If you’ve got a hyperactive dog that just can’t pay attention, vets say it might have a condition remarkably similar to ADHD in humans.
Although canines aren’t formally diagnosed with human ADHD, experts say that they might be hyperactive in just the same way.
These conditions are usually described as hyperactivity, hyperkinesis or impulsivity rather.
According to Dr Guy Sandelowsky, founder of OMNI Pet Limited, that can mean your dog displays ‘behaviours that look remarkably similar to some of the features associated with ADHD in people’.
Researchers suggest that dogs with ADHD-like conditions can show hyperactivity, impulsivity and difficulty maintaining attention.
According to a study conducted in 2024, these issues can manifest in compulsive behaviour, aggression, inappropriate elimination, fearfulness and eating non-food objects.
On social media, frustrated owners of energetic pups have taken to blaming their pets’ disposition on ADHD.
However, Dr Sandelowsky warns: ‘A lot of completely normal dog behaviour can also be mistaken for a disorder.’
If you’ve got a hyperactive pooch that just can’t pay attention, vets say it might have a condition remarkably similar to ADHD in humans
Dogs can’t literally have the condition we call attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), since this diagnosis is reserved for humans.
However, research has shown that dogs can suffer from an extremely similar condition with many of the same symptoms.
One 2024 study showed that this ADHD-like behaviour is linked to disruptions to the brain’s dopamine and serotonin systems, just as is the case in humans.
Dogs with ADHD-like symptoms even respond to the same medications that are typically used to treat the condition in humans.
These conditions are so similar, in fact, that some researchers suggest that dogs could be used as an animal model for studying ADHD in humans.
The three main symptoms are hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention.
However, perhaps unsurprisingly, the symptoms of this ADHD-like condition are quite different to those seen in humans.
Hyperactive dogs often leave a place they have been commanded to stay, fidget all the time, excessively play and run, and are often jumpy and hard to hold back on walks.
On social media, frustrated owners of energetic pups have taken to blaming their pets’ disposition on ADHD
Likewise, dogs with this condition have a difficult time learning tricks since they are easily distracted, and owners struggle to keep their attention.
In addition to these somewhat human-like symptoms, dogs with ADHD-style symptoms are also more likely to be fearful, aggressive, and engage in compulsive behaviour.
Research suggests that these symptoms are linked to a combination of genetics and environment.
Some breeds appear to be far more predisposed to developing ADHD-like conditions, with cairn terriers, jack russells, German shepherds, Staffordshire bull terriers, smooth collies, and border collies topping the list.
The breeds with the lowest ADHD scores, meanwhile, were the Chinese crested, rough collie and chihuahua.
Studies also suggest that these symptoms are more common in dogs that are young, male, and spend more time home alone.
On social media, dozens of owners have picked up similar traits in their own dogs, claiming that they must suffer from ‘ADHD’.
On TikTok, one dog owner complained that their pet had been ‘running laps’, barking at the air and chewing their own tail, asking: ‘Do dogs get ADHD? Because mine is giving textbook symptoms.’
Although dogs can have ADHD-like symptoms, experts warn against ‘trying to diagnose your dog from a TikTok checklist’
While another shared a video of their dog ignoring their calls, saying: ‘I swear my dog has ADHD.’
However, Dr Sandelowsky warns against ‘trying to diagnose your dog from a TikTok checklist’.
He adds: ‘Owners shouldn’t assume that a very energetic or easily distracted dog has a medical condition.
‘Boredom, insufficient exercise, anxiety, frustration and lack of appropriate mental stimulation can all result in behaviours that look superficially similar.’
Before jumping to the conclusion that your dog has a medical condition, it’s important to check that all of its needs are being properly met.
That includes adequate sleep, exercise, enrichment, training, as well as ensuring a healthy, calm environment to manage their emotional state.
But if your dog still appears hyperactive and inattentive after all that, it still isn’t necessarily a sign that there’s something medically wrong with them.
Dr Sandelowsky says: ‘Puppies and adolescent dogs naturally tend to be more energetic, impulsive and distractible.
Some breeds appear to be far more predisposed to developing ADHD-like conditions, with cairn terriers, jack russells, German shepherds, Staffordshire bull terriers, smooth collies, and border collies topping the list
‘That doesn’t mean certain breeds “have ADHD”. It means we have to judge behaviour in the context of what is normal for that individual dog, its age and its breed.’
However, if the behaviour is persistent, extreme, or is affecting your dog’s welfare, the best thing to do is seek advice from a vet.
Dr Sandelowsky says: ‘One of the most useful things owners can do beforehand is take videos and keep a short behaviour diary.
‘Record when the behaviour happens, what happened immediately beforehand, how much exercise and sleep the dog has had, and how long it takes them to settle.’
