Old Dogs Barking At Nothing

If your dog is barking at nothing it probably isn t because he s seen a ghost or going crazy.

Old dogs barking at nothing. A dog s senses are much more sensitive than ours so this behaviour is usually triggered by something we can t see or smell. They may bark at nothing or be barking for help but it is not a worrisome sign. You can t hear it. If you believe your dog is barking at absolutely nothing compulsive barking is a possibility especially if your dog barks excessively and repetitively while also moving in repetitive ways.

Unusual night time barking is a classic symptom of canine dysfunction syndrome aka old dog syndrome. Older dogs who are suffering from dementia will often bark at night when you go to bed. However it can also be a sign of cognitive dysfunction. Barking is a dog s way of communicating so it s often a natural reaction.

For example a compulsive barker might pace in a circle or walk back and forth along a fence as she barks. Though old age brings wisdom it can also unfortunately introduce new challenges both to humans and to pooches. Like some humans older dogs can exhibit signs of senior dementia vocalizing barking growling howling for no reason or at all hours appearing to get lost in familiar surroundings and other personality changes may suggest dementia. Finally some dogs bark to call alert to something.

If you have a senior dog it s not uncommon for him to howl and bark at seemingly nothing or walk into a room and look confused. Even dogs who are not showing signs of true canine cognitive dysfunction may experience changes in the way their brain processes information and the way he copes in his environment causing more barking a lot of times what happens with our senior patients is that they have had an underlying behavior concern almost their whole lives explains rebecca ruch gallie dvm ms assistant professor and service chief community practice at colorado state university veterinary teaching hospital. If your older dog has cds he might seem lost confused dazed or out of it for periods of time. A dog may have spotted a stranger coming up the walkway for instance or may be responding to a knock at the door or an unfamiliar presence.

This may be a result of separation anxiety but it could also be your aging dog s way of getting your attention. If you think that your senior dog s barking is becoming an issue it may be time to talk to your veterinarian. Before you write off your dog s barking as without any genuine trigger remember that the hearing. Thankfully there s help for this problem too.

As mentioned above your dog might be barking at nothing particularly if they are staring at a blank wall. This is a condition that s pretty similar to alzheimer s disease in humans. Does your dog bark at absolutely nothing. As dogs get older they may get dementia.