The Role of Pain in Dog Behaviour

A dog wearing a cone looks unhappy

Pain in Dogs

When we discuss pain in relation to behaviour, most pet owners think of the post-vet-visit pain that comes with injury or accidents, but these cases usually involve obvious pain and dogs who are on pain medication. However, there are a huge number of cases where a dog's pain has not yet been diagnosed (and may never be) ,and so the dog remains untreated, because dogs, like many other animals, are excellent at hiding pain.

So what does this mean for dog behaviour?

Whilst dogs are pretty good at hiding the traditional signs of pain from us, such as minimising limping, not vocalising when in pain, and generally just getting on with life, there are often behavioural signs that your dog is struggling with pain. Consider abdominal pain from gastro-intestinal problems, dental pain, back pain, headaches. These are all invisible to the naked eye for the most part. You may see some slight posture changes - dogs with GI pain can hunch their back and stretch more than usual, but most of the time, the clues are behavioural.

Behaviour Changes

Some of these clues are so non-invasive for the owner, such as no longer enjoying chewing things or stopping jumping up on the sofa for a nap and choosing the floor instead, or no longer jumping up at people, that they are not only not recognised as pain-related, but can actually be a relief for owners.

In other instances, behavioural changes are so negative for the owner, that professional help is sought. When in pain, whether acute or chronic, a dog can suffer from much lower tolerance - meaning that they might have been disinterested in dogs before but now actively want to keep other dogs away by barking at them, or they might have liked being stroked before but now growl or snap when touched. Dogs that have previously been fine when left alone can develop separation anxiety when pain is added to the equation. Dogs that walked well on the lead start to get labelled as 'stubborn' and 'disobedient' when they start pulling or refuse to move. Good eaters can suddenly go off their food or refuse treats in training.

Communicating When in Pain

The biggest danger here is escalation. When a dog appears to be 'stubborn' or 'disobedient', many owners escalate how they ask for things. You might start out by politely asking the dog to get off the sofa, but then escalate to removing them physically when they refuse to move. This is particular prevalent with very small dogs. But when the subtle signals of discomfort from a dog in pain are repeatedly ignored, the dog may also start to escalate their responses. This is when we see dogs snapping and growling at owners or visitors. Imagine how you feel when you're ill or painful and are faced with a lack of sympathy from others around you.

Recognising Pain Through Behaviour

It is important to observe your dog regularly. Watch and learn how they move and behave under normal circumstances. Get used to their body language and posture. This will help you to recognise when there has been a subtle change that might indicate a problem. But most importantly, always recognise that any sudden changes in behaviour can indicate a physical health problem and immediately get your dog checked out by a vet.

Vet, Behaviourist or Trainer?

Recognising a problem is the first step, and where there is already problem behaviour appearing, most people's first instinct is to contact a trainer to 'fix' the behaviour. Unfortunately, without addressing the root cause of the behaviour change, this is impossible. If a trainer tells you they can 'fix' your dog's problem behaviour quickly, this should be a red flag as trainers like this will use some form of punishment to mask the problem.

At best, under these circumstances, you will only be able to momentarily stop problem behaviours for a short time. But eventually, you will either have to escalate the punishment to continue having an effect, or your dog's tolerance will fall far enough that they lash out. Neither of these is ideal. Most dog owners don't want to hurt their dog to change their behaviour and so are uncomfortable with upping the intensity of a punishment to maintain behaviour. Most dog owners also definitely do not want to get bitten by their own dog, or have their dog redirect their pain and frustration onto someone else.

A vet is always the first contact you should make with sudden behaviour changes and a good trainer will often recommend this, sometimes before even seeing the dog!

Long Term Behaviour Changes

All dog behaviour challenges need long-term solutions, not quick fixes. But where the behavioural change is rooted in pain and discomfort, meaningful changes cannot be made until the cause of the pain is treated. In some dogs with chronic issues like arthritis, this can mean ongoing pain management through physiotherapy and pain medication.

Once the pain is under control, training can then make a real and lasting difference. Understanding why your dog is behaving the way they are is key and sometimes, simply addressing the cause of the pain quickly can clear up the problem behaviour without further intervention. Behavioural modification after pain-related behaviour changes is usually required because the behaviour has become habit and has worked for the dog.

Not sure if your dog is in pain? Ask your vet for a pain trial to see if behaviour improves or contact us for advice or an assessment.