30/04/2025
We all want what’s best for our dogs — but what if the advice we’ve followed for years might actually be doing more harm than good?
Desexing has long been considered routine, even responsible. But new research is telling us it’s not so simple. Early spay/neuter, in particular, may have lifelong impacts on a dog’s health, behaviour, and emotional wellbeing.
I’d love to hear your thoughts after reading this.
If we truly care about the individual dog in front of us — their body, their genetics, their experiences — then it’s time we take a more thoughtful approach.
Dr. Karen Becker’s article is a powerful, evidence-based call to reconsider what’s best for our dogs, not just what’s easiest or most familiar for us.
NO UNWANTED LITTERS, we all agree with that goal; it's the surgical technique that should be reevaluated. Hysterectomy and vasectomy can be performed as early as 8 weeks of age with no negative side effects, rendering dogs sterile AND hormonally balanced.
"Early studies suggested that intact dogs displayed more problematic behaviors, and neutering was thought to improve certain behaviors, such as roaming, mounting, urinary marking, and intermale aggression [48,49,50,51]. These early conclusions likely contributed to the widespread belief that neutering is a reliable solution for unwanted behaviors. However, more recent studies have raised concerns about the potential for neutering to increase fear, anxiety, and aggression-related behaviors in both male and female dogs. Neutered dogs have been reported to exhibit more fear, nervousness, panic, social withdrawal, and even heightened aggression [44,52,53,54,55,56,57]. Therefore, caution must be exercised when considering neutering as a solution for behavioral issues.
Studies have reported higher risks for developing reproductive, urinary, metabolic, and musculoskeletal disorders in neutered dogs. Additionally, some studies suggest increases in stress, fear, anxiety, and even certain types of aggression following neutering.
The decision to neuter pet dogs remains a significant and ongoing debate from ethical, animal health, and animal welfare perspectives. Millions of dogs worldwide are considered integral family members, and their behavior, as well as the bond they form with their owners, play a key role in the decision to keep them as pets. When behavioral problems arise, neutering is often viewed as a potential solution. However, by removing the source of sexual hormones, neutering creates the potential for both beneficial and harmful effects on a dog’s health and behavior."
