Walking into a room to find your dog staring at the wall is a little disconcerting, to say the least. Is there something in the wall or a ghost? Is your dog sick? This odd behavior raises many questions, but the answers might surprise you.
Let’s take a look at some of the plausible—and implausible—reasons behind this strange behavior.
Is There Something in the Wall?
Dogs have significantly better hearing than we do. Sometimes, this means that they pick up on things we don’t – such as infestations. Squirrels, termites, bees, and all sorts of other critters tend to move in alongside us, often without our realization, but they can’t sneak past our observant canines.
If your dog is staring at a wall, sit down next to them and listen quietly. See if your dog tilts their head from time to time, as if they’re following a noise, and press your ear against the wall to see if you can hear anything. If you suspect there might be something there, call an exterminator.
Is There a Ghost?
The internet is a great place to find fascinating theories that don’t necessarily have any basis in fact. A quick search for why dogs stare at walls yields plenty of speculation about paranormal activity, fueled by popular horror movies.
Scientifically speaking, however, the answer is “no.” Many people believe that animals are more sensitive to the supernatural, but when it comes to your dog, play it safe. Ghosts are probably not the reason behind your dog’s new habit, so you can take the Ghostbusters off speed dial and talk to your veterinarian instead.
When Staring Signals a Medical Concern
Unfortunately, infestations and ghosts aren’t the most common cause of dogs staring at walls. Several conditions are far more likely causes, and some of them are serious.
Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome
As dogs age, as humans do, they sometimes exhibit changes in their cognitive abilities. Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (CDS) is similar to Alzheimer’s disease in people and is becoming more common as our dogs live longer than they used to.
In a nutshell, CDS causes a decline in cognitive function in dogs, and the disease is very common among senior canines. As many as 28% of dogs aged 11 to 12 have CDS, and that percentage increases as dogs age. Plus, many more dogs go undiagnosed.
Dogs go undiagnosed, in part, due to the fact that diagnosing CDS is tricky and is mostly done by process of elimination. Veterinarians first rule out any other possible causes for your dog’s symptoms.
These symptoms are categorized by the acronym DISH.
- Disorientation: how your dog interacts with their environment
- Interactions: how your dog interacts with people
- Sleep: changes in sleep habits or routine
- House-training: forgetting or showing disregard for previously learned house-training rules
Changes in any of these areas are all symptoms of CDS. However, many dogs develop only one or two of these symptoms, leading owners to assume the problem is caused by something else and making diagnoses difficult.
Supporting a Dog With CDS
The first symptom, disorientation, can present itself in a few ways, but the most common are: walking aimlessly, getting stuck in corners, and—you guessed it—staring at walls. In other words, if your senior dog is staring at a wall, it’s probably not termites or a restless spirit, but rather a byproduct of aging.
There are several things you can do to help a dog with CDS. The first step is taking your dog to the veterinarian to get an accurate diagnosis. Once diagnosed, your veterinarian may recommend increased mental stimulation for your dog, in the form of play and exercise, in addition to feeding them an antioxidant-rich diet.
Your veterinarian can also help manage any additional symptoms your dog may have besides staring at the wall. They can prescribe medications to help your dog sleep through the night and manage anxiety. They may also recommend strategies for coping with behavioral changes or house soiling.
Seizures
We typically associate seizures in dogs with dramatic symptoms, such as convulsions and frothing at the mouth. However, seizures can also present with less dramatic symptoms, like staring at a wall.
Staring at the wall or into space could be a symptom of a type of seizure called a partial seizure or a focal seizure. These seizures are often hard to diagnose, but if you repeatedly catch your dog staring at the wall, contact your veterinarian for an expert opinion.
Partial seizures can have a variety of causes, from cancer to epilepsy. In most cases, you can manage these seizures with medications. Always contact your veterinarian to ensure the cause isn’t serious, such as cancer or poisoning.
Other Reasons Why Your Dog May Stare at the Wall
CDS and seizures are the most common medical reasons why dogs stare at walls, but there are some other possibilities.
Staring could be a compulsive behavior, rather like compulsive disorders in people. These behaviors, such as staring into space, spinning, tail biting, barking, fly biting, or chewing, can get worse over time. Be sure to mention any behavior abnormalities to your veterinarian.
Staring could also be an attention-seeking behavior. If you inadvertently give your dog attention when they stare at the wall, they may repeat the behavior to get your attention again.
What to Do If Your Dog Is Staring at a Wall
If your dog is staring at the wall, the first thing to remember is not to panic. Just because you’ve caught your dog staring at the wall once doesn’t mean that they have CDS, a seizure disorder, compulsive behavior, or cancer.
However, if you notice that your dog stares at the wall on a regular basis, or that other changes in behavior accompany the staring, call your veterinarian. You should also consider filming the episodes. Document the date, time, and duration to show to your veterinarian, especially if there have been repeated episodes.
Many of the causes of staring are treatable, and it’s important to take this symptom seriously, no matter how minor it may seem.
This article is intended solely as general guidance, and does not constitute health or other professional advice. Individual situations and applicable laws vary by jurisdiction, and you are encouraged to obtain appropriate advice from qualified professionals in the applicable jurisdictions. We make no representations or warranties concerning any course of action taken by any person following or otherwise using the information offered or provided in this article, including any such information associated with and provided in connection with third-party products, and we will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages that may result, including but not limited to economic loss, injury, illness or death.