Can Dogs Be Retarded (Mentally Challenged)?

Can dogs have mental disabilities? Can dogs be retarded? These are important inquiries that may need an answer if you are a dog owner.

Lots of dog owners have sometimes admitted that they noticed suspicious behavior in their canine companions.

Although much of this kind of behavior may show the presence of a mental disability in their pooches, the majority of them choose to ignore these symptoms. Still, the curiosity is there! (Myers, 2022)

It shouldn’t be assumed that we claim dogs are mentally handicapped. This is a myth that should be put aside. Still, mental conditions in canines are real. Moreover, these can be treated with therapy or medication. (“Can Dogs Be Retarded? [2022 explainer]”, 2022)

The stigma around dogs` mental health is beginning to disappear as the subject is more and more acceptable to talk about and various ways of treatment have become accessible. (“Mental Disorders in Dogs”, 2022)

Whether or not dogs can be mentally challenged, we owe it to ourselves to dig more and find out the truth.

Is My Dog Retarded?

One important question that you may have on your mind right now is: “can dogs have mental retardation?”

If we had to give a short answer, it would be “yes;” dogs can suffer from mental issues just as us, humans do. (“Can Dogs Be Retarded or Mentally Challenged? – Gleeful Dog”, 2022)

Anxiety

Some dog owners don`t know their furry friends can experience mental conditions, such as anxiety. This anxiety can be of different types: separation, anxiety, social anxiety, or noise anxiety. – Click this link!

Generally speaking, their owners are mostly worried about their dogs` physical health but aren`t aware of how to notice symptoms of mental problems. (“Mental Disorders in Dogs”, 2022)

Depression

This issue doesn`t have an easy answer to give. We never managed to figure out what goes in our canine companions` minds to associate with human-like depression.

However, we are aware that they show deep sadness as they withdraw from social interaction, show loss of appetite and lethargy, and also experience an inability to sleep. (Hauser, 2022)

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

In canines, OCD might be identified by a repetitive sequence that doesn`t change and which includes movements or activities with no obvious function or purpose whatsoever. (“Anxiety and Compulsive Disorders in Dogs | PetMD”, 2022)

The most common behaviors in this disorder may include rhythmic barking, pacing, acral lick dermatitis, circling, flank-sucking, excessive drinking, chewing on various objects, different forms of self-mutilation, or sucking.

The obsessive-compulsive disorder might have a genetic predisposition. For instance, flank sucking has been seen in Doberman pinschers, acral lick dermatitis in lots of medium or large canines, and fly chasing in mini Schnauzers. (Horwitz, 2022)

Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (CCD)

More commonly known as canine dementia, canine cognitive dysfunction or canine compulsive disorder is a medical condition that influences the behavior of the dog as they age. (“Dog Dementia: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment and Life Expectancy | PetMD”, 2022)

With this health issue, canines are experiencing alterations in their behavior, like activity changes, disorientation, sleep-wake cycle disturbance, and altered interactions with their environment, their owners, or other dogs. (Ozawa et al. 2019)

Symptoms of a Mentally Challenged Dog

Canines can exhibit signs of depression or anxiety, and one symptom or another can coincide with one mental illness or another. (Hauser, 2022)

So, how to tell if your dog is mentally challenged? There are various signs that you can look for to see if your dog experiences one mental disability or another.

Anxiety

• Trembling
• Yawning even when they aren`t feeling sleepy
• Avoiding social interaction
• Pacing in circles, or back & forth
• Whining, whimpering
• Avoiding eye contact

(Hauser, 2022)

Depression

• Dullness
• Moving away from people
• Appetite loss
• Instant behavioral changes
• Loss of weight
• Refusing to drink water

(Johnson, 2022)

Canine Compulsive Disorder

• Tail chasing
• Flank-sucking
• Snapping at butterflies
• Shadow chasing
• Excessive licking

(Shore, 2022)

Causes of Dog Retardation

A canine with a mental disability might lack the will to learn. Their ability to learn might diminish as well. When they are called to perform a particular action, it can easily be noticed they take longer than usual to answer. (Huner, 2022)

Some of the most common causes involving canine retardation may include:

• Genetic
• Trauma
• Brain injury
• Birth complications
• Infections

(“Can Dogs Be Retarded? (Are They Susceptible to Such Abnormalities?) | ZooAwesome”, 2022)

What Do Studies Say?

