Do dogs get Attention Deficit Disorder or can they be hyperactive?
While hyperactivity disorder does exist in dogs, it is rare. Dogs that are hyperactive, a condition also known as hyperkinesis or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), can be diagnosed by veterinary examination and testing. Dogs with hyperactivity disorder are difficult to train, respond poorly to tranquilization, may exhibit repetitive behaviors such as incessant barking or circling, may have gastrointestinal disorders, and can be extremely resistant to restraint. If these dogs do have attention deficit disorder they may respond paradoxically to amphetamines. This means that instead of getting more excitable when given amphetamines, these dogs tend to calm down. Most cases are simply overly energetic dogs that may not be getting sufficient exercise, or who are being accidently rewarded when they act excitably. Can I identify this type of dog as a puppy? Excitable and disobedient dogs can often be identified in early puppyhood. These puppies continually mouth guardians hands
