How to Keep Your Dog Calm After Neutering

Co-authored by Jaimie Scott

Last Updated: August 17, 2022 References Approved

After your dog gets neutered, he needs to stay calm and relatively inactive for around 2 weeks. This helps him heal and prevents the incision from tearing open. To keep your dog calm, supervise him, confine him when you’re not home, and give him toys to play with.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Creating a Calm Environment

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Interact calmly with your dog. Your dog will be calmer if his environment is calm.^{[1]
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Jaimie Scott
Dog Owner Trainer
Expert Interview. 16 June 2020.} Put him in a quiet room without a lot of noise or other distractions. Stay calm, use a calm voice, and don’t be too active around him. Getting too excited around your dog could rile him up.^{[2]
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2
Keep an eye on your dog. Keeping a close eye on your dog can help ensure that he stays calm. Keep the dog in the same room as you so you can discourage him if he starts running or jumping around.^{[3]
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3
Snuggle with your dog. Sit in a place where your dog is allowed, like the couch or near his bed, and snuggle with him. Being close to you can help him as he recovers and heals after his surgery. Watch tv or read a book while you spend some time with your dog.^{[4]
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4
Confine the dog when you’re not home. After your dog is neutered, he will not be able to run or engage in a lot of activity for at least two weeks. When you leave the house, place the dog in his crate or confine him in a room. This helps limit his activity when you can’t supervise.^{[5]
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- You can also use baby gates or an exercise pen.
5
Place your dog in a crate if he is too hyper. For some dogs, staying in the crate most of the time is better for their recovery than being let out of the crate. A dog that is too hyper, even when being monitored or placed on a leash, can tear his incision open and hurt himself. If your dog is too hyper, put him in his crate.^{[6]
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- Place the crate in a room in the house where he can be near the family. Being alone could upset him more.
- If he’s in a family room, make sure the family stays calm so the dog will remain calm.
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Keep the dog on a leash. Another way to control your dog’s behavior after his neutering surgery is to put him on a leash. This keeps the dog close to you and prevents him from running around or playing too roughly.^{[7]
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Keep your dog away from other animals. Being around other animals may excite your dog. If you have animals in your home, keep your dog separate from them during recovery. Place them in a separate rooms. Avoid putting gates between them because this could excite your dog.^{[8]
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- If you take your dog for a short walk, keep him away from other animals. Don’t take him to the dog park and take other pets outside at a different time.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Entertaining Your Dog

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Give him a food toy. Just because your dog can’t run around doesn’t mean he can’t play calmly. Stuff some food or treats in a Kong or other food dispensing toy.^{[9]
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Expert Source

Jaimie Scott
Dog Owner Trainer
Expert Interview. 16 June 2020.} This helps give your dog something to do and allows him to occupy his mind.^{[10]
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- You can find these toys at pet stores or online.
2
Play low-key nose games with your dog. Spend time playing games with your dog that keep him calm but entertained. Try engaging his nose by placing a treat in one hand and getting the dog to choose the correct hand, or place treats under cups to have him sniff out the treat.^{[11]
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Give your dog a chew toy. Chew toys are a great way to keep your dog busy without having him run around. Buy him a new chew toy, give him an old favorite, or purchase a durable bone. Most dogs can spend hours entertaining themselves calmly by chewing on something.^{[12]
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Let your dog watch out the window. Though your dog can’t go outside while he’s recovering, he can still look outside. Pull open the curtains or blinds and let your dog bask in the sunshine or watch what’s going on out in the yard.^{[13]
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- You also may want to take him onto the porch on a leash. This allows him to enjoy the fresh air but keeps him close to you.
5
Take your dog on short walks. During the recovery period, short walks can help get rid of some of his energy. These short walks can help keep your dog calmer overall. The walks should only be for 5 to 10 minutes at a time around the yard. Make sure to have the dog on a leash.^{[14]
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- Carefully monitor your dog and keep him on a short leash. Many dogs will have so much pent up energy that they take off running and may try to pull the leash from your hands.
- Try not to let the dog pull hard on the leash or overexert himself.
- If the dog is fighting the leash too much and may hurt himself, take him back inside.
6
Contact your vet if you are struggling to keep your dog calm. If your efforts to calm your dog aren’t working, check with your vet to see if they have advice. If all else fails, your vet may prescribe sedatives to calm your dog until he has healed enough to go back to his regular activities.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do you calm a hyper dog?

Jaimie Scott
Dog Owner Trainer
Jaimie Scott has been training dog owners as the Owner of Jaimie Scott Dog Training in Sacramento, California for the past 15 years. Jaimie meets clients for 1-on-1 training, group classes (owners only, no dogs), as well as live video classes. Jaimie has published videos, blog articles, and eBooks to share tips for training and his personalized insight into dog behavior. With a focus on training the owners, Jaimie believes that dogs need to know who’s in control at any given time in order to feel secure and be happy. Jaimie holds a BS in Mathematics and Computer Science from Pacific University.

Jaimie Scott

Dog Owner Trainer

Expert Answer

Give your dog outlets for their energy. Consider giving them a bull stick to chew, as that can occupy your dog's time and help them get their energy out. A Kong toy filled with peanut butter can also keep your dog's interest.
Question

How do I know if I am overfeeding my dog?

Community Answer

They will start to gain weight. There is a recommended serving size that your vet would give you/ is listed on the dog food bag, and that is the amount of food that you should stick to so that you aren't overfeeding your dog.
Question

2 days ago my dog was spayed. How long of a walk can I take her on today?

AMLB

Community Answer

You shouldn't walk her at all; you need to give your dog at least just a week's worth of rest. Then you can start taking her on small walks.