In the 90s "gifted" used to be parent/teacher codeword for "likely autistic".
Your comment got me curious enough to check if dogs can get autism (I know you weren't serious) - apparently there is "canine dysfunctional behavior" (CDB) which has similar symptoms.
Autistic dogs
In the ‘90s, autism was associated with an IQ <70.
I'm using modern definitions to try to explain the experience of the gifted program in the 90s, and parents and teachers basically hoping a kid was a savant or prodigy.
Gifted programs were like the other side of the spectrum of Special Education. Both programs were available to throw autistic kids into, depending on their perceived behavior.
I was in a gifted and talented program as a child, and my best friend had an Asperger’s diagnosis. His behavior was noticeably different from the other gifted children. In my experience, the term was not used in the manner you describe.
I was also, but my experience was a bit different than yours. In my case (and locale), it was essentially used as a silo for kids who were bored or acting out in class, but were deemed "smart different" and not "stupid different".
And bought dogs, what do they do?
Nothing. They have everything they want and don't even have to lift a paw to get it.
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