Does your dog have ADHD? Vet claims pooches can be hyperactive just like humans – here are the signs to look out for — By WILIAM HUNTER, SENIOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY REPORTER
Published: 12:21 BST, 6 September 2026 | Updated: 12:24 BST, 6 September 2026
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.
Although dogs 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 (stock image) 
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 ADHD in humans.