Is your dog autistic? Scientist claims pooches can be neurodivergent just like humans - here are the key signs to look out for

UK Daily Mail ^ | 11/18/2025 | William Hunter

[fruser1]

Currently, there is no formal diagnosis for autism or ADHD in dogs, and vets group this behaviour under the broad umbrella of 'Canine Dysfunctional Behaviour' (CDB).

Research has now shown that many different animals, including dogs, rats, mice, and primates, can have behavioural and genetic signs that would be diagnosed as neurodivergence in humans.

However, diagnosing neurodivergence in dogs is extremely difficult.

Signs your dog may be neurodivergent: Hypervigilance, Hyperfocus, Poor impulse control, Sensitivity to certain sounds, Lack of interest in people, Difficulty socialising.

Dogs with autistic traits show lower levels of 'neural coupling', meaning that their brain activity doesn't synchronise with humans as much as other dogs (illustrated)

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TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: dogs; pets

[citizen]

Big Pharma already has pills for your dog. Add in a little marketing and an ‘expert’ and bam my dog is in therapy.

[silverleaf]

Nah, cats are narcissists

[Albion Wilde]

[Salamander]

Monkey the Malinois actually paints.

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1ELVbKkTa7/?mibextid=wwXIfr

[Salamander]

All Sighthounds have two brain cells vying for third place.

/had Ibizan Hounds for 30 years

😬

[frank ballenger]

LOL

A master of light and shade.

[KarlInOhio]

Calvinist Dog Corrects Owner: ‘No One Is A Good Boy’

(the first Babylon Bee article I read and still one of my favorites l

[VTenigma]

Same here. 1 Bark in 4 years.

[Steely Tom]

I heart my autistic mastiff.

[Maskot]

Good Lord… The crazy people just don’t stop. We need to stop them, come hell or high water. Where do these people get all these freaking insane ideas? We need to shut down the department of education pronto

[NorthMountain]

[Bobbyvotes]

My dog runs for no reason at all. I am opposite, never get of the couch unless I need a beer from the fridge.

https://youtube.com/shorts/8h-tnoZxzW8?si=yRxZbDiZuVR_MkRA

[Magnum44]

[packagingguy]

Actually the Bull Terrier (Bullseye the Target dog) is used as a model organism for autism, as are some strains of rats.

[farm_kid]

“My puppy dog is bi-polar and can’t bark.”

My bear is mono-polar. She can’t bark either.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

No, but my government is.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

We have a half-Great Pyrenees that pretty much ignores any commands. She does respond to sweet talk though.

[TangoLimaSierra]

I had a Yellow Lab I had to reintroduce myself to every morning.

[9422WMR]

Artistic? Heck my dog can’t even write……

[SisterK]

I am the emotional support person for my autistic cats.