There was an evaluation of the result of retarded development on behavior in canines made by James, W. T. & McCay, C. M.

In this study, two pups from the Salukis breed were to be given a deficient diet from a quantity point of view at 3 months of age. One normal puppy and one retarded were evaluated in lab tests.

There wasn`t a significant difference in the establishment ease of negative and positive controlled responses of the front leg.

However, there were some differences that emerged in the hardiness of the moves and gestures as well as in the response time.

When both pets were put to work at their maximum potential, there was little to no difference when talking about endurance.

Regarding the retarded canine, there were vital processes that appeared to be slow. (James & McCay, 1944)

Final Remarks

Can dogs be retarded? Well, we think we managed to cover this broad inquiry up to some extent.

Having knowledge of the mental illnesses that canines may experience can aid you to find out of the ordinary behaviors sooner than later.

However, before placing a diagnosis on your fluffy pal as being mentally challenged, make a trip at your nearest veterinary clinic for them to properly examine your canine and know for sure what is the situation with your dog.

References & Resources:

Anxiety and Compulsive Disorders in Dogs | PetMD. Petmd.com. (2022). Retrieved 12 May 2022, from https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/behavioral/c_dg_compulsive_disorders.

Can Dogs Be Autistic? Watch for These Signs of Autism in Dogs in Sewell, NJ | Pet Check Urgent Care. Pet Check Urgent Care. (2022). Retrieved 12 May 2022, from https://petcheckurgentcare.com/signs-of-autism-in-dogs/.

Can Dogs Be Retarded or Mentally Challenged? – Gleeful Dog. Gleefuldog.com. (2022). Retrieved 8 May 2022, from https://www.gleefuldog.com/can-dogs-be-retarded/.

Can Dogs Be Retarded? (Are They Susceptible to Such Abnormalities?) | ZooAwesome. ZooAwesome. (2022). Retrieved 13 May 2022, from https://zooawesome.com/home-pets/can-dogs-be-retarded/.

Can Dogs Be Retarded? [2022 explainer]. STAYYY. (2022). Retrieved 7 May 2022, from https://stayyy.com/can-a-dog-be-retarded-or-mentally-challenged/.

Dog Dementia: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment and Life Expectancy | PetMD. Petmd.com. (2022). Retrieved 12 May 2022, from https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/neurological/c_dg_cognitive_dysfunction_syndrome.

Hauser, W. (2022). What to Know About Mental Health Care and Dogs. Aspcapetinsurance.com. Retrieved 10 May 2022, from https://www.aspcapetinsurance.com/resources/can-dogs-get-depressed/.

Horwitz, D. (2022). Compulsive Disorders in Dogs | VCA Animal Hospitals. Vcahospitals.com. Retrieved 10 May 2022, from https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/compulsive-disorders-in-dogs.

Huner, D. (2022). Can A Dog Be Retarded? Things Every Pet Owner Should Know. South Slope News. Retrieved 10 May 2022, from https://southslopenews.com/can-a-dog-be-retarded/.

James, W., & McCay, C. (1944). An analysis of the effect of retarded growth on behavior in dogs. Journal Of Comparative Psychology, 37(3), 173-185. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0058843.

Johnson, M. (2022). Can Dogs Have Mental Disorders? What You Need to Know | PawTracks. PawTracks. Retrieved 12 May 2022, from https://www.pawtracks.com/getting-started/dogs-mental-disorders/.

Mental Disorders in Dogs. Prudent Pet Insurance. (2022). Retrieved 10 May 2022, from https://www.prudentpet.com/mental-disorders-dogs/.

Myers, K. (2022). Can Dogs Be Retarded? Or Mentally Challenged?. Dog lover’s digest. Retrieved 7 May 2022, from https://www.dogloversdigest.com/can-dogs-be-retarded-or-mentally-challenged/.

Shore, J. (2022). 5 Mental Disorders in Small Dogs: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment Options. Small Dog Place. Retrieved 12 May 2022, from https://www.smalldogplace.com/mental-disorders-in-small-dogs.html.

Ozawa, M., Inoue, M., Uchida, K., Chambers, J. K., Takeuch, Y., & Nakayama, H. (2019). Physical signs of canine cognitive dysfunction. The Journal of veterinary medical science, 81(12), 1829–1834. https://doi.org/10.1292/jvms.19-0458.