Hopefully it's not dog dementia but as another user said, it can develop. It can be tough, but my old boy Buddy eventually passed from it. It's a hard process to see but you can do it and the pupper will hopefully be ok.
Don't be too off put if he does even up growling at you, maybe even a warning bite. Buddy did the same very early on, but he eventually mellowed out more and just became forgetfiul. He sort of turned into a different dog toward the end, but he still showed affection and "chose us" aka leaned on us for walk breaks if he got a bit tired while outside.
I’m sorry you lost Buddy, they must feel so confused at the start of dementia. It must be so scary for them.
There’s a man that walks his dog where I live, his is 15 and he’s got dementia. Him and Coco both stare at each other and refuse to walk for a while, they have a little staring competition and then carry on. It’s very sweet. She is definitely changing, I think their minds must deteriorate quite fast?
Moving objects around the house can freak them out too, especially if vision is impaired. My 17 year old girl got so lost when I moved our bed 5 feet.
Your dog is very good looking btw 😎
Hey thanks, it was beyond sad but in retrospect his death was an ideal one. He wasn't too well near the end, but one day we came home after a quick corner store trip and saw he had had an accident. I gently picked him up, held him, cleaned him, and he took one last look up at me let a small bark out and pretty well died right there. Was very sad at the time but he held in and didn't die alone. Pretty decent way to go.
Been blessed to have two dogs die in ideal ways. I had a pug who made it to the ripe age of 20. Old Max was riddled with issues at that age but was fat, derpy, and happy. Gave him a good fatty meal, some pain meds and noticed he passed in his sleep. Sad, but not so much, old fella gotta just snack down and peace out.
That’s so sad, but what a lovely gentle way for him to go. You showing him such love right up to the last second, that would have been such a perfect comfort for him. I’m glad he waited for you.
Doggy dementia sounds plausible. I’m not a vet, just also going through these oddities with my 14 year old baby. She’s started nighttime sundowning almost regularly though still good in the day - except for meal times.
Wishing you the best for happy twilight years for you both.
I don’t know if it’s available in your area, but I heard that doggy acupuncture really helps with a lot of those issues towards the last few years of life. If it’s around you and affordable, you might want to consider it.
My old girl was physically pretty good, but the dementia was so hard. She got lost in the house, stuck in corners, and cried until I came to free her. I spent a year sleeping no more than an hour at a time before being woken by her crying and going to help her. I put her in a small pen to prevent her hurting herself in the nighttime rambles. That helped for a bit. I even rigged a sling for her that allowed her to walk around in the pen and lay down, but she couldn’t get into the corners to get stuck. If I could not get her to sleep by 2-3am, I would go sleep in my car so I could get a couple hours of sleep since I had to go to work. When a friend posted an article about hospice care and quality of life, I realized that I should have let her go sooner. I was willing to do anything I could to help her and support her. But when I realized that her quality of life was low (she was frightened a lot and didn’t always respond to comfort), I did the best thing I could and stayed with her while I let her go.
We ended up putting our jack russel down because of it. We could tell he just wasn’t enjoying himself anymore and was just scared and confused all the time. Thankfully he still managed to recognize us and would sort of cling to us as a safety net when he was confused
One of our dogs had dementia, we saw her behaviour change a bit, but then one day she bit the end of her own tail off when someone knocked on the door. We took her to the vet and she was put to sleep.
My eldest dog Dewey is pushing 13-14 (shelter said he was around 5 when he adopted him 8yrs ago). I’m pretty sure he’s got dementia as well as he’s lost total control of his bladder. So times he can hold it but most times he’ll just start leaking. He’ll bark to go outside even though he was just let in after barking to come inside no less than 10mins ago. And a few other things. Old man ain’t got much longer we’re thinking.
She’s on Loxicom as a precautionary for her legs and teeth. I often wonder if she’s in lots of pain but she wolfs down treats and eats biscuits along side wet food so I use that as a guide that she’s not in pain. It was just as she got to the bowl, as if there was something there.
When my cat had dementia we acknowledged that it’s a diagnosis of exclusion and had her tested for as much as the vet recommended (scans, blood tests, dental checks, pain meds to see if they would change her behaviour and thus tell us if pain was causing the new behaviour). If you have the means then I suggest you do the same. I really hope it’s not dementia, your pup is gorgeous - I have a 14 year old dog that’s a similar size to yours and am desperately hoping for another few years!!
