Can a Neutered Dog Still Get Stuck?

In this post, we will be talking about whether or not a neutered dog can still get stuck. This stems from a couple of emails I got recently, all asking the same question, which led me to write on the subject to be able to share the what I know about this topic.

Can a neutered dog still get stuck?

Yes, neutered dogs can still be stuck. Neutering a dog does not get rid of all undesirable behaviors from your dog.

Behaviors such as mounting up, marking territory, and some other unwanted actions are still displayed even after the process of neutering was already undergone. As such, owners should still exercise caution when it comes to these situations.

Reasons to Consider Spaying or Neutering Your Pet

There are many reasons to consider spaying or neutering your pet, but the most important one is that it’s the best way to prevent unwanted puppies and kittens from being born.

Spaying and neutering also helps reduce the risk of certain diseases, such as breast cancer in females, prostate cancer in males and uterine infections. Neutered animals are also less likely to be aggressive toward people or other animals, and they are less likely to engage in marking behavior.

Spaying your female pet will prevent her from developing uterine and ovarian cancer, as well as pyometra (an infection of the uterus).

pair of alaskan malamute on the snow

On the other hand, spaying your male dog will prevent testicular cancer, epididymitis (inflammation of the epididymis), and other problems associated with the testicles. Here is a separate post that I wrote on what to expect when neutering your dog.

Why Do Dogs Get Stuck After Mating?

The short answer to the question “can a neutered dog still get stuck” is yes.

Dogs get stuck after mating for many reasons. Some dogs are simply inexperienced—they may have been fixed at a young age, or they’re simply inexperienced in general.

Other dogs have never been fixed and haven’t had any exposure to other dogs, so they don’t know what to do when it comes to mating.

Some dogs are not neutered and are still trying to mate with other dogs (which can lead to aggression), or the other dog is uninterested in mating but is being forced into it by another dog.

Some dogs get stuck because of their size or breed—for example, labs and golden retrievers tend to be larger than other breeds and may not be able to free themselves when they get stuck because they’re too big for the female dog’s anatomy.

Can a neutered dog still lock with a female? Yes. The truth is that dogs can lock with any other dog, regardless of whether or not they’re neutered. This happens when two dogs’ bodies get stuck together, and they cannot separate.

The act of mating is called “tying” in dogs and it can happen during the breeding season or at any other time when one canine’s penis becomes stuck inside another’s vagina.

It’s important to know that this is a natural process for dogs—it’s not something that has to be prevented or fixed by humans.

side view of a golden retriever dog outdoors

In fact, the only reason we would want to prevent our dog from getting stuck is if it causes pain for them or if it happens outside of the breeding season (which is why we neuter our pets).

Does Neutering a Dog Prevent It from Mating?

Can a spayed dog still mate? Yes. It’s a common misconception that spaying and neutering your dog makes them less energetic, but this is not true. The only difference between an unaltered and altered animal is that the altered one will not be able to reproduce.

Spaying and neutering your pet will mean they are much less likely to develop certain diseases, such as cancer. It also means that they won’t have any unwanted litters of puppies or kittens, which can often lead to overpopulation issues in your area.

Why Do Neutered Dogs Continue to Mount?

Perhaps one of the reasons that you’ve come across this post, is that you’ve been wanting to know how to stop a dog from humping, even after it has been already neutered.  You might wonder why do neutered dogs continue to mount other dogs?

This can be due to a number of factors, including:

  • The dog was not fixed at an appropriate age
  • The dog was not fixed properly (i.e., the vet left behind a testicle)
  • The dog has a hormone imbalance that causes him to feel compelled to mount other animals

Can Neutered Dogs Get an Erection?

Can a neutered dog still get hard? Yes, it’s true! Neutered dogs can still get an erection.

The reason is that the penis has two blood vessels: the dorsal artery, which carries blood away from the body, and the cavernous artery, which carries blood back to the body.

