Which behavior is influenced by testosterone in dogs?

• A. Testosterone influences mounting, mating, scent marking & aggression
• B. Testosterone reduces appetite
• C. Testosterone has no effect on behavior
• D. Testosterone only affects physical development

Answer: (A)

Testosterone in male dogs acts on brain pathways that shape motivation and social behavior. It increases sexual drive, which manifests as mounting and mating attempts, and it promotes scent-marking as a way to communicate presence and reproductive status to other dogs. It can also elevate aggression in certain situations, such as competition or resource guarding, though this varies with context and individual temperament.

This is why the behavior list—mounting, mating, scent marking, and aggression—fits well with testosterone’s influence. It’s not simply about physical development, and it doesn’t primarily reduce appetite; those statements don’t align with how testosterone modulates behavior, and it certainly does affect behavior, not nothing at all.