Dogs are amazing creatures and longtime man best friend. Many dog parents tend to treat their dogs as part of the family. Different dog breeds tend to behave differently.
Some breeds are a bit slow mentally and others quite fast. So, can dogs be retarded? Absolutely. Dogs are subject to mental problems just like human beings.
There are many causes behind mental issues. Some issues can be treated but others are genetic. Spending most of the time with your canine friend can help you know if they are retarded.
I recommend taking your poodle for the medical check at least twice in a year and brain check should also be considered.
This will help you know the well-being of the dog. In this article, I will share ways on how to tell if your canine friend is mentally challenged, the causes of retardation and the possible method to help alleviate the issue. Let’s find out:
How to Tell If The Dog Is mentally Challenged?
Spending adequate time with your furry friend can help you know their current health status. This is something many pet parents don’t consider but it is quite vital.
If you have limited time then we recommend daycare since the caretaker will update you frequently. Telling if your canine friend is mentally challenged is quite easy but it requires a lot of patience and focus.
You can also bring on board a professional veterinary and animal behaviorist for assistance but this will be at a cost. Does your dog exhibit cognitive dullness? This is a clear sign of retardation.
The dog will stare at the toys without showing affection, joy, and even fear. It is proof that your poodle has a mental impairment.
Another sign is when your Fido walk or run sideways. This is not normal for healthy dogs and he or she might end up not eating since he forgets the location of the food dish. The situation might look comical at first but you need to take it seriously.
Do not be amused to see your dog chasing his tail. This is completely normal according to animal behaviorists. Dog wagging the tail is a sign of happiness, not dumbness and even licking the owner.
If you suspect your canine friend is suffering from a mental problem then it is advisable to consult a specialist. The veterinary will conduct a thorough evaluation and detect the cause of the problem.
What Cause Dog Mental Retardation?
Dog retardation is something quite rare. Some pet owners can misdiagnose dog behavior with mental retardation. But dogs can suffer from mental illness.
Most of the mental illness in dogs tend to show signs as early as 5 weeks old. This implies that you can detect the problem in puppies easily than adult dogs.
The main causes of dog retardation are separation anxiety, genetic composition during in-breeding, diseases, skull injuries, autism, obsessive compulsion disorder, and depression
. The good news is that there are possible treatments for this mental illness in dogs. Getting a pet companion will help to eliminate depression and training will solve separation anxiety issues.
Besides that, pet owners need not worry but exercise total patience and consideration. They can also seek training from experts on how to handle mentally retarded dogs at home.
Conclusion
Can dogs be retarded? Well, this is something quite common in human beings and rarely seen in dogs. Keep in mind that you can easily tell if you canine friends mentally challenged at a young stage rather than the adult stage.
If you have recently acquired a puppy then you need to spend a lot of time with him or her. This will help you spot some weird behaviors that are not associated with a normal puppy.
You can consult your veterinarian for medical evaluation. All-in-all, pet owners need to be educated on how to live with retarded dogs. But most of the underlying conditions causing mental retardation can easily be treated.
Forrest is a lover of dogs, the wild outdoors, deep mysterious conversations… and coffee. He is the owner of several websites, including Canine Weekly. He resides in Austin, Texas.