Animal welfare and enrichment: recognising signs of stress and pain

A dog that eats well and looks healthy doesn’t automatically feel good. Welfare is also about the chance to express natural behaviour, about rest, safety and the right amount of challenge. Dogs can’t tell you how they feel, but they do show it. If you learn to read the signals, you can prevent many problems.

What is animal welfare?

A widely used framework is the Five Freedoms, drawn up by the UK’s Farm Animal Welfare Council. An animal should be free from:

• hunger and thirst;
• discomfort, by having a suitable and comfortable environment;
• pain, injury and disease;
• fear and chronic stress;
• and it should be free to express its natural behaviour.

Current thinking adds that welfare is not only about avoiding negative experiences, but also about positive ones: enjoyment, play, curiosity and a good bond with people.

Enrichment: meaningful challenge

Enrichment means giving your dog the chance to use its senses, body and brain in natural ways. It doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated.

• Sniffing: dogs explore the world with their noses. A calm sniffing walk, hidden food or a search game often tires them more than an hour of running.
• Chewing: chewing is relaxing. Provide safe chews that suit your dog’s size and teeth.
• Food puzzles: let your dog 'earn' part of its meal with a puzzle, a snuffle mat or hidden food.
• Training and play: short training sessions with rewards and playing together strengthen your bond.
• Variety: new walking routes, different surfaces and calm encounters keep life interesting.
• Social contact: dogs are social animals. Time with their people, and for many dogs with other dogs too, is a basic need.

Enrichment works best when it suits the type of dog. A herding dog wants to work with you and solve problems, a gundog wants to search and retrieve, a terrier wants to dig and hunt, a sighthound wants the occasional safe sprint, and a short-nosed dog benefits more from calm nose work than from intense exertion. Every breed profile shows what the breed was originally bred for.

Recognising stress signals

Dogs communicate mainly with their bodies. When slightly tense, they often show subtle signals, which Turid Rugaas called 'calming signals':

• licking the lips or nose;
• yawning when not tired;
• looking away, turning the head away or turning its back;
• showing the whites of the eyes ('whale eye');
• shaking off after a tense moment;
• suddenly sniffing the ground or scratching;
• panting without exertion or heat;
• slowing down, freezing or trying to move away.

If these signals are ignored, a dog may move on to clearer ones: standing stiffly, growling, showing teeth, snapping and eventually biting. Never punish a dog for growling. A growl is a warning; punishing it teaches the dog to bite without warning.

Chronic stress

When a dog is under pressure for a long time, it often shows in its behaviour and body:

• excessive licking of paws or body, or constant tail-chasing;
• destructiveness, a lot of barking or whining, especially when left alone;
• sleeping poorly or, conversely, lying down a great deal;
• changes in appetite or stools;
• jumpiness, irritability or suddenly aggressive behaviour.

Then look for the cause together with your vet. Sometimes there is a physical problem, sometimes the environment doesn’t fit the dog’s needs. A qualified behaviourist can help.

Recognising pain

Dogs often hide pain for a long time. Long-term pain in particular, such as that caused by osteoarthritis, is easily dismissed as 'old age'. Watch for these signs:

• less enthusiasm for walks, play or jumping;
• getting up stiffly, limping or avoiding stairs;
• a hunched back, a tense belly or an unusual posture;
• licking one spot a lot;
• panting, restlessness or difficulty finding a comfortable lying position;
• growling or snapping when a particular spot is touched;
• reduced appetite or changed behaviour towards people or other animals.

Vets use structured pain scales, such as the Glasgow pain scale, to assess pain more objectively. Tell your vet what changes you see at home; you know your dog best.

When to see the vet

• if your dog suddenly behaves differently for no clear reason;
• if you see signs of pain, even if they seem mild;
• in the case of prolonged poor appetite, vomiting or diarrhoea;
• in the case of sudden aggression, especially when touched;
• when in doubt: one check-up too many is better than one too few.

In short

• Welfare is about more than health: it also covers rest, safety, natural behaviour and positive experiences.
• Enrichment doesn’t have to be complicated and works best when it suits the type of dog.
• Learn to read subtle stress signals and respect them; never punish a growl.
• Pain is often hidden: watch for changes in movement, posture and behaviour.
• Never give human painkillers, and consult your vet when in doubt.