Why pain should be ruled out before behaviour labels, training plans, or anti-anxiety medication Is your dog reactive, restless, or constantly “busy”? Maybe they bark at noises, struggle to settle, or act differently than usual. It's not always a matter of lack of training. More often than not, these changes start in the body, not the brain. Muscle pain, joint pain, gut discomfort.... When a dog is in discomfort, their behaviour changes. And until that discomfort is addressed

Today I spoke with someone who was heartbroken. “We did everything to prevent this,” they said. “We were told to stop him mid-meal so he’d get used to it. To take his food away and give it back. We always made sure we could take toys out of his mouth.” Now, two years in, their dog is guarding food—and has bitten multiple family members. They genuinely believed they were preventing a problem. In reality, they were unintentionally rehearsing one. We’re All Resource Guarders Let