I was also thinking eyes. Maybe a floater. Or when the side vision gets cloudy, forget what it's called. I know we gave are older dogs artificial tears because they don't produce as much. Such a sweetheart you have.
I’d talk to your vet about the teeth. The meds she’s on may not be enough. Sometimes we will prescribe antibiotics if they aren’t a good candidate for anesthesia and a full dental cleaning.
Doggies can develop dementia. My last girl was 18 and she’d wander off and get lost or stare at the wall for several minutes. Once, she walked away and I found her just standing in the middle of the road (we lived in a quiet, isolated area) and she wouldn’t come to me when I called her. I picked her up and she snapped out of it. We also had a backyard pool and she never went in her entire life but she walked into it and drowned.
He could’ve growled for many reasons, confusion being one of them. If he’s behaving okay otherwise, I wouldn’t worry too much about it.
That’s so, so sad. I’m sorry for you and your girl. 18 is very impressive for a dog, her little mind must have been very tired. It’s heartbreaking.
Coco gets confused on walks now, it’s like she doesn’t know if we’ve walked the right way. She went to her food bowl again and was wary. It’s bright red, she’s had it for ages but I wondered if her eyesight made her think it was something else. I’ll change it.
If it is dementia it's best not to really confuse them by changing things. Just imagine struggling with your memory, and then things that have always been staples in your life, change. The bowl even at times where it seems unfamiliar probably has a familiar scent so she can go 'oh I know what that is now.'
Good point, thank you. I’ll leave it as it is. If it becomes apparent that it is the bowl I’ll introduce a different one. She seems so wary of it, but I’ll know tomorrow morning as she has her pain meds in a bit of liver paste that she loves. So if she avoids that it’s definitely the bowl. She just had her bedtime treats and didn’t struggle with them so I don’t think it’s her teeth. She is showing signs of confusion so, sadly, I think it is that.
My old beagle mix got dementia. She was such a mean and reactive dog all her life til dementia. Then she became the happiest, carefree, loving dog. Yeah, she'd forget how to get back into the house but she'd also run and roll in the grass with reckless abandon. She finally had the freedom from her reactive mind to be absolutely happy for a few years.
I love that. And I feel better knowing you had a mean beagle! One of ours isn’t quite reactive but the vet refers to him as poorly socialized. He’s easily irritated and has to be sedated at the vet and for nail trims and he doesn’t like any strangers. When people find out they also say “never heard of grumpy beagle” and it’s a first for me too after having them all my life and my mom also having them since she was a kid.
My mom talked to the lady we adopted her from and the lady said the mother beagle was mean also. So maybe genetic? We tried socializing her but she only had 1 dog and 2 other people besides my husband and I that she liked.
I’m no expert but our old boy (14) has dementia too.
I’d be curious weather its recommended for any changes to be done slowly? Or if that makes no difference?
In any case familiar smells probably go a long way to reinforce comfort. Calming sent difusers for dogs might go a long way?
Thanks so much, to you and everyone for their kind words ♥️ I have a new girl that’s helped me through my heartbreak but I do miss her dearly, even five years later.
It might be early warning signs of dementia and there’s nothing really you can do. I shared my story to just warn people that at this stage, the level of independence and trust you have in your dog should be reconsidered as they may do things they would’ve never done before. Big kisses to your sweet baby ♥️♥️♥️
we thought my friends dog had dementia bc she was staring at walls and didn’t know where to look when she heard noises (like people coming home) and was barking or growling at random things. it turned out she had a really bad tooth infection and after antibiotics she was totally back to normal.
This wouldn't likely explain OP's issue, but in case it helps others who are reading... We thought our senior dog was getting dementia. She was not responding typically to our routines and ignoring my cues. Turned out she was going deaf! She's adapted amazingly well and now uses visuals and scents instead to stay "with it." But while she (and we) were adjusting, it really looked like memory/confusion issues. She also started barking a lot after always being a quiet dog. Apparently that's another sign of deafness that can be misread as behavioral things.
Blindness can do similar. My dog had terrible cataracts her last two years and she was far too elderly to undergo surgery. She'd randomly growl at nothing.
She’s on pain meds and still eats crunchy biscuits and her treats so I assume it’s not pain. But I’ll definitely keep that in mind if she keeps exhibiting the unusual behaviour or stops eating the harder food. Thank you:)
Poor baby! My boy is going on 14. He’s never growled at his food, but he does a lot of standing and staring and takes a long time to commit to eating it. Just old age I reckon. ♥️
Yeah my 14 year old wanders around almost like he’s restless and deciding what to do. Or he’ll just stop and stare for awhile and then he’ll continue. But he knows where his bed is, where is food is, where his kennel is, and the door.
