"Our findings will help us to identify, understand, and treat canine hyperactivity and impulsivity. They also showed similarity to ADHD in humans, which consolidates the role of dogs and ADHD-related research," said Professor Hannes Lohi of the University of Helsinki's canine gene research group.
"Dogs have many similarities to humans, including the same physiological traits and the same environment. Additionally, ADHD-like behavior is common in dogs. Sini Sulkama, a doctoral researcher, says that dogs are an excellent model to study ADHD in humans.
Professor Lohi's research team collected data from more than 11,000 dogs through a comprehensive behavioural survey. Questions based on the survey used in ADHD research in humans were used to examine hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention. This study sought to determine if environmental factors could be responsible for canine ADHD-like behavior and possible links with other behavioural traits.
It all comes down to the dog's gender and age, as well as their experience with dogs.
"We found hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention more common in young dogs than in male dogs." Jenni Puurunen PhD, PhD., says that corresponding observations regarding ADHD in humans have also been made.
Dogs who spend more time at home alone daily were more active, impulsive, and attentive than those who spent less time with their owners.
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Dogs can become stressed and frustrated when they are left alone. This can lead to hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention. Sulkama suggests that dogs who spend more time alone may also receive less exercise and attention from their owners.
Researchers discovered a link between hyperactivity, impulsivity and owner's experiences with dogs. Dogs who had not been adopted by their owners were more likely to exhibit these traits. It is not clear if this phenomenon is due to a causal factor.
Sulkama explains that people may choose a more active dog for their first dog. However, more experienced dogs with dogs are possible.
Significant differences between breeds
The breed-specific behavior of different dog breeds has been affected by breeding. Genetics that are responsible for the traits can be reflected in differences between breeds.
Breeds that are bred to work such as the Border Collie and German Shepherd have hyperactivity and impulsivity. They also tend to be more calm and focused. A calmer disposition is a benefit for breeds that are used as pets and show dogs like the Chihuahua or Long-Haired Collies. This makes them more comfortable companions in daily life. Professor Lohi states that the ability to concentrate is not as important in these breeds than in working breeds. This is why inattention may be more common in pet dogs."
Connect to other behavioral problems
This study confirmed previous findings that there were interesting connections between hyperactivity, impulsivity, inattention, obsessive compulsive behaviour, fearfulness, aggression, and hyperactivity. ADHD can also be associated with other mental illnesses and disorders. ADHD is often accompanied by obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). OCD-like obsessive compulsive behavior in dogs can include tail chasing, continual licking of surfaces and themselves, or staring blankly at "nothing".
The findings show that both dogs and humans have the same brain regions as well as neurobiological pathways that regulate activity, impulsivity, and concentration. This confirms that dogs are a good model species for ADHD research. Sulkama summarizes that the results can help to both identify and treat ADHD-related impulsivity and inattention in dogs as well as encourage ADHD research.
