Pain can cause a wide range of problem behaviour in dogs, and anecdotally, many dogs that I have seen for traffic reactivity behaviours have eventually been diagnosed with pain or discomfort. If a dog is in pain, then it can increase their arousal and make them more susceptible to fear, anxiety, and frustration, so trying to successfully train a collie that is in pain can set them up to fail.
In order to rule out pain as a contributing factor, think about whether you have seen any of the following in your dog:
- Bunny hopping (moving back legs together instead of one at a time when running)
- Any limps, hops or skips when walking or trotting
- Do keep a back leg lifted when they negotiate steps or stairs
- Are they a little slow to get up in the mornings or evenings
- Do they move about while toileting (getting into a pooing position can be difficult for a dog with leg pain)
- Do they ever yelp and run off when you are playing or at other times
- Do they growl when you approach them or move them when they are resting?
- Do they hesitate when jumping in or out of the car?
- Do they repeatedly ignore requests to sit or lie down when you know they understand the cue?
- Have there been any changes in appetite
- Do they have difficulty settling
- Do they stop on walks for no obvious reason?
- Are they playing less than they used to?
If the answer is yes to any of these, then it’s REALLY important to keep a diary for a couple of weeks, and make a note of any days that these things happen, and try to capture them on video.
Similarly, recent research on the gut-brain axis has shown just how often gastrointestinal discomfort or imbalances can affect dog behaviour in all sorts of ways. Signs to look out for include:
- Regular or intermittent loose stools (stools should ideally never leave a residue) or diarrhoea – once a week is enough to be investigated
- Vomiting
- Loud gurgling tummy
- Suddenly going off their food, and needing to start a new food (this can be due to nausea)
- Flatulence (passing wind frequently)
- Burping
- Licking of household surfaces and bedding
- Fly snapping, excessive yawning or chewing
- Gulping behaviour
Again, if you see any of these in your dog, make a note in a diary, take videos and photos, and speak to your vet. The more information they have, the better placed they will be to help.
Resolving pain in collies doesn’t automatically mean they are suddenly going to stop reacting to traffic, but it will make the training much easier.