Dogs are usually very interactive and responsive animals and make great companions as a result. So, when our pet suddenly, occasionally or regularly appears to zone out, staring into space and not acknowledging us, it can be a little disconcerting. This seemingly abnormal action may have a behavioural or medical trigger which at first glance may not be obvious. Understanding and interpreting the situation and awareness of other symptoms can help you and your vet get to the bottom of the cause.

Table of contents

Behavioural Causes

Dogs have a much greater sense of smell and hearing than humans. And as such that apparent space-staring or zoned out appearance may simply be them concentrating on a noise or smell that is out of our capabilities to pick up on. Sitting with them or exploring their point of focus may help your own awareness of what they are sensing. Calling their name or offering a distraction or play may stop the behaviour as their attention is pulled elsewhere. In this situation it is simply a normal dog response to something stimulating their senses.

For anxious or stressed dogs, zoning out or staring at a focal spot can be a coping mechanism

If there is tension between the animals in the household, visitors staying over, loud noises or some other stimulation of a fear response, some dogs will hyper-focus or withdraw. Recurrence of this behaviour may indicate that your dog is developing a compulsive behaviour; this can be a difficult behaviour to manage. Your vet can refer you to a veterinary behaviourist who can work with you and your dog to establish the cause and triggers of the behaviour, as well as formulate a plan to best manage it.

In some cases, the behaviour can be a way of attention seeking

If space-staring at some stage resulted in attention from their owner, or an attempt at play as a distraction, some dogs may repeat the action in order to gain a perceived reward. This could indicate that your pet is feeling under-stimulated; especially in those breeds that are known to need a lot of mental play as well as physical play such as border collies. Ensuring your pet gets regular mental work-outs as well as physical ones could help to stop this behaviour.

Medical Causes

If you find your dog is difficult to pull out of an episode of being zoned out or has other symptoms at the same time or in between episodes of seeming spaced out, then there may be a medical cause. Whenever your pet demonstrates an out-of-character or concerning behaviour, you should take them for a veterinary assessment. The earlier a medical cause is diagnosed, the better prepared you can be to help your pet.

As dogs get older, their eyesight and hearing can decline just as ours does

If either or both are affected, your dog may be less aware of its surroundings and less responsive to noises or stimulation. This may give the impression that your dog is zoned out or staring at nothing; when in fact they just haven’t detected that something is happening around them. You may have noticed that your dog’s eyes have changed colour or look duller. It is likely that in this case, your dog would respond to touch, or may just require you to be closer to them before they appear to rouse and respond to you.

If your dog appears zoned out for short periods of time, and doesn’t even respond to touch, they may be having a focal seizure

Unlike a generalised seizure where an animal loses consciousness, falls over and twitches, a focal seizure affects only one part of the body. Although the condition is uncommon, focal seizures often affect just the head. And they may involve simply zoning out, or may be accompanied by facial twitches which can be quite subtle. If you suspect your dog is having a focal seizure, it can be helpful to video the behaviour to show your vet as your dog may appear completely normal in between these episodes.

Medical conditions that affect oxygen and nutrient supply to brain tissue can also cause zoned out behaviour

A disorder of liver function, known as hepatic encephalopathy, results in neurological symptoms including disorientation or appearing spaced out. In growing animals, a rare defect in blood supply to the liver can lead to this condition. In older animals, it can arise from physical and metabolic alterations to the liver. As the liver plays a role in digestion, the effect may be most noticeable after eating, or the abnormal behaviour may build-up over time. This is because ammonia levels, which are usually dealt with by a healthy liver, increase in the body with reduced liver function and accumulate in the brain tissue causing damage.

Canine Cognitive Dysfunction

One of the more common causes of a dog appearing zoned out is a decline in brain function that occurs as a normal part of ageing. Over half of dogs over the age of 10 show some reduction in their cognitive health although the severity and impact this has can vary widely. Canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD) has parallels with human dementia. It is typically slow to occur but can affect both your dog’s quality of life as well as impact the bond between dog and owner. 

Free radicals are a normal by-product of metabolism in the cells of the body. These compounds are unstable and can damage DNA and other structures within cells. As the body ages, free radicals are produced in increasing numbers. The brain is particularly susceptible to damage because of its high fat content; which is a favoured target of free radicals, and its high rate of metabolism. As brain cells become damaged, parts of the brain can shrink, reducing function and creating possible behaviour changes.

Early signs of CCD may be subtle and may simply be an increase in sleeping and a decrease in energy

However, more concerning symptoms are those that arise due to confusion or a loss of response to training cues. You may notice your dog fails to greet you or doesn’t seem to recognise you. They may spend a lot of time staring at nothing or wandering without aim. They may even act irrationally or be irritated and resentful of touch and interaction. For some dogs, it will have the opposite effect where they become increasingly clingy and get upset with separation. This can drive an increase in vocalisation.

Dogs suffering from CCD can also lose sense of their daily routine.

This may lead to them sleeping more during the day and less at night. Or it may cause them to seem less willing to go outside or go for walks. They may seem confused or lost even in very familiar territory or may struggle to negotiate through a door or round an object. A loss of learned behaviour can also result in affected dogs toileting inside the house despite having had access to go outside.

Rule out other causes of the behaviours or symptoms

Many of the symptoms of CCD can be caused by other conditions such as arthritis, heart disease, urinary tract disease, and visual deficits; so these need to be ruled out by your vet before a diagnosis of CCD can be made. Although there is not much that can be done to stop the production of free radicals, balanced and appropriate nutrition containing key vitamins, minerals and antioxidants can counter some of the cell damage caused. Your veterinary team can help determine if your pet’s diet is meeting its needs.

A veterinary behaviourist can also assist with advice on environmental adaptations and behavioural training that may reduce or eliminate some symptoms. Additional therapy may include the use of pharmaceuticals. Available drugs can help with anxiety, improve blood flow to the brain, or increase dopamine levels which is linked to improved memory. Your vet can advise if medication is an option for your pet.

Conclusion

If your dog appears to be zoning out, the occurrence of other symptoms or the responsiveness of your dog to a distraction may help determine the cause. Changes in behaviour or personality should be investigated by your vet to determine the significance. Ageing is a common cause of dogs seeming spaced out. And canine cognitive dysfunction is an increasingly recognised disease in our companion animals.

Further Reading: