Can Dogs Be Autistic?

Autism is a developmental disorder that affects an individual’s style of interaction and communication. Since dogs can experience similar emotional states to humans, with recent research showing that they even use facial expressions to communicate, this begs the question: can dogs be autistic?

If dogs express emotions through facial expressions and hormonal problems can lead to aggression, it’s not too impossible to imagine that a dog could develop autism. You may notice some odd behavioral patterns in your dog, like shyness. But most of their emotional cues may come through their tails, such as:

Speed

A slowly wagging tail indicated unsureness, while the faster the tail goes, the happier and more excited the dog is.

Position

A straight, horizontal tail points to alertness. A straight, high tail points to aggression. A vertical tail indicates a belief of domination, while lower tails show submission. A tucked tail shows anxiety and full submission.

A dog who behaves in a withdrawn manner, even in a loving and safe home, may have a cognitive or developmental problem. However, there isn’t a lot of research into autism and dogs, meaning there’s little evidence for or against its existence.

Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t keep an eye out for symptoms. A lack of interaction, compulsive tail chasing, and repetitive flank sucking all point to possible cognitive or developmental disorders.

Feature Image Source: Pixabay