| dc.description.abstract | Formålet med denne masteroppgaven var å undersøke hvorvidt kastrering av hunder kan redusere aggressiv atferd hos hunder. Det har blitt gjort en rekke studier på dette tidligere, men mange viser ulike resultater. Derfor bestemte jeg meg for å se om det kunne være noen forskjeller i aggressiv atferd mellom kastrerte og intakte hunder i Norge, og hva kastreringsårsaken er hos norske hunder. Det er ikke tillat å kastrere uten særskilt grunn i Norge. Jeg undersøkte også om effekten av kastrering var avhengig av alder, rasekategori og kjønn. Jeg brukte 112 atferdskonsultasjonsjournaler fra Manimal, hvor 56 angikk kastrerte hunder og 56 angikk intakte hunder. De var alle tilfeldig valgt. Hundene ble delt inn i ulike rasekategorier; små hunder, mellomstore hunder, store hunder, ekstra store hunder og blandingshunder. De ble også delt inn i alderskategorier og kjønn. Alderskategoriene var ett år, 1,5-2,5 år, 3-4 år, 4,5-6 år og over seks år. De kastrerte hundene ble også delt inn i kastreringsårsak og alder på når de ble kastrert. For statistisk analyse ble kjikvadrat test og Wilcoxon test brukt.
Resultatene viste at det var få signifikante forskjeller mellom kastrerte og intakte hunder. Det var ingen forskjeller mellom alle kastrerte og intakte hunder, men det var en tendens til at kastrerte hunder var mer fryktsomme enn intakte hunder (P<0.10). Det var noen forskjeller mellom rasekategoriene og kastrerte og intakte hunder. Intakte blandingshunder var mer aggressive mot fremmede barn (P<0.01) og bjeffet mer mot mennesker (P<0.05) enn kastrerte blandingshunder. Mellomstore kastrerte hunder var mer red fremmede mennesker enn intakte mellomstore hunder (P<0.05). Det var noen forskjeller i alderskategoriene, intakte hunder i alderen 3-4 år var mer aggressiv mot kjente hunder enn kastrerte hunder i samme alder (P<0.05). Og intakte hunder over seks år var mer aggressiv mot fremmede barn enn kastrerte hunder over seks år (P<0.05). Det er få forskjeller mellom kastrerte og intakte hunder og aggressiv atferd, og kastrering kan føre til mer fryktsomme hunder. Effektene av kastrering er avhengig av alder og rase. Kastrering vil ikke anbefales som et godt alternativ for å redusere aggresjonen eller annen problematferd hos en hund. The aim of this study was to find out if castration of dogs can reduce aggressive behavior in dogs. There have been done several studies on this subject in the past, but many of them show different results. I wanted to see if there were any differences in aggressive behavior between castrated and intact dogs in Norway, and why Norwegian dogs are being castrated. It is not allowed to neuter without special cause in Norway. I also investigated if the effects of castration were dependent on age, breed and sex. I used 112 behavioral consultation records from Manimal, where 56 involved castrated dogs and 56 involved intact dogs. They were all randomly selected. The dogs were divided into different breed categories; small dogs, medium dogs, big dogs, extra large dogs and mixed dogs. They were also divided into age categories and sexes. The age categories were one year, 1,5-2,5 years, 3-4 years, 4,5-6 years and over six years. The castrated dogs were also divided in what the cause of castration was and which age they were castrated. For statistical analysis chi square test and Wilcoxon test were used. The results showed that there were few significant differences between castrated and intact dogs. There were no major differences between castrated and intact dogs, but there was a tendency that castrated dogs were more afraid unfamiliar dogs than intact dogs (P<0.10). There were some differences between breed categories and castrated and intact dogs. Mixed intact dogs were more aggressive towards unfamiliar children (P<0.01) and barked more towards people (P<0.05) than castrated mixed dogs. Medium castrated dogs were more afraid unfamiliar people than intact medium dogs (P<0.05). There were some differences between age categories; intact dogs in the age between 3-4 years were more aggressive towards familiar dogs than castrated dogs in the same age (P<0.05), and intact dogs over six year were more aggressive towards strange children than castrated dogs over six years (P<0.05). There are few differences between castrated and intact dogs and aggressive behavior; and castration can lead to more fearful dogs. There are differences in breed and age categories. Castration is not to be recommended as a good alternative for reducing aggression and other behavioral problems in a dog. | no_NO |
