Understanding A Dog's Sense Of Pain & It's Connection To Events

Pain thresholds appear to vary between dogs and often depend on the emotional state of the dog as well as the context in which pain is experienced. For instance, most dogs, even active aggressive and flight types, inhibit overt defensive reflexes while undergoing veterinary examination, inoculations and treatment. The clinical context and its routine are generally established early in life, as are the dog's inhibited behavioral responses. The same holds true for grooming procedures, nail clipping, and painful coat stripping.

On the other hand, owners who inflict pain on the pet are not so lucky. Their home context and relationship with the dog are mainly affectionate and sensually pleasant. So, when a family member creates pain by accident or design, the dog's unconditioned defense reflexes may be expressed because it has not "learned" to inhibit them. Therefore, it is always advisable to pet owners to leave any pain-producing treatments to veterinarians and groomers and to create an upbeat, happy atmosphere for the dog during treatment. We also recommend avoiding painful physical punishment, as such punishment can lead to frustration, anxiety, and problems that often seem totally unrelated to the punishment.

For example, even though a puppy may submit to being spanked or hit on the snout the first time its owner comes home to find a fecal mess or a chewed-up item, the trauma is associated with the owner's homecoming. In addition to inducing defensive responses to the owner, as the next homecoming approaches, the pup may become anxious because of what is called the "Jekyll and Hyde syndrome." That is, which owner is going to walk in: the affectionate Dr. Jekyll or the nasty Mr. Hyde? This conflict in perceptions and the resultant anxiety can produce further anxiety-relieving behavior, such as more destructive chewing. Involuntary elimination may also be stimulated, producing off-schedule defecation and/or urination, the very reason the puppy may have been punished previously. Submissive urination can occur as the puppy is approached. Instead of applying aversion conditioning, the owner's punishment is actually reinforcing the unwanted behavior by inducing more anxiety. This cycle of events is also is seen in adult dogs.

Problems also arise because dogs tend to associate internal pain with an object or person occupying their attention at the moment, or shortly before, it occurs. Many cases involving hip dysplasia, neck and spinal injuries and aggression toward owners have erupted when the owners were handling the dog or telling it to move, and the dog growled or bit at them. This has also been noted when dogs with painful arthritis have moved spontaneously while their attention was fixed on an owner or visitor. Many of these dogs have been obedient, even markedly submissive, to their owners. In most cases, veterinary-dispensed pain relievers and upbeat, encouraging behavior by the owners, timed to start as the dogs started to move, has produced remarkable successes.