Pain, posture and behaviour in dogs
A practical framework for understanding pain in dogs
Pain in dogs doesn’t always look like limping or obvious injury. More often, it shows up quietly, in posture, movement, or behaviour, long before it’s recognised as pain.
This short, practical course helps dog professionals and invested owners recognise those early patterns, without diagnosing or stepping outside their role
Who this course is for
This course is designed for:
– dog trainers and behaviourists
– groomers, walkers and other dog professionals
– invested dog guardians who want to understand their dog more deeply
This course is not:
– a diagnostic or clinical qualification
– a replacement for veterinary assessment
– a deep biomechanics, anatomy or formal gait analysis course
Instead, it focuses on recognising meaningful patterns in posture, movement and behaviour that may indicate a dog is adapting to discomfort.
What you'll learn
By the end of the course, you'll better be able to:
– recognise common posture and movement adaptions
– understand why behaviour may change when comfort changes
– notice consistency and patterns over time
– describe what you're seeing clearly and professionally
– support better conversations with guardians and vets
This isn't about identifying what's wrong, it's about understanding how dogs cope.
What's included
– A focused, self-paced course with short, structured lessons
– Clear explanations using real-world examples
– A summary PDF to revisit key themes
– A reflection handout to support clear documentation and conversations with clients or canine health professionals
– Optional multi-choice reflection questions
– Certificate of completion
Why this course exists
This course was created to bridge a common gap: the space between obvious injury and “everything looks fine”. Many dogs live with discomfort that isn’t immediately visible, and many professionals notice small changes long before pain is formally recognised, but aren’t always sure how to interpret or describe them. The approach used here is:
– welfare-led
– scope-appropriate
– grounded in observation rather than diagnosis
– designed to complement veterinary care, not replace it
If you want to understand what dogs may be communicating through subtle changes in posture, movement and behaviours, this course will give you a clear, ethical framework to do so.
