It is common to see your dog staring into space, roaming around aimlessly, or even howling. You must have noticed this once, but why do they do that?
The most common reasons for these behaviors are medical or natural. The medical reasons could be a seizure, dementia, eyesight deterioration, or disorientation.
Natural reasons include seeing or hearing something suspicious, or seeking attention.
If you think your dog is having a medical problem go to the vet and mention your problem to them. If your dog is just seeking attention, give them some love and you’ll notice them do it a lot less.
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Dog staring into space – Reasons revealed!
Dog staring into Space due to seizure
Seizures in dogs are associated with dramatic symptoms like frothing at the mouth and convulsions but the less dramatic symptom is staring into space.
Staring into space can be a symptom of a focal seizure or partial seizure. This type of seizure is hard to diagnose, but if your dog is continuously staring into space then you must immediately see a vet for having an expert opinion.
It may turn into diseases like epilepsy and cancer but in most cases, seizures can be cured by medication and of course, if you diagnose it soon then you can take care of your dog.
Dog is Attentive towards Outside noises
Dogs have great hearing power. As dogs hear higher frequency sounds than humans, they have a different acoustic perception of the world.
Therefore, it is possible for your dog to hear acute noise. And this can make him wonder what is going on.
Your dog may tilt head and starts staring at one place which indicates “I don’t get it”. So, your dog may try to figure out what is going on and hence continue to stare into space.
Another thing that can indicate that your dog is staring due to noise in his ears. Your dog’s ears are more mobile and help in maximizing the hearing ability.
Eyesight deterioration
Old dogs have a problem with weak eyesight. Similar to humans, they also have eyesight issues therefore they might need time to focus on something. Hence you find your dog staring into space.
Dog is Seeking attention
A dog is an intelligent animal. Therefore, if you see your dog staring into space, it is obvious that you will go and give him attention and affection. And this is what he needs.
Walls having pests Is Grabbing Canine Attention
This is a natural reason. Your dog could stare at the wall because he heard some sound, which may be caused by critters.
Therefore, he may continue to look at the wall and try to figure out what it is.
canine cognitive dysfunction(CCD)
If your dog frequently stares into space then there is a possibility that he has dementia. According to NCBI, 60% of old dogs get dementia.
To help you understand, dementia is a word used to address the symptoms of losing thinking abilities, impaired communication, and memory loss.
Dogs Suffering From Dementia
When a dog has dementia, his behavior changes and the evident changes include disorientation, apathetic behavior, anxiousness, scared, loss of memory, etc.
Some of the examples include-
- Your dog is uncomfortable using the staircase
- Your dog gets lost in known places like your home
- Doggo is not able to perform common commands that you have taught him
- It is not responding when you call him
- Your dog is easily scared by anything
- Your dog has lost internet in eating his favorite food
- He/She is not interested in playing anymore
- Your dog has started sleeping more during the day and less during the night.
- Your dog continuously stare into space with empty expressions
Staring into space is not enough signal for dementia. But do look out for the above-mentioned signs.
Disorientation due to infection (UTI)
Symptoms of disorientation include –
- Head tremors
- Tilting of head
- Unable to stand
- Darting eyes
- Vomiting
- Motion sickness
- Rolling and falling
When a dog has UTI or urinary tract infection, it could feel disoriented and if not treated on time, this UTI can lead to cystitis which is an infection of the urinary bladder. Due to this, the dog will feel to urinate too often.
More FAQ’S
My old dog just stands and stares at me
Just like you can feel a tingling sensation in your goosebumps when you stare into the eyes of someone you love, dogs will start to feel warm inside when they too find themselves staring at those that they find to be especially adorable.
In fact, both parties will actually experience this rush of serotonin (similar to how other mammals do so) that is triggered as a result of mutual staring.
This internal chemical reaction serves to help develop relationships and provoke thoughts of attachment and trust from both parties.
Why is my dog staring at nothing and whining?
Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome and seizures are just some of the many medical reasons why dogs will stare at walls.
But there are other possibilities where your dogs may be staring at the wall for attention for example or even for so long that it becomes somewhat of a habit as is a compulsive behavior in people.
My dog is staring at nothing and shaking
This situation is connected to seizures. Seizures do not always have symptoms like body convulsions.
Sometimes it can be as simple as staring into space and shaking.
Partial seizure, as well as focal seizure, can show such a symptom.
Why does my dog stare into space and growl?
A dog’s growl is both a warning about territorial aggression, as well as a defense against other dogs.
Generally, you can tell whether your dog is giving another one a “go away” or intimidation warning by using its size relative to the other dog and their respective positions or body language while they do it.
In fact, if you find yourself feeling worried or threatened when your pet growls at a wall, then it’s probably best to stay away from that wall given the context of your relationship with your pet; dogs will often bark at walls without doing so in front of an individual they trust enough to trust not to harm them!
Why does my senior dog stare into space?
Dogs are known to listen attentively when humans aren’t paying much attention to what they’re doing. It seems as though your dog is listening to something that you can’t hear.
Dogs also have a superior sense of hearing originally developed for hunting, so when you think of it from this perspective, it makes sense why dogs would notice noises that we may not.
Some dogs develop obsessive-compulsive disorders or just become stressed out with the amount of time they spend indoors alone – other reasons why a dog might stare off, away from those around them.
Final words
Dogs are funny creatures, often showing off or performing random acts. This is no different than any other animal.
However, there is a reason why dogs stare at nothing in particular. In the wild, a dog would stare at nothing for hours to ward off danger.
This was the first warning sign of a predator’s presence, such as a larger animal coming to eat the smaller dog.
In our day-to-day lives, when a dog stares at nothing, in particular, it’s a sign that they’re tired, have some issues, or need some rest.
Dogs are curious creatures that are amazing to be around and they can grow attached to human beings, whether they’re owners, family, or just company. Dogs often experience separation anxiety when left alone.
Another reason dogs may be found staring into space is that they are dreaming.
This can seem bizarre to us because we don’t think dogs dream, but it’s been proven that they do just like humans and several other creatures.
Thank you so much for reading. Hope you enjoyed the article. Stay connected to get more interesting and informative articles.