Solo dog walking with a difference in South Yorkshire. Nervous or reactive dogs welcome!🐾
06/03/2025
This is such an important post to read if you own a dog! The link between pain and behaviour is HUGE. I see it in my own dog, Amber, who has degenerative Lumbosacral stenosis (similar to sciatica in humans). When she experiences a pain flare up, her behaviour can deteriorate in many different ways, and situations she can usually cope well with often become challenging.
Being a solo walker and working with dogs who show signs of nervousness or reactivity, I have noticed signs of potential pain and discomfort in many dogs I walk and always recommend they seek veterinary advice and often a second opinion from Sarah as well. I generally find the clinical signs can be a lot more subtle than the behavioural signs.
Definitely something to bear in mind if you struggle with your dogs behaviour, especially if there is a sudden or dramatic change 🐾
The link between pain and behaviour is a topic I have a particular interest in.
With an ever increasing frequency I often meet young dogs with health issues that contribute to undesirable behaviours and/ or slow progress in terms of their training.
As I’ve spoken about so many times before- dogs don’t show pain or discomfort as we do and please do not assume that because your dog is young they do not have pain.
Have a look at some examples below of dogs I’ve seen recently in clinic
1️⃣ - 2 year old lab.
Referred to the vets for anxiety and reactivity around her owners young son- guarding the sofa from him, serious confidence issues, also becoming reactive with other dogs. No limping, lameness, no functional issues, no outward signs of pain.
Sent onto me by the vets for a pain assessment, after my assessment I recommended X-rays which led to a subsequent diagnosis of Hip dysplasia.
2️⃣- 6 year old big bull breed.
Very noise phobic and then started to become reluctant to go on walks - still really energetic and super happy to play and run and jump on and off furniture and run up and down stairs- sent for a pain check by Victoria Cooper Canine Behaviourist. On physio assessment I found pain in her low back and hip - sent her back to vets for pain relief and X-rays and she was given a subsequent diagnosis of lumbosacral disease and hip dysplasia.
3️⃣- very cute energetic 1 year old poodle cross.
Always been over excitable around other dogs and nervous of new situations. Lunges at runners and dogs when out and about. Very barkey but friendly. Again no limping or lameness. Loved chasing the ball in the garden- would play for hours until the ball was taken away from her.
Went to see the vet who passed her onto me for a pain check - I found patellas that were loose on both knees. Subsequent X-rays led to a diagnosis of bilateral luxating patellas.
4️⃣- 2 year old cocker spaniel
Normally no issues ,very sociable and friendly - suddenly started serious resource guarding at home and then bit his owner - sent to me by the vet for a pain check and afterwards subsequently diagnosed with elbow dysplasia
I could go on and on with these examples but I think they paint the picture.
⚠️ All these dogs have one thing in common. They were experiencing pain⚠️
They were not being naughty or aggressive or dominant or testing boundaries.
Their pain was triggering undesirable behavioural changes.
It is now accepted that the most accurate method for evaluating pain in animals is not by physiological parameters but by observations of behaviour.
None of the above issues would be resolveable with addressing behaviour modification .
Indeed if your dog is not responding to a treatment programme as you would expect, in many cases this means that there is pain present limiting the animals ability to proceed.
Some of them will have drastic improvement from the moment the pain is addressed however often, once pain is addressed , behavioural intervention will then be required to address established and learned avoidance responses.
If your dog has any behavioural issues, take them to a vet and ask for a thorough examination or a referral to a suitably qualified physiotherapist. If you’re still not sure, get a second opinion.
You CANNOT train the pain or discomfort out of your dog. Address this first and foremost before you consider trying to modify their behaviour .
If your behaviourist or trainer doesn’t immediately advise a veterinary visit if any aggression, excessive ‘naughtiness’ or strange behaviour is present, walk away.
Please always rule out pain being the cause of your dogs behaviour change first.
Please share to increase awareness
