ADHD in Dogs is a Real Thing!

While I do try to discourage clients from anthropomorphizing with respect to their pets or using labels that do more harm than good, it is important to remember that we are both mammals and as mammals we can and do suffer from similar problems. Case in point, ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. While many a client has described their dog to me as "having ADD," "hyperactive," "unfocused," and "out of control," only a very few had dogs with true ADHD.  Most people whose dogs appear to have trouble focusing, behave in an out of control manner, etc. aren't suffering from ADHD, but rather are suffering from a lack of physical exercise, lack of mental stimulation, the wrong diet, or all three!  However, for those dogs (and dog owners) who are truly suffering from ADHD, relief is available.

While most of the research on ADHD has been done on human children, there is some research out there on dogs, most notably by Dr. Nicholas Dodman. His research indicates that while ADHD isn't a common problem in dogs, it does exist, and seems to be more prevalent among working dog breeds like German Shepherds, for example. And while many of us might jokingly say that all terriers suffer from ADHD to a certain extent, the truth of the matter is that some dog breeds are just more active, busy, and in need of stimulation than others. Oftentimes a definitive diagnosis of ADHD comes only after one has ruled out all other causes for a dog's lack of focus, agitation, inability to learn, hyperactivity, etc. Meaning, the dog is getting appropriate exercise both mental and physical, has been through training classes, and the dog's diet and overall health have been evaluated by a veterinarian.  At this point, many dog owners are at their wit's end and ask their veterinarians for drug therapy for their dogs.  Unfortunately, many veterinarians default to giving something like Prozac or Trazodone which not only don't help the dog, but can make the dog's symptoms worse, creating more agitation and even aggression.  Instead, the drug to try is Ritalin.  Yes, that Ritalin.  Ritalin is a stimulant and if you give it to a dog who doesn't have ADHD, they will have rapid respiration, rapid heart rate, etc. However, if you give it to a dog with ADHD, they calm down, their respiration decreases as does their heart rate.  Dogs with ADHD who take Ritalin twice daily can settle down and learn appropriate behavioral responses.

Recently, I saw a client who had rescued an older puppy this Spring.  His previous owners had gotten fed up with his relentless barking and activity so they gave him up to breed rescue.  My client is an experienced dog owner.  She immediately started classes with this young dog in order to bond with him and establish good habits.  When he couldn't focus in class, she figured she just needed to work harder at home, which she did, establishing boundaries, setting up scheduled exercise, etc.  When that didn't work, she sent her dog to a "boot camp" where the instructors told her that she was doing everything right, but this dog needed medication.  Unfortunately, the meds that they started this dog on didn't help and actually ended up making him worse. By the time I saw him, he literally couldn't sit still for more than 5 seconds.  He quite literally bounced off of the walls (and people), grabbing anything he could get his mouth on.  The only time he seemed somewhat calm was when he was sniffing on a walk, but even then he couldn't seem to sniff long enough to release tension.  His behavior was creating immense stress for the humans who couldn't get any sleep with this dog in the house.  I suggested starting Ritalin and within 2 days of being taken off of the previous meds and starting Ritalin, the dog calmed down. He could focus and learn.  His owner was heaving a huge sigh of relief as now she knows that she can teach him what he needs to know to be happy and well-adjusted.  Problem solved by seeing our similarities to dogs, rather than our differences.  And not by being anthropomorphic, but by being a good observer and seeking help without labeling the dog. I am really looking forward to this owner's next progress report!