5 Benefits of Having Your Dog Neutered

Some people feel that spaying and neutering animals is barbaric or against natural law. But because humans have domesticated these animals and taken responsibility for them by turning them into house pets (making them unable to care for themselves in the wild), it is our duty to ensure that any puppies produced by our dogs are cared for. So if you want to call yourself a responsible pet parent, you probably need to admit that you really can’t care for litter after litter of puppies. And the best course of action to avoid this outcome is to have your dog neutered. You’ll be happy to hear that there are relatively few risks associated with the procedure, as well as plenty of benefits for both your dog and yourself. Here are a few positive reasons to neuter your dog.

1. No puppies. The world is full of strays and animals that, for one reason or another, have ended up in shelters where they will most likely be euthanized. And although some pet owners breed and others do the responsible thing and spay or neuter their animals, many still fail to see the damage that is done when they let their pets breed naturally with other animals in their area, creating litters of unwanted puppies. This is a sad state of affairs that leads to so many animals being put to sleep through no fault of their own. You might not think it’s your problem if you have a male dog, but it takes two to tango and you need to own your role in the litters that result because you failed to neuter your dog.
2. Marking territory. Many male dogs feel the need to mark their territory whether they’re neutered or not. But when you have your dog neutered in a timely manner (at the age of 6-9 months, or earlier in some cases), the lack of testosterone will significantly reduce his urge to mark his territory with urine, a habit that can be impossible to train out of older dogs.
3. Looking for love. Although most pet owners take pains to ensure that their dogs aren’t wandering the neighborhood (with fencing, electric collars, and so on), your dog’s desire to roam can be difficult to deal with if he hasn’t been fixed. His natural urge to breed will cause him to look for ways out so that he can find females in heat. This could prompt him to resort to digging, squeezing through gaps in the fencing, or even attempting to jump the fence in order to get out. Neutered males are far less likely to get into such trouble.
4. Aggression. While certain breeds of dogs tend to be targeted for their aggression, the truth is that an un-neutered male is bound to be more aggressive, in general, than others of his breed. Of course, this may only surface in the presence of females in heat or male competitors. But there is a strong likelihood that your male dog will be less aggressive as a result of timely neutering.
5. Medical benefits. Your first thought when it comes to fixing your dog may be, “How much does it cost to neuter a dog?” But what you should consider is how much it could cost if you don’t neuter your pet. Did you know that dogs can have testicular cancer and prostate problems just like people? And if this happens, you’ll find yourself paying a lot more for treatment than you would have paid for a simple neutering. So spare your pet the potential pain of such medical issues and spare yourself the major expense by simply having your dog neutered.