When Should A Whippet Be Neutered?

The best time to neuter a whippet is when you are not planning to breed your dog and want to prevent any chance of developing a disease concerning the reproductive glands.

As well as that, neutering a whippet can be considered if you own other dogs – or live in an area where there is a number of other dogs – and you do not want your whippet to produce offspring.

Neutering will lower your male whippet’s testosterone and prevent him from going after females in heat or displaying territorial and aggressive behaviour, especially toward other males.

It will also ensure your whippet does not try to dominate you or any visitors that come over.

Should you neuter your dog or not?

Neutering has both pros and cons, so many people might wonder what the best option is.

Whether or not you decide to neuter your Whippet will all depend on certain factors.

Do you live in a neighbourhood with other dogs?

If your Whippet is a female, can you afford to look after a litter of puppies if she ever gets pregnant?

Will you decide to breed your Whippet in the future?

These questions need to be taken under consideration before making this important decision.

So when should a whippet be neutered?

The best time to neuter a whippet is when you are not planning to breed your dog and want to prevent any chance of developing a disease concerning the reproductive glands.

As well as that, neutering a whippet can be considered if you own other dogs – or live in an area where there is a number of other dogs – and you do not want your whippet to produce offspring.

Neutering will lower your male whippet’s testosterone and prevent him from going after females in heat or displaying territorial and aggressive behaviour, especially toward other males.

Table of Contents

What Exactly Is Neutering?

Neutering is a procedure where your dog’s reproductive organs are removed so that they cannot produce offspring.

Neutering includes both female and male dogs.

For the male, the testicles are removed to prevent him from being able to impregnate a female dog and have offspring.

It will also reduce the levels of the hormone testosterone in the male dog.

For the female, both the ovaries and uterus (sometimes just the ovaries alone) are removed to prevent her from being able to get pregnant. As a result, your female will no longer have seasons.

The male neutering procedure for male dogs is called ‘castration’, whereas the female neutering procedure is called ‘spaying’.

The Best Age To Neuter Your Whippet

What is the best age to neuter your Whippet?

The best age to neuter your male or female Whippet is when they are under one year old, preferably between four to nine months.

In males, neutering early, before full maturity will prevent the chance of ever developing testicular cancer.

It will also lower the possibility of your male Whippet showing aggression or territorial instincts.

Even though chances of dominating behaviour are low if your male Whippet is well trained, a few owners may still struggle with their Whippet displaying behavioural issues such as humping.

Neutering before he reaches sexual maturity will prevent any possibility of such behaviour to occur.

As for female Whippets, they will usually receive their first heat after the age of nine months, so neutering her before that time is advisable.

This will prevent the chance of mammary cancer ever developing, as neutering before the first heat will decrease the chances of getting this disease to 0.05%

Some dog owners, on the other hand, choose to wait out a little longer with their female Whippet if she has still not received her season at that time.

This is to make sure she is fully developed and her reproductive organs are working properly and have no concerning faults.

If you neuter your female Whippet after she receives her first heat, her chances of developing mammary cancer are still very low – only 8%.

It is, however, always best to discuss with your veterinarian when the best time to neuter your dog would be.

Reasons To Neuter Your Whippet

What reasons are there for neutering your Whippet?

To Prevent Testicular Cancer And Mammary Cancer

Some owners may choose to neuter their Whippet to prevent any diseases which could develop in their reproductive organs.

Testicular cancer will most usually occurs in older Whippets that have not been neutered,

The symptoms most commonly associated with the onset of this disease include infertility, swellings in the testicle/s of your dog, or testicles that have changes in shape or size.

By neutering your Whippet (this procedure will involve removing both testicles) you will remove any chance of your dog ever developing testicular cancer later on in life.

Mammary cancer is a disease that is more commonly present in females that have not been neutered, and it occurs when there is an abnormal growth of breast tissue.

The chances of it heighten with every heat a female dog receives.

An unspayed (not neutered) female may develop a mammary tumor which could be either benign or malignant.

Benign will mean it is not cancerous, does not affect surrounding tissue, and will not spread to other parts of your female Whippet’s body.

On the other hand, if the tumor happens to be malignant, it is infectious, so it can spread to other parts of the body and turn into cancer.

The most common symptom of mammary cancer in dogs are masses or lumps in the mammary gland area.

This disease is not commonly fatal if treated early. However, neutering your female will remove all chances of mammary tumors and the development of mammary cancer altogether.

To Prevent Your Whippet Producing Offspring

Some owners decide that they want their Whippet to have puppies in the future – but if you do not wish this, neutering is the best way to prevent your dog from reproducing.

Sometimes keeping your dog from having puppies (female) or going after bitches in heat (male) can be a challenge.

This is especially true if you live in a neighbourhood with lots of other dogs.

When your female Whippet has heat, the scent of it will attract all the other dogs nearby, and this could occur in her falling pregnant.

You may not be ready or have time to take care of a litter of puppies, so neutering will prevent the possibility of this ever occurring.

As for your male Whippet, if he scents any females in the neighbourhood or area that are in heat, it may result in that female falling pregnant.

This could mean that the owner of the female dog will not be happy with this situation. You may need to help out with the puppies after they are born as a result.

If you are not prepared for the possibility of caring or helping to look after a litter of puppies, neutering your male or female Whippet may be the best option for you.

To Prevent The Chance Of Unwanted Behaviour In Your Male Whippet

A sexually mature Whippet will become more territorial and aggressive toward other dogs.

Sometimes he may display behavioural problems such as frequent humping (this may vary from toys and other pets, to even people), and domination or aggression toward other dogs.

If you have other dogs, or live in a neighbourhood with other dogs – especially males – this may be a problem.

A territorial Whippet may growl at, bite, or even attack other male dogs.

This could be a hazard for him, as a larger, fiercer dog may harm or injure a smaller and more fragile Whippet.

Your Whippet may go into your neighbour’s garden frequently to mark territory if he is not kept penned in. In extreme cases, your Whippet may even hump guests, which could be very problematic.

Even though this behaviour can be managed and handled if training is put in place, some owners may consider castration (neutering) for their male Whippet as the best option altogether to lower their testosterone levels.

More About Whippet Neutering

Whippet Neutering may in some cases change your Whippet’s personality. This is especially true of male Whippets.

Even though it may reduce aggression or dominating behaviour for the long term, right after the neutering surgery your Whippet may behave aggressively for a while.

Special attention must be given your dog at that time.

Neutering will get rid of hormone-induced behaviours, which include the marking of territory, standing up to other males, or following after scents and females in heat.

Over time you will also notice your neutered dog may become calmer and more mellow.

Other Considerations

If you do not want to neuter your male Whippet but are struggling with unwanted behaviour problems, another alternative option is to give him anti-testosterone injections.

These will remove the desire of your Whippet wanting to go after females in heat, showing aggression, or inappropriate conduct around visitors.

This is a noninvasive option that lowers your dog’s testosterone levels, and as well as that, it is fully reversible. It can also be cheaper for those who cannot afford castration for their dog.

Final Thoughts

Neutering can be a good option to consider which will help prevent diseases of the reproductive glands and unwanted hormone provoked behaviours in male dogs.

Also, it will ensure that your Whippet cannot produce offspring if you cannot afford to care for puppies.

Sometimes unplanned pregnancies result in puppies ending up in shelters because the owner was not prepared for it, and neutering helps to eliminate that risk.

If you think that neutering will benefit you and your Whippet, then go ahead and proceed with it.