Castration of Adult Male Dogs: Effects on Roaming, Aggression, Urine Marking, and Mounting

Abstract

SUMMARY In a retrospective study involving 42 dogs, it was concluded that the objectionable male behavioral patterns of roaming, fighting with other males, urine marking in the house, and mounting of other dogs or people are amenable to alteration by castration in adulthood. Roaming was reduced in 90% of the dogs. The other behavioral patterns declined in one-half to two-thirds of the dogs. The age of the dog at the time of castration was not related to the effectiveness of castration.