Could pain be influencing your spaniel’s anxiety, clinginess, or separation struggles … more than you realise?
We often think of pain as limping, stiffness, crying or obvious discomfort. But in many dogs, pain can be expressed in far more subtle ways.
These may include restlessness, clinginess, poor sleep, or changes in behaviour or movement.
While these behaviours do not confirm pain, they may indicate that pain is one possible contributing factors.
Pause 4 | Part 1 – What is the Chronic Pain Symposium?
The Chronic Pain Symposium is an annual event, organised by Canine Arthritis Management (CAM).
Each year, Dr Hannah Capon and her team bring together world experts to explore all aspects of pain in companion animals .
How we recognise it, treat it, and how we understand the impact on behaviour and emotional wellbeing.
For anyone working with sensitive dogs and separation anxiety, these conversations matter.
Pause 4 | Part 2 – What is covered during the weekend?
Sessions explored how pain is recognised, assessed, treated, monitored, and managed.
There was a strong emphasis on emotional safety, along with the interaction between pain and behaviour.
Finally, collaboration between professionals is a key theme throughout.
Pause 4 | Part 3 – Why I attend
a) Allied professionals play an important role in your spaniel’s care circle.
What exactly is a care circle?
It’s all the professionals who support your dog's health and wellbeing - physically, mentally and behaviourally.
This includes vets, behaviourists, dog trainers, groomers, therapists, etc.
As a trainer, I consider pain as a differential factor when behavioural changes are reported, and I refer concerns to veterinary professionals for diagnosis, with your agreement.
b) Dog Trainers are key in recognising very subtle signs of pain.
Veterinary consultations are often short and take place in a clinical environment.
This can trigger a stress response in some dogs.
You might see:
Mischievous or playful behaviours
Hiding, shutting down or being extra clingy
Barking, whining or making a lot of noise
Snarling, growling or aggressive behaviours
This means small signs of pain are not always obvious.
A dog experiencing even mild stress or perceived threat may (sensibly) reduce or suppress visible signs of discomfort.
From an evolutionary perspective, it may be adaptive for an animal under threat not to display vulnerability.
I see your spaniel in your home (via video), meaning that I observe natural movement and behaviour.
Additionally, at the heart of my work is ensuring your spaniel doesn’t feel vulnerable or unsafe during training.
When a dog feels safe, even the most subtle signs of pain are more likely to be observable.
c) Together we can do more.
When our girl Spice suffered with anxiety, I wished for someone to guide us to the right support.
That's why the symposium matters to me; building connections and better referral options are key.
d) Personal interest
My three spaniels all live with chronic pain-causing conditions.
I’m always interested in new and evolving treatments, alongside the latest research into pain and behaviour,.
Pause 4 | Part 4 – What I Learned This Year
Here are some of the key themes that came out of the 2026 symposium:
Whole‑dog care matters
Care plans must consider every part of a dog’s life.Physical health, emotional wellbeing, environment, routine, and relationships.
Pain and anxiety share pathways
Stress can amplify pain, and pain can heighten fear and anxiety.These processes can interact, which is why behaviour should never be viewed in isolation.
The gut–brain connection is real
Imbalances in the gut can affect mood, resilience, and coping ability…and stress can affect the gut too!
Small repeated steps change everything
Consistency creates safety.Tiny, predictable experiences help dogs feel secure and able to cope.
Choice reduces threat
Providing choice and agency lowers perceived threat, improves tolerance, and helps dogs feel safer.“Pain is amplified by perceived threat.” — Dr Lorimer Moseley
Pain is a protective emotion
It exists to keep the animal safe when a threat is present.In the short term, that’s helpful.
But when pain persists, the nervous system can remain on high alert, and everyday experiences may start to feel harder to cope with.
The same is true for anxiety.
Sleep is vital
Poor sleep can make anxiety louder and learning harder.We have tools to monitor and improve sleep quality, especially important for ‘velcro’ dogs who wake the moment we even think about moving.
Breed‑specific comfort‑seeking matters
Many spaniels seek comfort by carrying objects, staying close to us, or becoming extra clingy.These behaviours can be part of how they regulate stress and discomfort.
These insights remind me that
behaviour is rarely “just behaviour”.
Pain, stress, sleep, emotional safety, and environment all play a role.
Attending this symposium strengthens my practice and deepens my understanding, allowing me to support spaniels with greater clarity.
If your spaniel struggles with separation anxiety, clinginess, or behaviour changes that don’t quite make sense, pain may be part of the picture.
Look out for more Pause 4 articles in this series, or get in touch to talk about your spaniel — I’d love to hear from you.
