In an interesting study conducted by researchers at North Carolina State University showed that pain sensitivity is related to the breed and a dog’s temperament.  

The researchers studied both male and female dogs from ten breeds. They picked the breeds based on how veterinarians rated the breed for pain sensitivity or tolerance. The breeds were: Chihuahua, German Shepherd, Maltese, Siberian Husky, Border Collie, Boston Terrier, Jack Russell Terrier, Golden Retriever, Pitbull, and Labrador Retriever. A total of 149 dogs were tested.

Surprisingly the breeds did not respond as the veterinarians expected. They also found that temperament played a role in the dog’s tolerance for pain. The important fact that was learned from the study is that pain tolerance has a biological basis.

Sue’s Note: When anything such as pain tolerance is common in a breed, it means that selective breeding may, in part, correct the sensitivity. This is important because it makes the dog’s life more tolerable. Also, temperament is another genetic aspect that can be improved with selective breeding. It is also important to realize how pain sensitivity can make a dog dislike training. This is why harsh training methods are never a good idea.