The dorsal artery is what causes erections when it fills with blood. The cavernous artery does not cause erections on its own—it only fills with blood when it receives a signal from nerves in the brain that tell it to do so.

walking brown and black dog

Dogs have had their testicles removed, which means they no longer produce testosterone and therefore no longer have any reason to fill their cavernous arteries with blood (since testosterone would go into their sperm).

But if there’s any other reason for those arteries to fill up with blood—like if your dog gets excited about seeing you or another dog—then those arteries will fill up and cause an erection.

Do neutered male dogs still want to mate? Well, the removal of the testicles will prevent your dog from breeding with other female dogs or producing offspring, but it will not make him any less interested in mating.

If you have a female dog who is in heat and she is near your male dog, he will be very interested in mating with her even if he has been neutered.

Is It Possible for a Neutered Dog to Impregnate a Female Dog?

Neutering a male dog (castration) removes the testicles, which produce testosterone and sperm.

If a neutered dog’s testicles are removed before he reaches sexual maturity, it is unlikely that he will ever be able to impregnate a female dog. In fact, this procedure is often performed as soon as possible to prevent unwanted pregnancy.

However, your dog may still be able to impregnate another female dog if there are some sperm that remain in his body after the operation, even within a few weeks of being neutered.

Can a dog still produce sperm after being neutered? Dogs who are neutered will not be able to produce sperm, but they may still have some sperm left in their system after the operation.

How long after a dog is neutered is he sterile?

In case you plan on breeding your dog or if you’re worried about them producing unwanted puppies, talk with your veterinarian about how long it takes for all of the existing sperm to leave their body and whether or not there are any precautions that need to be taken while waiting for it all to clear out.

Stuck With Some Questions? Here Are Answers to Your FAQs

two dogs sitting on the grass

Is it Possible to Reverse a Neutering Procedure?

NO. You may be wondering if there’s any way to reverse this procedure. Unfortunately, there isn’t. Neutering is irreversible. Once the testicles are removed, they can never grow back or produce sperm again.

Similarly, removing a female dog’s ovaries will ensure that she never has puppies again either.

If you’re concerned about whether or not your dog should get neutered, talk with your vet before making any decisions. They will be able to give you advice based on your pet’s age, breed, health conditions and more.

What to Do If Your Dogs Get Stuck Mating?

Do not attempt to assist if you notice your dog stuck with another dog when you first step outdoors. It’s crucial to understand that this process is entirely natural, even when female dogs occasionally start sobbing, whimpering, growling, or barking.

Unfortunately, dividing them up is not a natural procedure and may even be harmful to both dogs, stressing them out unnecessarily. The female’s vagina will eventually relax, the dog penis will revert to normal size, and the two canines will be free.

You shouldn’t try to separate the dogs even if you are furious because you didn’t want them to breed together because the male has already ejaculated. There is nothing you can do to prevent the female from becoming pregnant at this time, and attempting to separate the dogs would simply put them in danger of harm.

If the tie lasts for a significant amount of time, call your veterinarian for some help. You can also consult this post I wrote on how to unstuck dogs.

Conclusion

If this has you worried about your own dog, don’t be. Getting neutered usually has no lasting effect on a male dog’s ability to continue getting stuck. But since it can look like something is wrong, you should get your pet checked out by a veterinarian to make sure everything is in order.

No matter the age or breed of your pet, it’s a good idea to have them see the vet at least once or twice a year, especially if they have any health issues or conditions. Even healthy, young pets need annual check-ups too, so keep that habit going with your neutered pet and they’ll thank you when they’re older!

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Lovelia Horn

I’m a certified crazy dog mom, a physical therapist (for hoomans), writer, animal rescuer, and foster home provider. Together with my hubby Ryan, I’ve fostered and helped look for forever homes for over a hundred shelter dogs in the Southern Illinois area. I mostly work with Puppy Rescue 911, Inc., a certified animal rescue organization based out of Chester, IL (home of Popeye!)

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