Many people worry when their dogs can’t learn tricks and basic commands like other dogs do. Sometimes dogs present even more worrisome behaviors like emotional instability. That’s when usually dog owners worry about mental diseases. Especially when a dog presents aggressive behavior that has no correlation to behavioral problems. This usually presents itself in the first years of a puppy.
The thing is that dogs can have mental diseases, but they can’t be mentally challenged in the same way that humans can. In other words, your dog won’t present learning disabilities or communication problems as some humans do. Still, it’s important to know what challenges they may have and what the symptoms are, so you can better equip yourself to deal with it.
Now, as much as mentally challenged dogs aren’t exactly born, some things might happen that cause similar problem. They’re brain damages that can occur in any dog’s life due to accidents or animal cruelty. This is why it’s important that any animal lover pays attention to their dogs and everybody else’s as well.
In this article, you can learn how a dog can be mentally challenged, and if it’s the case with your dog. You’re also going to learn about mental diseases that dogs can have and are likely to have, especially when they become older.
For instance, dogs do suffer from problems pertaining to old age such as senile mental challenges. This is crucial for any dog owner to know, but the ones that have their furry friend with more than 8 years old of age must know it even more. If your dog is still only a puppy, you still need to read, so you can better find out what could be his problem.
So, make sure to pay attention to find out what your dog might have. Most problems that we believe are related to mental ones are nothing to worry about. If your dog is not learning a new trick fast enough, it might just be the case to learn how to teach them better. Dogs can focus when they’re too excited. You need to get them to calm down.
Dogs Can’t Be Mentally Challenged Like Humans
The first thing to keep in mind in case you think that your dog may be mentally challenged as humans can, it’s to understand that it can’t be the case. Their brains work differently than ours. What this means is that their brain structures don’t work the same way that ours do. In other words, they don’t necessarily suffer from the same illnesses that we do. In the case of mental illness, we do share a few but most of them we don’t.
The reason is simple. The human brain is far more complex than any other animal brain. Although that’s great for the thing that we’re capable of doing and accomplishing, it also means that we’re capable of having more diseases than other animals. Our brains due to their complexity can fall ill to mental problems that other brains aren’t even capable of.
In the case of being mentally challenged, dogs don’t suffer from this. What can happen is your dog having more difficulty to learn things than others. This can be due to too much energy accumulated or the breed. Certain breeds learn faster than others. Still, it doesn’t mean that a dog can’t be trained. You just need more patience and maybe different teaching methods.
So, relax. Your dog is not mentally challenged. Now, he may have a mental disease. In this case, it’s always a good idea to talk to a vet just to make sure that everything is okay. It’s always important to know what kind of behavior is considered normal.
Most Mental Disorders In Dogs Are Related To Brain Damage
Getting deeper into the possibilities that you might have to face; dogs can have mental disorders that are related to brain damage. As a matter of fact, most brain problems are caused by this when it comes to dogs. Since the most common problem comes only at old age, most young dogs have mental problems caused by brain damage due to trauma rather than genetics or diseases.
In most cases, brain damage is caused by animal cruelty. Sometimes, it can also be the case of accidents. The point is that if you have a rescued dog or a dog that was involved in an accident, it is the case of considering this. It’s important to know what kind of brain damage your dog might or might not have since this affects behavior.
Now, it’s important that you don’t panic since, in most cases, the dog can have a normal life. All you have to do is to make sure that he’s well-cared for. This means great food, lots of playtimes, a comfy bed, and the most important thing; lots of love. If you make sure that your dog has all those things, most dogs with this type of problem can live well.
So, make sure to give your dog the best food and the best of your heart. The love and the nutrient in the food can make them as healthy as they can be. For rescued dogs, it’s important to give something that makes them strong again. The Taste of the Wild Dog Food is great to make dogs more muscular and healthier. Check it out here.
Pay Attention To His Behavior
Your dog may not be officially mentally challenged, but he might have a problem on his brain that you want to find out. The best way to do this is to pay attention to his behavior. The reason is simple. Most dogs that have problems in their brain be it damage to the tissue or a disease present uncommon behavior. Unfortunately, the majority presents an aggressive type of behavior.
