UN SDG
Livestock Studies
2015, Vol 55, Num, 1 (Pages: 015-022)
Effects of castration on social and reproductive behaviors of stray dogs in flocks
2 Ankara Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Dölerme ve Suni Tohumlama Anabilim Dalı, Dışkapı/Ankara - The study is focused on the possible changes observed in the reproductive behavioral patterns of stray dogs following the castration procedure and to see if this changes effect social behavioral patterns of dogs towards people in intercommunal places adoptively. Three separate dog packs in three separate zones were included in the study. The study consisted a total of 23 dogs of which 12 were female and 11 were male. The sniffing, approaching, licking, barking, courting, mounting, biting, aggression, sign marking behaviors of dogs, their interest towards people and other animals are observed for 12 weeks pre-castration and 16 weeks post-castration. The observation reports were evaluated weekly and frequency of specific behaviors were noted. During the 16 weeks following the castration, a decrease in frequency of sniffing, approaching, licking, barking, courting, leaping and marking behaviors was observed in most of the dogs. Biting and aggressive behavior of dogs did not present significant changes.
However the dogs showed an increased `positive interest` towards environmental factors and people, a decrease was not observed in aggressive behavior in dogs which were aggressive before castration. As a result, a decrease in reproductive behaviors and an increase interest towards people and other environmental factors were observed in castrated stray dogs in packs during the 16 weeks following the operation.
Keywords : Stray dog, reproductive behavior, castration