Sterilization does not cause fat dogs - too much food and too little exercise does!
Many people do not believe in sterilization - "leave them as nature intended" they say. Well, that is a sure fire way to ensure that we continue to have rescue centers that just can cope with the number of unwanted dogs in their care, and have to undertake the horrific job of euthanasia of dogs and puppies on a daily basis that have nothing wrong with them - they are just unwanted. I don't think nature intended that, do you? Dogs are prolific breeders by nature and a healthy female can give birth many times throughout her life, bringing into the world an average of 6 puppies at a time. You can easily do the math on this and see how vast the number can become.
Sterilization, to me, is the fundamental pet ownership responsibility. Not only with this help with your dog's behaviour, it will also ensure that there are no more unwanted puppies around and leave the rescue centers to do the job of rehabilitating dogs that do have behaviour problems and finding appropriate homes for them.
It appears that men find it more difficult to accept the sterilization of male dogs than woman do, and I think the reasons for this are rather obvious! I wonder how a man would feel if he could not engage in behaviour he regards as natural, or, he was only allowed to perform the act once, for breeding purposes, and then never allowed to do it again, despite the fact that he could easily smell the scent of a female in heat? If you are not a dedicated breeder, breeding only for the best genetics, physical appearance and temperament, then you shouldn't breed at all. In my eyes it is more unfair to leave a dog intact/entire (dogs that have not been neutered) and not allowing it to fulfil its natural urges. Dogs do not suffer psychological trauma after sterilization as sometimes happens in humans.
Sterilizing a dog does not affect its nature or working abilities at all - a male dog will not become less 'manly', all his natural instincts such as playfulness and reactive behaviour will remain. The only effect that sterilization will make on his 'manly' image is that he will not be seen as a 'threat' by other male dogs - his scent has changed. It has further been proven that sterilization can reduce the incidence of fights between male dogs by as much as 65%, with no behavioural modification being undertaken(i). Sterilization of male dogs may decrease straying by about 90%(ii) and the incidence of marking is reduced by approximately 50%(iii). Sterilization will also result in a approximate decrease of leg riding/humping by 70%(iv). All these reductions occur with sterilization only, no behaviour modification is done. Although there is as yet no scientific evidence to proof this, it has been estimated that it can take as long as three months for the effects of sterilization to become evident in an adult dog. Sterilization, of both male and female dogs is recommend at approximately 6 months of age before sexual maturity. Please seek the advice of your vet as to what age he recommends sterilization take place.
Female dogs that are not sterilized and are in the heat cycle will attract intact/entire dogs from all over, and soil on carpets and furniture. Many owners solve this problem by leaving the female outside during its heat cycle, but this can result in behavioural problems - the dog that is allowed inside the home on a daily basis, is then locked outside. Take into consideration that there are often hormonal changes wherein the bitch in heat may be more irritable, restless, depressed and even reactive, and that the heat cycles happen twice a year and lasts on average for about three weeks at a time (approximately 1 week of discharge then a further 2 weeks of fertility) and you can see why behavioural problems may well develop!
The health benefits that occur from sterilization are many:- females that are sterilized before they experience their first heat have a greatly reduced risk of contracting breast cancer as well as eliminating the risk of an infection of the uterus called pyometra, which can be severe condition. A sterilized female will not get cancer of the reproductive tract and most importantly, the possibility of her producing unwanted pups is ruled out. A sterilized male will not get cancer of the reproductive tract and both male and female dogs that are sterilized appear to live a few years longer than their intact/entire counterparts. As with all operations where an anesthetic is required, there is always the chance of complications arising, but this is normally a straight forward procedure that is considered 'safe'. Whenever your dog is required to undergo any medical procedure, you should always discuss same with your vet so that you have all the facts.
When it comes to the myth that sterilization makes a dog fat, that is all this is - a myth. A balanced diet and sufficient exercise will ensure that this does not happen.