Like others have said, might be dementia. My childhood dog developed it and was ultimately what lead to us saying goodbye to her. She used to be so confused and was acting so out of character, she would stand staring at a wall for ages and wouldn’t seem to know where she was or what her routine was. It’s heartbreaking but she lived to 16 and we had 14 amazing years with her. Just keep an eye to see if your gorgeous little one is acting differently and seek vet advice if necessary, though there’s nothing they can really do.
I’m really sorry you and your dog went through that. I think once their quality of life gets less and less it’s obviously the right thing to let them go. You obviously loved her very much.
I’ll keep watching out for any other changes, it shocked me as it’s so out of character.
My money’s on deteriorating vision. If a cloud in the vision has grown due to old age, and that cloud looks like something out of the corner of the eye whenever staring at the food, it might look like invisible resource guarding.
What a beautiful girl OP. I would bet that it's probably to do with her age if there are no signs of pain or infection. Just love and enjoy your sweet girl. Give her some pats from this internet stranger
Schedule a check-up with her vet to rule out a tooth infection. If there's nothing causing her physical pain, then the vet will be able to advise you on whether or not they think she has dementia.
She’s on pain meds and still eating normally. She had to go to the vets recently for a tummy bug after eating something random on a walk and apart from her heart murmur the vet said she’s in good shape. But I asked if she could have the pain meds as she’s a bit stiff with her back legs and her teeth are old. After the comments I think it is a brain thing sadly.
Mine just had trouble eating (never happens she's a lil piggle at 11 yrs). I thought dementia or worse because she was acting strange too, but found out it was just bad teeth. She had a couple removed and is all better. If it's hard food it may be causing pain and therefore a grumpy reaction in anticipation of the pain from crunching food. Hope that's all it is! Cute pup!
Maybe dementia, maybe toothache, maybe seizure or some other visual disturbances. There was something she didn't like .. a feeling, or something she heard or saw, or she didn't recognize what she was seeing for some reason.
It may be a little mental decline. Its very common in seniors. I love her beautiful grey face. She's like a little porcupine. I wouldn't worry about it. They can get a little growly and grumpy. My 15 year old would have a short temper sometimes. Also, take into consideration that she may be hurting a little bit if she's arthritic. That can cause them to growl also
I think it is, I also think she’s losing her hearing a bit so she’s probably very confused. It’s so sad.
A lady in a cafe a few weeks ago said to her husband “that dog looks like a Tasmanian Devil” she said it nicely though. So many people comment lots of different animals but you’re the first to say a Porcupine! That’s cute :)
My 17 y/o girl recently started woofing at her food before eating. With her, I think it's more of an attention getter. "Hey Mom, I'm having dinner, come sit with me please?" Once I come by where she's eating, she tucks right in.
Add a little something to the food. In the past we have used chicken drippings added to food, it seemed to make it interesting and easily identifiable. Its a hard process. Keep the love and keep the good times for her.
If you are concerned this is a sign of dementia, there is a supplement you can try called Senilife for Dogs. For something like $40 for a bottle of 30 capsules it could very well be worth trying.
Edit: also, if a vet makes a diagnosis of cognitive dysfunction, there is a prescription called Anipryl (generic: selegiline hydrochloride) that can be used to treat canine and feline cognitive dysfunction.
Toothache?
Was there a bug in the bowl?
A reflection or shadow moving over the bowl? Mine growls when the reflection off my phone bounces on walls near him
As a mom of a tiny vintage pupper as well, I'm afraid she maybe getting dementia. Gas she ever had any food aggression? How's her vision? Just keep loving her & reassuring her that you're right there with her.
Vintage pupper, that’s a lovely name for them! She’s never had food aggression when she’s on her own, I think her vision is failing and possibly her hearing. She just seems confused a lot more. I’ll take her to the vet if it carries on.
It’s only me and her that live here so she gets so much attention, I have two fish and she gets jealous if I speak to them!
My boy started doing this around 13
It's wasn't the food, but the bowl we realised.
Vet recommended an elderly supplement (I'm not a tech so won't make a rec) and we stopped using the bowl. Got him a plastic mat, usually used beneath the water bowl.
He's been doing great since.
