Does fixing a dog fix aggression? Updated August 2024
Have You Heard?
Does neutering/spaying, “fixing” a dog fix aggression issues? Have you heard things like: “Chihuahua is lunging and growling at other dogs and is not fixed? Well, there’s your problem!” Or: “My Chihuahua is nipping and biting anyone who gets near. My vet said to get him “fixed” ASAP!”
I could go on, however, you get my drift ….
You have heard it, I’m sure. People will tell you that if your Chihuahua is showing signs of aggression, you need to get him or her fixed and that will stop or curb aggressive tendencies. Let’s delve into what is behind this belief and what the science says.
Is It Dominance That Causes Aggression?
I think that this whole idea of spaying and neutering to stop aggression comes from information out there on social media and elsewhere. It comes from the concept of dominance. That aggression is a sign of dominance. Have you heard that if your Chihuahua is aggressive to you or others that he is showing dominance over you?
The whole idea of dominance is STILL flouted by some “dog trainers”, one certain celebrity comes to mind. All this is from antiquated views that wolves in the wild fight over dominance in the pack. However, it has been proven over and over again that first, that is not true of wolves, and second, that your Chihuahua is far, far from the undomesticated wolves in the wild.
regarding the idea of dominance What Does The Science Show?
Scientific studies today show that the whole idea of spaying and neutering your Chihuahua will stop or curb aggression just isn’t true!
There was a study done in 2018 that involved 13,000 dogs being analyzed on the effects of spaying and neutering on 3 different types of aggression. That is a significant number of samples and the study was very detailed.
I think it’s safe to say that spaying or neutering your aggressive Chihuahua is not likely to solve the problem.
When you stop and think about what we now know about the causes of aggression, this shouldn’t surprise us at all. The vast majority of aggressive behavior is always related to anxiety, stress, fear, or discomfort.
So, to combat aggression in your Chihuahua you first need to know which of the above may be causing it and treat it with obedience and condition training according to what the trigger for the aggression may be.
with that being said; there is always an exception to every rule
An exception may be if you have two intact males or two intact females that constantly fight and simply can not seem to get along it could very well be caused by heat cycles. In this case, spaying and/or neutering them will definitely help!
With female dogs, it’s usually pack hierocracy, not dominance that sometimes causes issues.
So, does this mean you can save money for spaying and neutering and not bother with it? No! I’m NOT saying that at all!
While spaying and/or neutering your Chihuahua won’t stop aggressive behavior, in many cases it will help with other behavior issues. Such as marking, mounting or humping, and roaming to name a few. Most importantly it will prevent accidental pregnancies. Thus, fewer unwanted dogs looking for homes.
medical reasons to spay or neuter your chihuahua
Other advantages to having your Chihuahua spayed or neutered include the prevention of mammary cancer and life-threatening uterine infection in females. Also prevention of testicular cancer, enlargement of the prostate gland, and some types of hernias in males.
There are valid arguments for both sides which make this such a thorny subject for some. Just don’t expect that spaying or neutering your Chihuahua will stop aggressive behavior. If you do, you may be sorely disappointed. Because “fixing” your dog doesn’t fix aggression issues.
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