Bayside Dog Behaviour

28/10/2026

STRESS-FREE PETS — ARE WE MISSING THE LITTLE SIGNS?

This month, our Bentons Road Vet weekly newsletters are focusing on Stress-Free Pets, and we're bringing some of that advice to our social pages too!

We all want our pets to feel happy, safe and comfortable. But did you know that stress doesn't always look like fear?

Sometimes the signs are much more subtle.

Dogs might lick their lips, yawn, pace, pant or turn away.

Cats may hide, become less social, overgroom or change their eating habits.

And sometimes, a pet that appears very quiet isn't necessarily relaxed — they may be feeling overwhelmed.

Learning to recognise these little signals gives us the opportunity to help before stress escalates.

Whether it's a visit to the vet, visitors at home or changes in routine, understanding how our pets communicate can make a real difference.

Want to learn more? Our weekly newsletter is exploring ways to recognise stress and help our pets feel more comfortable and confident.

Sign up here: https://eepurl.com/jtqsu-

Book online anytime using the PAWS App:
https://au.apt.vet/t?m=3844

Or call the clinic directly on 5976 4629

24/10/2026

Hyper. Rude. Out of control. Even "joyful."

A lot of sporting breeds described this way are actually scared, conflicted, and deeply uncomfortable with people. They just don't bite down hard enough for anyone to take it seriously.

Join Liza Rader for Aggression-ish: Fear, Conflict, and Control in Sporting Breeds.

We'll cover:
✔ How retrievers, pointers, spaniels, and water dogs express stress and fear differently
✔ What aggression looks like when dogs don't bite down hard
✔ How to explain it to guardians with empathy
✔ What we can do to truly help these dogs

Thursday, October 29 at 7pm Eastern
$19.95 before the live event, $29.95 after
1.5 CEUs pending for CCPDT, IAABC, and KPA
Bonus Q&A and recording included

Reserve your spot: link in the comments

24/10/2026

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Dei8smXAicq/?vrfl=OXJiNGI4bHl2bXRl

20/10/2026

19/10/2026

https://www.vss.net.au/blog/tethered-cord-syndrome-in-dogs

Springtime insect bites and bee stings in pets, cats, dogs. Venomous bites cause pain, redness, itching and swelling in pets requiring emergency veterinary care

15/10/2026

27/09/2026

I want to talk about head halters.

I am seeing more and more dogs wearing them, and I think we need to look much more closely at what we are asking of the dog when we put this kind of equipment on their face and head.

The graphic I am sharing is not meant to be an all-inclusive anatomy lesson. It is simply a visual reminder that the muzzle, face, area behind the ears, and upper neck are not empty spaces. They contain delicate tissues, nerves, muscles, joints, and structures that matter.

And then there is the dog’s experience.

If a tool works because it creates enough pressure, discomfort, or physical control to stop a dog from doing something, I think we need to ask whether that is really how we want to build a relationship with an animal we love.

Pain and discomfort can change behavior.

But changing behavior is not the same thing as helping a dog feel safe, understand, learn, or trust us.

A dog may stop pulling.
A dog may stop lunging.
A dog may become quieter.

But what happened emotionally?

What did the dog learn about the environment?
What did the dog learn about the person holding the leash?
What happened to their sense of choice and safety?

This matters even more to me when I see head halters used on dogs who are already fearful, reactive, uncertain, or displaying aggressive behavior.

If the dog is already struggling, adding pressure and control around the face and head can create even more discomfort and confusion.

And please watch the dog.

Pawing at the face.
Rubbing.
Freezing.
Lowering the head.
Refusing to move.
Fighting the equipment.
Trying desperately to remove it.

That is behavior.

That is information.

Before we put something on a dog because we need more control, I want us to ask a different question:

**Is there a way to support this dog without using pain or discomfort?

Can we create more distance?
Can we change the environment?
Can we slow things down?
Can we give the dog more choice?
Can we use equipment that supports the body rather than controlling the head?
Can we work on the reason the behavior is happening instead of simply suppressing it?

The relationship matters.

Trust matters.

How the dog feels with us matters.

We should not have to hurt an animal in order to live successfully with them.

Welfare before expectation.
Clarity before correction.
Behavior is information.

05/09/2026

💢September is Animal Pain Awareness Month💢

Can We Really Recognise Pain in Dogs?

This new study by Gardeweg et al. (2026) confirms something many of us working in canine therapy see regularly—pain is often recognised when a dog limps, but much less when it shows through behaviour.

In the study, 647 people were asked to identify signs of pain in dogs.

Most people easily recognised movement-related pain such as limping, stiffness, or reluctance to move.

But behavioural signs were far less likely to be recognised, including:

• changes in sleep
• reduced play
• clinginess or shadowing
• reduced sociability
• lower tolerance
• difficulty settling
• restlessness at night
• grooming changes
• personality changes
• mood changes

Even experienced dog owners were no better at spotting these subtle signs than non-dog owners.

This is important because chronic pain rarely starts with obvious lameness.

Often, the first signs are small changes in behaviour.

Things like:

❗ “He seems grumpier lately”
❗ “She doesn’t want to play as much”
❗ “He follows me everywhere now”
❗ “She struggles to settle at night”
❗ “He seems less tolerant than usual”

These are often dismissed as behaviour problems, ageing, or just “slowing down.”

But sometimes, they are early signs of pain.

By the time obvious lameness appears, compensation patterns, muscle tension, and long-term discomfort may already be well established.

Pain doesn’t always look like limping.

Sometimes it shows up in the quiet changes first.

Recognising those signs earlier means earlier support, better welfare, and better long-term outcomes.

📚 Reference:Gardeweg, S.M.A., Picard, D.E. and van Herwijnen, I.R. (2026) The abilities in dog pain sign recognition as assessed by presenting seventeen listed dog behavioural signs and three case descriptions to dog owners and non-dog owners. PLOS ONE, 21(4), e0344512.

30/08/2026