Neutering A Jack Russell Terrier – Age, Cost, Pros/Cons & FAQs Answered
A Lot of Jack Russell Terrier owners face questions when neutering their dogs. There are plenty of myths but also actual facts about the neutering procedure. And if you are a Jack Russell Terrier owner who has such concerns, this article will undoubtedly help you.
In this post, we will be finding answers for some frequently asked questions regarding neutering a Jack Russell Terrier.
Neutering is a clinical procedure where the testicles of a male dog are removed via surgery to make them infertile; in simple terms, to avoid the ability to reproduce.
Even though people have debatable opinions regarding this surgical procedure, as a Jack Russell Terrier owner, you should have a sound understanding of when to neuter your dog, the pros and cons of this surgery, and so on.
Adopting a dog is undoubtedly interesting. But with all the fun and excitement, you must fulfill a reasonable amount of responsibilities as a dog owner. Your pet dog’s well-being is not a factor you should take lightly.
How much good attention you pay to the well-being of your dog matters a lot for them to stay happy and healthy. Neutering is not a mandatory procedure, yet it gives some benefits for your Jack Russells well-being.
So give this article a read to find answers to the frequently asked questions regarding this matter of concern. Without taking any more time, let’s get started!
What age is best to neuter/spay a Jack Russell?
It is hard to give a fixed answer as the best age to neuter a Jack Russell. Nonetheless, it is recommended to neuter them around 6-9 months in most cases.
The American Kennel Club explained that it is usually better to perform the neutering surgery for any dog breed at a young age, most likely six months. It is considered that a male dog would hit puberty by this age.
But sometimes, this may not be the perfect age to neuter a Jack Russell Terrier considering the correlation between their sex hormones and health. So the best thing that you can do is get advice from a veterinarian.
If you want to neuter your Jack Russell Terrier, many would usually suggest the above age range. But if you need more reassurance, it is advisable to consult a vet and examine your dog in the first place.
How much does it cost to neuter/spay a Jack Russell?
The cost for a neutering surgery may vary from one pet clinic to the other. Other than that, the condition of the dog can also be a determinant of deciding the cost of the surgery.
If to give an average price range, you may have to spend around 200-600 US dollars to neuter your Jack Russell. Reputed veterinarians and private-owned veterinary clinics are likely to cost more.
Will neutering my Jack Russell calm him down?
Most of us think that neutering will help the dog calm itself down. Does that really happen? Well, it is a bit of a tricky question to answer.
Neutering surgery could impact a dog’s attitudes and behavior in some ways, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it will completely change the personality of your Jack Russell Terrier and calm him down after the procedure. Let’s try to understand the science behind this.
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, neutering is referred to the medical procedure of removing the testicles of a male dog. Testicles produce male hormones, simply known as testosterone.
You may already know that along with puberty; testosterone makes physical and psychological changes in your dog. To elaborate, it will make your dog aggressive, increase its self-confidence, enhance the territorial behavior and sex drive.
When you read up to this point, you may think that neutering the dog would avoid everything mentioned above if that’s the case. But that is not one hundred percent correct.
When your jack Russell terrier goes through a neutering surgery, it will most probably change its behavior to some extent. The hormonal changes indeed have the potency to reduce the dog’s aggression levels, dominance, and sexual desire.
Still, it will not completely eliminate these behavior patterns. So the bottom line is, generally speaking, neutering can aid your Jack Russell Terrier to calm down to some extent as it terminates producing male hormones.
But you cannot expect them to calm down dramatically, and not all the dogs respond the exact same way to this procedure.
Pros and Cons of neutering/spaying a Jack Russell Terrier
You may have heard different opinions about the neutering procedure. When some argue that it has pros, others say it has cons. Before being biased and taking one side over the other, read through and understand the myths and facts about neutering.
The most important thing you should know when neutering your Jack Russell Terrier is that this process can have both pros and cons.
Pros of neutering a Jack Russell Terrier
- Avoids critical health issues like cancer
Testicular cancer is one of the common cancers that can be seen among any dog, including Jack Russell Terriers. Neutering is extremely helpful to reduce the risk of getting testicular and prostate cancers.
Other than that, this procedure also can reduce the chances of getting infections, cysts, and other prostate-related health issues.
- Stabilize the mood of the dog
As we discussed before, neutering changes your dog’s hormones, which impacts their behavior. Other than some exceptions, overall neutering helps to stabilize the mood of your Jack Russell Terrier.
They will be less aggressive when they have reduced testosterone levels than usual. Jack Russell Terriers are usually pretty close to owners, and due to their personality traits sometimes, they can be overly aggressive. Neutering can help to cope with this.
- Reduce the dominance level
Jack Russell Terriers could be very dominant dogs. They are usually well concerned about their territory.
Most importantly, when there are other dogs around, they attempt to spread dominance in their territory. But neutering helps them reduce this personality trait and makes it easier for them to socialize with other dogs.
- Reduced sexualized behavior and less likely to stray
If you adopt a Jack Russell at your home, it may not get a lot of chances to get out of the house. However, these little dogs are feisty and super energetic, so it is not that hard for them to find ways to sneak out.
And you may already know that male dogs have the ability to smell female dogs though they are miles away. So a sexually active Jack Russell might try to sneak out and find a mate.
But neutering reduces their sexualized behavior, so there’s less room to stray.
Cons of Neutering a Jack Russell Terrier
- Affects the maturing process
Hence now you know the scientific background of neutering, you may understand it affects the maturing process of your dog.
Usually, neutering is performed on Jack Russell Terriers at the early stages of puberty, and it could impact the maturing process of the dog compared to a dog that has not been neutered.
- Does not entirely guarantee the calm behavior
If you are planning on neutering your Jack Russell Terrier just because you want to change its behavior, it’s ‘certainly not a smart move. You should clearly understand that impact of neutering will not be the same for all dogs.
Generally, it helps to calm your Jack Russell, but no one can give you a complete guarantee that this will make your dog completely calm. Sometimes they can be extremely calm.
Somewhat calm or more aggressive and hyperactive than usual. This is why you should consult a vet and examine your dog beforehand.
- Could change the appearance
Neutering has some potency to change the appearance of your Jack Russell Terrier over time. Not major ones, but some observable changes.
For instance, their coat’s texture and growing pattern tend to be different than usual.
- If done at the wrong age, it could increase some health risks.
If you perform a neutering surgery on your Jack Russell Terrier at the wrong age, it may cause health complications.
Especially if they are neutered before hitting puberty, this could lead them to get affected with health issues like hip dysplasia, osteosarcoma, and orthopedic disorders.
Final thoughts about neutering/spaying a Jack Russell
This article acknowledged some of the frequently asked questions with regards to neutering a Jack Russell Terrier. In my opinion, neutering is a controversial yet crucial topic to discuss if you own a pet dog.
Jack Russell Terriers inherit energetic, active, and feisty behavior traits. And if you neuter them thinking that it will completely change the behavior of your Jack Russell, you are mistaken.
Yes, neutering does help to change the behavior of your Jack Russell, making them calm and less aggressive but do not forget that there are exceptions as well. As a dog owner, your priority should be the health and well-being of your beloved pet.
Neutering has both a good side and a wrong side to it. If you want to neuter your Jack Russell, my piece of advice would be to first meet with a veterinarian. They will help you to understand if it is necessary to perform a neutering surgery or not.
Thank you for reading this post. Stay tuned with Jack Russell Owner for more interesting posts. Cheers!!
