. Anyone that knows someone that has had a total hysterectomy could probably relate to that. I would assume that could also happen with males.

Totally different hormones at play, though (estrogen/progesterone vs. testosterone).

[Jax08]

Originally Posted by msvette2u

Totally different hormones at play, though (estrogen/progesterone vs. testosterone).

ya think?

That doesn't mean that a hormonal IMBALANCE does not exist.

[msvette2u]

The point is....estrogen doesn't amp up dogs the way testosterone does.
And lack of testosterone, most basically, would have a calming effect, loss of estrogen/progesterone would have the opposite effect quite possibly.

And I will never be convinced that you can pinpoint neuter/spay as the sole cause of aggression.