Staring at Walls

Let's talk about staring at walls. First, see your vet, because in a senior dog this is one of the classic signs of canine cognitive dysfunction — doggy dementia. It can also be a seizure partial, vision loss, or chronic pain.

None of those are training problems. Step one: full bloodwork and a neuro exam. Step two: ask your vet about a canine cognitive dysfunction medication trial.

Step three: keep the routine identical. Same walk time, same feed time, same people. Predictability reduces sundowning.

Step four: enrichment. Sniff walks, food puzzles, gentle training. Use it or lose it applies to dog brains too.

Step five: be the leader, be the alpha of a calm, predictable household. The senior dog needs a steady leader more than a young dog ever did. Now, the deeper fix: a senior dog staring at the wall is asking for help, not training.

Get the vet, get the meds, get the routine. Now here's Steve's notes.