If you find yourself constantly yelling at Fido because he refuses to walk beside you and heads off into the horizon, or you’re embarrassed to tell Rover his real age when people at the park laugh at your “excited puppy,” you may have wondered why your pup just can’t seem to behave.
But have you ever considered that your dog might have ADHD?
Recent scientific research shows that our dogs, just like people, can be susceptible to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
In humans, symptoms include difficulty with impulse control, difficulty paying attention, and, colloquially, “not being able to sit still.”
That is the knowledge of many dog owners, at least until their puppy is trained. But if yours seems ‘untrainable’ after a few years, ADHD may be the answer.
If you suspect your dog may be suffering from this condition, you may want to ask him or her the following questions:
Research shows that dogs can exhibit similar characteristics to humans with the disorder, such as hyperactivity and difficulty concentrating.
Is there scientific evidence?
In short, yes. Some studies have shown promising, if not conclusive, results. A 2021 Finnish study concluded that their results “indicated a similarity to ADHD in humans.” And a more recent study published last year by scientists in Spain found that dogs classified as “ADHD-like” showed lower serotonin and dopamine concentrations. In humans, ADHD medications like Ritalin work by increasing the availability of dopamine in the brain.
Can you get an official diagnosis?
Most veterinarians are still reluctant to diagnose ADHD in pets, preferring to use the term “hyperkinesia” (meaning “excessive movement”) rather than ADHD.
‘Research, still in its infancy, shows that dogs can exhibit similar symptoms, such as impulse control, hyperactivity and difficulty concentrating. [and] may have reduced dopamine and serotonin levels, similar to people with ADHD,’ says veterinarian Lynne James from the charity People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals. ‘More research is needed to establish whether these ADHD-like signs really represent a neurodevelopmental disorder [but] If your dog shows any unusual or new behavior, we always recommend that you have him or her examined.’
In most cases, “ADHD-like” behaviors can be treated through training, without medication.
What else could be causing it?
Impulsivity in dogs is often a learned behaviour, explains clinical animal behaviourist Rosie Bescoby, who runs pet-sense.co.uk.
‘Dogs that are bottle-fed, or puppies that have only one puppy (only one puppy per litter), tend to be more impulsive and have a lower tolerance for frustration as they get older. This is partly because they have learned this from the mother dog through feeding. There is competition for the nipples and sometimes the bitch will get up and walk away before the puppies have had enough. So they normally experience small frustrations at a young age, which helps them tolerate frustration as they get older.’
The “attention deficit” part of ADHD-like behavior in dogs is usually due to competing motivations, says Rosie. “So either what we’re trying to motivate the dog with isn’t enough, or there’s something else in the environment that’s more motivating to the dog than what the human is providing.
“Animals can also exhibit behaviors that people would call hyperactive or overexcitable, but normally they are just not getting the stimulation they need for their needs,” she adds.
This may explain why the breeds that scored highest for hyperactivity in the Finnish study were the Cairn Terrier, Jack Russell Terrier, German Shepherd, and Staffordshire Bull Terrier. These breeds were all originally bred as working dogs and likely require more stimulation than is available in the average family household.
Clinical animal behaviorist Rosie Bescoby explains that impulsivity is often a learned behavior in dogs
How can you treat it?
According to Rosie, in most cases ADHD-like behavior can be “treated” with the right training (no matter how futile your own efforts may have been), and medications are not necessary.
It can take as much patience from you as it does from the dog. To unlearn impulsiveness, you need to teach the dog that being calm and waiting makes things happen – demanding, pushing or barking does not.
“Make your dog wait before you let him eat. Show him that he can have what he wants, but he may have to exercise some self-control,” she advises.
When it comes to hyperactivity, it is up to a responsible owner to ensure that they provide the right stimulation for their breed of dog. Often this will be games to play with them that simulate what they are trained to do, such as hunting or retrieving, rather than just dragging them on repetitive walks.
“As owners, we need to make sure we continue to set clear boundaries with our dogs and reinforce behaviors that we like,” says Rosie. “It’s essential to make sure they’re not allowed to practice behaviors that we don’t want them to, because then things can get so unmanageable that they can masquerade as a ‘disorder.’”