This means that a lot of dogs have to be put down. They’re a danger for themselves and anyone that cares for them. The first and most obvious sign of negative behavior is aggressiveness, especially the unjustified kind. If your dog tries to attack you when there’s no apparent reason, you should be extra concerned.
Now, you should also pay attention to whether or not your dog recognizes you. Also, their behavior toward other animals. Everything can be a sign. The best way to judge whether or not it’s a sign, it’s to analyze how common was the behavior a few weeks ago. Anything that stands out should be investigated further.
So, make sure to pay attention to your four-legged friend all the time. If you’re the type of person that spends many hours out of the house, it might be a good idea to have a dog cam to watch over him. It’s important to know how he behaves when you’re not around. The NETVUE Pet Camera is the best model for the job. Get yours here.
50% Of Dogs Over 10 Years Of Age Suffer From Senile Mental Challenges
This is an important statistic to talk about. Many dog owners do not take into account that due to dogs living more, they’re going to present illnesses and symptoms that they didn’t when they’re young. It’s like humans when they age. We’re more vulnerable to certain diseases.
What happens with dogs is that 50% of them suffer from senile mental challenges. This means that they may have a hard time recognizing you, for instance. They may also have a hard time recognizing smells.
When dogs get too old, they tend to have mobility and vision problems. Now, they’re not the only problems. Senile mental problems are a real concern when your dog is 10 years old or more.
So, if your dog is a senior, make sure to run some tests with the vet to find out if he’s having problems due to his age. The best that you can do in this case is to have patience and take care of your friends in the best way possible.
Seizures Are The Most Common Sign Of Mental Problems
Seizures are the most common sign of mental problems, and they appear when your dog is still a puppy. There can be cases where the dog only experiences seizures later, but most of the time it happens when they’re very young.
The seizure may happen due to various mental problems, so the best that you can do is consult a vet either way. Still, the best that you can do in this scenario is to follow the appropriate treatment. The important thing to keep in mind is that having a mental problem and being mentally challenged is not necessarily the same.
Now, remember that seizures are hard to miss. So, if you’re suspecting that your dog is mentally challenged, it’s not likely that you’re mistaking it for seizures. Your dog is having difficulties to learn things and to understand when you try to communicate with him. The best that you can do is try different teaching methods to see if it works.
So, try things like treats and whistles to see if your dog learns better with one of these methods. The dog treats is the number one method among dog lovers. They work like a charm to keep the attention and increase focus for dogs. The BRUTUS & BARNABY Dog Treats is the best to mix flavor and healthy ingredients. Grab a pack here.
Establishing A Bond Is The Best Way To Improve Quality Of Life
Your dog may not exactly be mentally challenged, but he may have another mental problem or just a difficulty to navigate this world. The best that you can do is make sure that you form a bond with him. The reason is that the bond between humans and dogs is what improves their quality of life. It improves your quality of life as well.
Dogs that have a healthy bond with their owners are healthier, happier, and live longer. The best way to do this is to spend time with your four-pawed friend. Make sure to spend a lot of time playing with him and strengthening the relationship that you have.
So, set aside 10 minutes to play with your dog every day. It can be before or after work. The important thing is that you do it and that you’re present in the moment while doing it. Get a good pack of toys and commit to doing this. The SHARLOVY Dog Squeaky Toys is a great pack of toys for all sizes of dogs. Take a look here.
Consult A Vet Right Away
Now, the most important thing that you should do, if you think that your dog has a mental problem, is to consult a vet. Even when it isn’t what you’re thinking it might be, it could be something else. As you’ve read in the article, there are many other things that your dog can have.
That’s why it’s so important to always see a vet. You’re going to be able to make sure to find out what your dog has or hasn’t, in case they’re completely healthy. A few medical tests should be able to tell you what your dog may or may not currently have.
So, make sure to consult a vet right away. Especially if your dog is presenting aggressive behavior. Do not wait until things are irreversible. Any type of abnormal behavior should be further investigated.
Final Thoughts
So, these are all the things that you should do. Although there’s a good chance that your dog doesn’t have a problem, make sure to pay attention to uncommon behavior, make sure to try different methods to teach them things, and consult a vet if you’re still uncertain.
The best that you can do is to develop the bond between dog and human. In most cases, your dog is just having a bit of difficulty learning what you want to teach because you’re not doing it right. Use treats and have patience. It usually works pretty well.
