08/31/2026
When behavior change happens, people will readily give you theories about why.
He's stubborn.
She's testing you.
It's adolescence.
They don't respect you.
You're spoiling them.
All of this falls on the dog's failing - without looking further.
There is always a underlying reason for behavior change.
Mills and colleagues (2020) reviewed 100 dog caseloads. A conservative estimate: around a third involved some form of painful condition. In some caseloads, closer to 80%.
Camps and colleagues (2019) put it plainly:
📢 The most common sign of pain in animals is a change in behavior.
Often, by the time you really start to notice limping, yelping etc, they've already been coping for a long time.
So the thing you dismissed as "too small" might be the big thing.
The dog who used to love being brushed and now moves away. The pause at the bottom of the stairs. The shorter fuse on a walk you've done a thousand times. The new sleeping spot.
Always trust your gut when it comes to how you feel about your dog's behavior.
A 'normal' physical exam doesn't mean there is nothing present.
Dogs are stoic rarely showing signs of pain and discomfort, especially in stressful environments like the vet.
Mills and colleagues recommend erring on the side of caution when pain is suspected, and evaluating how the dog responds to a trial of pain relief even when nothing has been found on exam.
Change one thing. Give it real time. Watch what the behavior does.
Yes, your dog isn't giving you a hard time - but they very well might communicate that they are having one.
Follow Renee Rhoades, MSc | Your Dog Behaviorist for evidence-based tips and more on this subject!
Research cited:
Research via PubMed: Mills et al. (2020), Animals
Camps et al. (2019), Animals
