Dog Behaviour after Castration

Well, this may seem like a daft question, but it is one that is burning my brain! Harvey was castrated about 6 months ago. Now my understanding is, and probably apparently wrong, that he would have no interest in bitches "in that way". However, I caught him trying to have sex with my bitch that is in heat this morning, a surprise to say the least. Now, should I be worried? I've been thinking oh my god, they didn't do the operation properly, or as he was castrated later in life - at 3 years old, it is not something dogs forget? Not that he ever got the chance before the op. I told you it was daft question.

I think when you castrate later in life, the dog still keeps his 'manly' ways ... I have always been recommended to do it at 6 months old.. That's the general recommendation here in Queensland.

Castration in later life doesn't really change them. All it will do is stop unwanted pregnancies and possible health related things that they say un-neautered dogs can get.
Really the only time you'll see change is if he was done at 6 months then they rarely take any interest.
I'm sure they have done the op right. xxxx

Ollie still took an interest and he was castrated at 6 months, he was quite interested in a friends bitch that was at the end of her season a few months back I had to put him on his lead, he didn't know what to do but was having a good try. He is 2 the end of this week. He has never really humped though except other dogs when he was a pup but that did stop when he was castrated and he really doesn't like it if un-neutered males try to hump him now.
My other male dog I had was not neutered till 17 months of age never had any of those problems with him from day one, So maybe it depends on the dog as well.

Castration will not stop mounting, it is to some extent an inbuilt reaction that is not all sexual, bitches will do it as well. The only things that will be sure to change are that he can't father a litter and if he should get a tumour it will not be in the testis because they are no longer there, nothing else is guaranteed to change. It may, it may not and unwanted habits and problems may develop. The later a dog is castrated the less likely other problems will develop but things like beginning to smell like a bitch happens in any age and then the dog may become the point of interest from other dogs and bitches and that in turn can lead to aggression.

Thanks very much for all your replies. I don't feel so daft now! Sarah

Yep! and I think unwanted puppies is the main reason to neuter. Sebastian will be neutered in about 6 weeks, when he turns 6 months old... It has to be done.

Max and Murphy were both neutered around 9 months old, but still have a fascination with bitches on heat. They won't go chasing for them, but if one is there, they'll do a lot of sniffing and licking....

Max has (once) tied with a bitch in heat (a friends dog), but it was over a year after he was neutered. She spent all afternoon presenting to him, and he mounted her. The whole thing didn't last long, as Max didn't really know what he was doing.

He's never done it since, as he seems to be more interested in the smell

I think that's why they recommend it done at around 6 months..

Most vets recommend early castration because the operation is easier the younger the dog.

They fail to tell clients that Testosterone affects the closer of the growth plates in the long bones & early castration prevents the growth plates closing at the correct time & means the dog can end up with joint & limb problems & also grow leggier than a non castrated dog.


It does not prevent the dog mating bitches nor being interested in bitches, all it prevents is cancer of the testes & eventual sterilisation of the dog(no vet will give you a time after which a castrated dog becomes infertile !)