Dogs show 17 signs of pain, and many are subtle

A PLOS ONE study asked 647 people about 17 dog behavioural signs and found many subtle actions linked to pain are often overlooked; owning a dog did not reliably improve recognition.

Researchers report a study that identified 17 behavioural signs that can indicate pain in dogs. The study assessed responses from 647 people, including 530 dog owners and 117 non-dog owners, using an online questionnaire. Participants rated 17 listed behaviours and evaluated three case scenarios to see which signs people associate with pain. The researchers found many subtle actions are often overlooked while more obvious movement-related signs are better recognised. What the study found: - The 17 signs included changes such as hesitant paw lifting, reduced play, increased grooming, nose or lip licking, yawning, air sniffing, increased blinking, and a general change in personality. - Participants most often linked clear, disruptive behaviours—like personality change, paw lifting, mood shifts, and reduced play—to pain. - Subtle behaviours such as nose licking, yawning and air sniffing were repeatedly rated as unlikely indicators of pain. - Dog ownership did not reliably improve detection of subtle pain signs; people with prior personal pain or experience with a painful condition in a dog were more likely to recognise subtle indicators. Summary: The findings indicate that many early indicators of discomfort in dogs are subtle and may be missed by both owners and non-owners, which has implications for animal welfare and the predictability of dog behaviour. Researchers said the results point to a need for better education about canine behaviour. Undetermined at this time.