Recent scientific research has uncovered a concerning gap in pet care knowledge, revealing that many dog owners struggle to recognise when their canine companions are experiencing pain. This oversight can lead to delayed treatment and significant impacts on a dog's behaviour, health, and overall welfare.
The Hidden Nature of Canine Discomfort
Jacqueline Boyd, Senior Lecturer in Animal Science at Nottingham Trent University, explains that while people often assume animals in pain will vocalise or show obvious physical distress, this is not always the case. "Animals frequently disguise pain as a survival mechanism," Boyd notes. "Many signs manifest only as subtle behavioural changes that are easy to overlook."
Boyd further observes that while humans can generally identify basic emotional states in animals—such as anger, fear, or joy—through facial and body expressions, they are less adept at connecting behavioural cues to more complex states like pain, anxiety, and frustration.
Study Reveals Critical Recognition Gaps
A study published in April 2026 in the journal PLOS ONE, led by researchers including Gardeweg et al., presented participants with a list of 17 dog behaviours and asked them to rank how likely each was to indicate pain. In reality, all 17 behaviours are established indicators of canine discomfort.
The research identified two distinct categories of pain signs:
The "Subtle" Behavioural Signs Often Missed
These indicators are frequently misinterpreted as personality quirks or normal aging, leading dog owners to overlook potential pain:
- Change in personality (e.g., becoming withdrawn or irritable)
- Fluctuating mood (sudden "moody" shifts)
- Reduced play interest
- Shadowing or clinginess
- Restlessness at night
- Licking surfaces (floors, walls, furniture)
- Increased grooming or self-licking
- Excessive scratching
- Air sniffing behaviour
- Nose licking when not around food
- Yawning when not tired
- Increased blinking
- Turning head or body away
- Freezing or sudden stillness
"Participants were good at recognising prominent behaviour changes like hesitant paw lifting," Boyd explains. "However, they didn't realise more subtle indicators such as yawning, lip and nose licking, and changes in facial expressions including looking away and increased blinking are all warnings that a dog may be suffering."
The "Overt" Physical Signs Usually Recognised
These clearer physical indicators are more readily identified by both dog owners and non-owners:
- Hesitant paw lifting while standing
- Hunched back or "praying position"
- Changes in movement including limping or altered gait
Interestingly, the study found that participants without dogs were actually more likely to recognise that freezing or turning away are associated with pain than dog owners. "This suggests dog owners may become complacent in their observations," Boyd notes.
Cross-Species Pain Recognition
Boyd highlights that different animal species exhibit pain in distinct ways. "Previous studies show rabbits often freeze, which might be considered a fearful response," she says. "Facial grimace scales are increasingly used to assess pain in species including cats and horses, tracking minute muscular movements like eye tightening."
When to Seek Veterinary Advice
Boyd emphasises the importance of professional assessment: "If you suspect your pet might be in pain due to sudden behaviour or movement changes, seek veterinary advice. Soreness can manifest outwardly as lameness, lethargy, or reduced exercise desire, but subtle signs like altered blinking, momentary pauses, or freezing are easy to miss."
Research indicates owners should also be alert to:
- Altered sleep patterns
- Restlessness
- Clinginess
- Unusual body licking or chewing
- Changes in ear position
- Coat quality or texture changes
- Reluctance to being touched in specific areas
"If you think your dog needs training or behaviourist sessions due to gradual or sudden behaviour changes," Boyd advises, "it's worth first ruling out whether they're acting strangely because they're in pain."
The study's findings underscore the need for increased owner education about canine pain recognition, potentially improving early intervention and overall pet welfare outcomes.
