Is your older dog suddenly behaving differently?

Behaviour and the older dog brain: your dog could be acting differently due to something as straightforward as their diet or hydration levels, or there could be a clinical reason.

You are what you eat – and owners need to make sure their dog is getting a good species appropriate diet that is age appropriate and gives them all the nutritional support they need to support good mental health. Talk to your vet if you need advice on this to make sure your dog’s diet changes as they age. It is also important that they are drinking enough water.

Sometimes as dogs get less mobile, they don’t get up and go to their water bowl so often – and a dehydrated brain is an unhealthy brain! It doesn’t take much dehydration to produce mental confusion – especially in older dogs.

There are however certain conditions that affect older dogs that are not just the normal signs of ageing – and Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (CCD) is one of these. Many behaviour problems that occur suddenly in an older dog are as a result of clinical issues such as CCD so your vet should always be your first point of call.

A lot like Alzheimer’s in humans, CCD is a degenerative brain disease, which shows at least one symptom in 40% of dogs by the age of 15 years old. Unlike in humans however it tends not to be diagnosed until in the advanced stages when little can be done to slow its progress or reverse some of its symptoms.

Behavioural symptoms of Canine Cognitive Dysfunction

Disorientation - may wander aimlessly or seem to get lost in familiar places
Loss of memory to training (including toilet training)
Difficulty in learning new things
Change in activity levels - this can be a lack on enjoyment in things they usually love doing
Changes in their interactions with people and other familiar dogs - or disinterest to interacting at all
Changes in sleeping patterns - so sleeping all day and becoming restless at night
Unusual vocalisations - barking for no apparent reason

The good news however is that if CCD is spotted early, there is medication and supplements that can help slow its progress and may well reverse some of its symptoms – talk to your vet for advice.

Article written by leading Behaviourist and Trainer, Carolyn Menteith as part of a series surrounding caring for senior pets.

About the Author

Carolyn is an accredited behaviourist and trainer with over 20 years experience working with dogs and other companion animals. She has written books, over 800 published articles and trains owners and professionals alike, both nationally and internationally. She is currently the Chair of the UK Dog Behaviour and Training Charter. Carolyn is also an experienced broadcaster and presenter, has appeared in five TV series’ and countless radio shows. Her passion is for helping owners build a strong and positive relationship with the companion animals who share their lives, and fully develop the potential of the bond between them.