Signs Your Dog Needs To Be Neutered
To snip or not to snip, that is the question! Yes, cover your dog's ears because today we’ll be discussing the topic of neutering. Neutering is the technical term for removing a male dog’s sex organs, e.g. their crown jewels, so that they’re no longer able to reproduce and bring little puppies into the world. Neutering may be slightly uncomfortable for your pup but it’s completely safe and necessary, with the PDSA recommending that all dogs be neutered unless strictly advised not to by their vet. Around 4-6 months of age is when most pups have the snip, but what are the signs your dog needs to be neutered? Let’s take a closer look.
Signs Your Dog Needs to be Neutered
The optimal time for neutering is once your dog has reached sexual maturity. This age varies from breed to breed but is usually around 4-6 months of age. Once your pooch has reached sexual maturity they may also start behaving in certain ways which may highlight to you that they’re ready for the snip.
Here are some signs your dog needs to be neutered:
Mounting and Humping
When your dog has their crown jewels intact, they produce the hormone testosterone. This is a sex hormone that gives male pooches their drive to reproduce and can make them behave in certain ways out of sexual desire or to project dominance. If your pup is humping their favourite soft toy a little too much or mounting dogs at the park frequently, it may be a sign your dog needs to be neutered.
Excessive Urine Marking
Weeing on a light post or fire hydrant when you’re out for your daily walk is normal for male dogs to mark their “territory”. However when this is excessive or if it starts happening inside your home, it is one of the signs your dog needs to be neutered. Urine marking is another act of dominance that is influenced by the hormone testosterone, and although it’s okay for them to do it outside, you don’t want them getting used to doing it indoors and staining your lovely white walls!
Frequent Escaping
Dogs naturally have a strong sexual drive and keen sense of smell, so when your male pup thinks it’s time for him to settle down and have a family or if he smells a female pooch close by that’s on heat, he may start escaping frequently. Although we wouldn’t want to stop him in his pursuit of love, unwanted puppies can lead to abandonment and his expeditions can get him lost or put him in harm's way from traffic. Therefore if your pooch is becoming an escape-artist, talk to your vet about neutering.
Restlessness + Stubbornness
When testosterone levels are high in a male pooch’s body, their drive to find a lover is much more than pleasing their pawrent. If your doggy is more restless than usual, pulling on the lead excessively when they see a female dog nearby, or they’re being more stubborn than usual and not following commands, this may be another sign your dog needs to be neutered. Nevertheless, this behaviour can also be down to poor doggy training, so if you’re unsure consult your vet for their expert advice.
Aggressive Behaviour
The final and one of the most concerning signs your dog needs to be neutered is aggressive behaviour. This usually occurs between two unneutered dogs as they compete for territory or the affection of female dogs. Aggression can be down to many other reasons though, such as past traumas or a lack of puppy socialisation. Therefore it’s impawtent to speak with your vet if your dog is showing signs of aggression so that you can formulate an effective management plan.
Why Should I Have My Dog Neutered?
Now that you know the signs your dog needs to be neutered, let’s discuss why it’s so impawtent. Other than managing behavioural issues that come with high testosterone levels and sexual drive, having your dog neutered helps to prevent an increase in the stray dog population through the abandonment of unwanted puppies.
It also has health benefits for your dog, preventing testicular cancer and reducing the risk of prostate problems later in life.
Having your dog neutered is also a way to save you unexpected costs from having to care for a litter of puppies. As cute and cuddly as a litter of pups would be, the cost of vaccinations and vet checkups can stack up quickly and if it’s not something you’re prepared for it can be overwhelming.
How Do I Get My Dog Neutered?
Dog neutering is an easy task for your vet, so consulting with them is your first port of call when thinking about giving your pooch the snip. Neutering usually costs between £100-£400 depending on the pooch or your veterinary clinic, however, some organisations offer it for free such as the Blue Cross and RSPCA.
The Impawtence of Proper Nutrition After Neutering
Once your dog has been neutered and their testosterone levels decrease, their metabolic rate also reduces which is their body’s ability to break down food into energy. Often they will also chill out a bit, reducing exercise levels from escaping and chasing after the girls.
With this, neutered dogs are more prone to putting on weight particularly if they aren’t being fed properly. The kennel club advises reducing your dog’s food levels by around 10% after neutering and feeding them a nutritionally dense dog food. Using a feeding calculator is another great way to know exactly how much to feed your dog to keep them in ideal shape.
How Scrumbles Dog Food Can Help Your Newly Neutered Dog
We know that balancing the nutritional requirements of your newly neutered dog with their change in energy levels can be difficult. However, feeding your dog Scrumbles natural dog food takes the guesswork out of it!
All of our dog food is nutritionally complete and balanced providing your pooch with all of the essential vitamins and minerals that they need to keep them thriving and at their ideal weight.
We use only human-grade meat, avoid nasty additives or preservatives and never add unnecessary sugar and salt which can contribute to dog weight gain.
Our wide variety of dry dog food and wet dog food can be fed to any pooch no matter the age. Just adjust their feed levels according to their weight and size to keep them looking poochy.
We also add gut-loving probiotics or prebiotics to all of our dog food to maintain the health of their gut microbiome and promote pretty poops. Plus with a variety of different flavours, there’s a meal for even the most fussiest of doggies!
