Spaying and neutering dogs too soon: a stern warning

Spaying and neutering can make the family pet better and more affectionate. It is a medical fact that spaying and neutering can prolong the lives of our pets and can reduce the number of health problems in the future. Females may benefit from spaying by reducing the incidence of uterine, breast, and ovarian cancers and uterine infections such as pyometria.

Neutering a male reduces the risk of prostate and testicular cancer. They are less likely to develop unwanted behaviors such as marking, sexual assault, and mounting, and are less likely to run away, wander, or fight with other dogs.

Some vets recommend that our dogs be spayed or neutered between 5 and 16 months. In the United States, some are being made at 8 weeks of age. Many rescue centers, such as Battersea Dogs Home and the RSPCA/ASPCA, routinely spay and neuter regardless of age. My colleagues and I at PAACT, the Professional Association of Applied Dog Trainers, have serious reservations about this advice and practice.

There have been many scientific studies on the beneficial outcome of spaying and neutering on a physiological level, but I can’t find any on a psychological and behavioral level.

As behavior consultants and obedience trainers, we find that we are dealing with many more cases where dogs show (pedomorphic) tendencies. These are puppy behaviors in adult dogs, which we believe could be related to the incidence of early spaying and neutering.

We have also found that bitches spayed too early can be much more interesting to intact males; unwanted male attention can cause women to become aggressive and protective of this attention in adulthood.

With regard to castration, we believe that male dogs should not be castrated until they have been cocking for at least a month, and should be at least 10 to 16 months of age (depending on breed and size), unless that there are medical indications or serious behavioral problems. In the females we believe that they should have at least one season first, although preferably two; then wait approximately 3 months before considering sterilization.

Many vets and rescue centers will neuter a male dog before he gets his paw lifted. It is at this point that the dogs begin to seriously mark territory. Not the half-hearted attempts we see in immature dogs. The immature neutered dog may squat for the rest of his life and may be more interesting to intact males, the dog may also display short attention spans and frustrating puppy-like behavior.

There seems to be a surge in testosterone between 10 and 16 months depending on breed and size which clearly activates a hardwired idle program that sets up this cocking behavior many hardwired behaviors are not isolated into a single action so so many other functions that are not so obvious can be activated at this time. These can have social implications and behavioral effects that aid in the psychological and physical development of dogs. If we deactivate them through spaying or neutering too early, we may be denying our dog the opportunity to reach his full adult potential, both mentally and physically.

It has also been observed that young female dogs showing aggressive tendencies towards owners may show increased aggression after spaying. Spaying eliminates the production of progesterone, which is a natural calming hormone.

Progesterone receptors are found on brain cells, nerve sheaths, and bone cells, indicating that progesterone is involved in their function. It also appears to be involved in a variety of other biological activities. Therefore, spaying before physical and psychological maturity may have other detrimental long-term effects.

Many dogs that have been neutered early seem to retain many more juvenile characteristics than those who are neutered when they are mature. In other words, they retain the perpetual characteristics of a puppy, although this may initially seem endearing, who would really want a dog that exhibits low concentration levels and frustrated puppy behavior for the rest of his life?

Because early castration removes sex hormones, it delays the maturation of “osteoclasts,” causing delayed closure of the growth plates of the long bones of the legs, increasing the risk of numerous disorders orthopedic, such as cruciate ligament disease and possibly bone cancer.

It can also significantly increase the risk of urinary incontinence in female dogs. Early castration also increases the risk of urethral sphincter incontinence in males (A. Aaron et al., Vet Rec. 139:542-6, 1996).

In conclusion, as an organization we are in favor of spaying and neutering, but at the right time, thus allowing your dogs to reach full maturity both in body and mind.

These findings have been confirmed by the observation and experiences of behaviorists and trainers who are members of PAACT, the Professional Association of Applied Dog Trainers, an organization dedicated to improving and uniting the two main canine disciplines of obedience training and behavior therapy. It is PAACT’s belief that in order to work with dogs on a professional level, you must be versed in both of these disciplines.

Article written by Stan Rawlinson

President of PAACT

The Professional Association of Applied Dog Trainers