Dog Trainer Sydenham – Classes & Home Training- Book Now – Dog OCD

Dog Trainer Sydenham – OCD Behaviours

OCD in dogs is a real thing. Lately I’ve met many rescue dogs suffering from this condition. But what is it exactly? Advice from dog trainer in Sydenham.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a potentially disabling psychiatric condition where obsessive thoughts and compulsive actions take over a person’s life.

Canine Compulsive Disorder (CCD) is very similar to human OCD. Dogs are also compelled to perform repetitive behaviours which eventually take over their lives. For example just last week I met a few dogs with obsessive behaviours such as chasing shadows and herding other dogs.

CCD can be triggered by anxiety, frustration and stress but genetics also play a part. It’s more common with high energy working dogs.

Canine Compulsive Disorder Examples:

• Obsessive Licking of objects, people, themselves
• Spinning & Tail Chasing
• Blanket Sucking
• Fly or Air Snapping
• Light or Shadow Chasing

CCD can develop in dogs when their basic or breed specific needs are not met.

CCD is a dog’s way of coping in situations where they don’t get enough mental or physical stimulation. Dogs find other ways to cope by indulging in repetitive actions such as , chasing shadows, pacing, spinning and licking. The more these dogs indulge in these behaviours, the more ingrained the behaviours become until they simply cannot stop.

These kind of repetitive/displacement actions are self-soothing at first.

But when they take over a dog’s life, they start causing extreme stress. CCD has been linked to seizure disorders and abnormal brain function, which is why it might require medical intervention.