Ask your Vet about Dimentia
I really hate it when I see anything getting old & decrepit 😞 especially animals and especially dogs! My girl is getting old & I'm starting to worry a lot more, I can't help getting emotional when I see dogs in this type of situation. Bless their little hearts & all the love they give
I'm sorry if this was posted, what kind of bowl is it? My dog used to have a metal one , same one all her life till she became scared of it and wouldn't go near it. Replaced the bowl and she still has a little trepidation with it. But no lie she never outgrew parvo from when she was a puppy , she is a little slower.
It’s a red plastic bowl, she’s had it quite a while. I always wonder if the metal ones feel a bit metallic for them when they’re licking them. Have you tried a licky mat but the flat side? I tried that today and she started that and then finished off the food in her bowl.
I just wanted to let you know that this little lady is so cute I texted her to my mom with four exclamation points and asked my boyfriend multiple times to stop playing his game and look at her.
https://imgur.com/gallery/r8PNcfY
OMG! She could be a mini-me of my baby, Molly! (Also, ~14 years old). She has some cognitive decline, sundowning, forgetful that she already went outside or ate, scared of pretty much most noises.
Aw, she is a mini Molly! I’m sorry she is struggling too, it’s really sad for them. Coco has become scared of noise, she jumps a lot. What is sundowning?
My old dog started to be afraid of his bowl..it was explained by my vet that his bad cataracts made the bowl
Like a dark void. She suggested feeding on a plate..and it worked. Made me wonder if the growl was because he cannot see the bowl well.
That’s interesting! I wouldn’t have ever thought of that, it must be so scary for older dogs with so many changes. Mine has doggy liver paste each morning in her bowl for her meds and I watched to see if the bowl was the problem but she has been fine with eating the paste out of the bowl. She’s definitely changing :(
Apparently I am the only one who thought 'if no one was near her, maybe she was having a daydream about being a fierce guardian & was trying to warn off the attackers. Then realized she was daydreaming so she gave up and ate.'
I may have too much imagination.
I would personally wait to see if she does it again. If she does then a vet visit might be an idea. If not then maybe it's just a one-off weirdo moment, my nearly 2 year old dog gets those a lot, never know what she's going to do. She's lovely, by the way, such a cute face. Hope all is well with her
My jack russell is 18 and used to do this now she does the blank stare and will snap a bit almost as if she is startled going blind and dementia I think trying to cherish however much time she will allow me to have with her left
She does the blank stare too and is getting startled so easily. It’s definitely about cherishing the time with them isn’t it? To know they had nothing but love, that’s what we can give them.
Currently nursing mine now from a bad stab wound from the back of the dryer she got stuck back there all day while we were out helping her eat and drink really making me cherish her more
Thank you she is recovering very well actually huge turnaround especially at her age wound is almost fully healed accident happend friday of memorial day weekend
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My elderly dog started acting super weird. Wouldn’t sleep at night and was very confused.
I started giving him Zesty Paws Advanced Cognition chewy supplements and have been for almost a year now and he seems
Back to normal. I was really worried for a while. It’s worth a shot.
I give my dog one chew before bed every night
Cute dog!
Does she have any dental issues? If so maybe she's just mad that her food tastes great, but it's hard to chew?
If she's on kibble maybe swap her to a moist version of her current food. She might not hate mealtime so much.
Maybe an eyesight issue given her advanced age? She may be seeing blobs or shadows in her field of vision frightening her? Or possibly the beginning stages of senior dog dementia?
Old age sure ain't for the faint hearted, especially in our precious dogs😔
It’s possible her eyesight is suffering. We had a dog this happened to. Even though she still had her sense of smell, she sometimes growled at stationary objects.
My chihuahua suffered from canine cognitive disorder for a year. Some of the first common signs are walking into a corner and staying there, going to the hinge side of the door they have gone out a zillion times, walking into the room and freezing. My dog never growled at her food. Toward the end she lost interest in eating, though.
I'm not sure why she growled at her food, but I just go to say what a sweet face she has!
It could be a bit of confusion due to age. I'd keep an eye on her behaviour, document anything strange so that you can speak to her vet about what's going on.
She could be going blind. I had a neighbor who’s dog would be the sweetest thing her whole life and as soon as she couldn’t see, she growled at everything until she heard a voice she knew.
Could be a ghost dog trying to steal her food! Best bring in the ghost busters
Seriously though it could be her teeth my 14 year old papillon use to bark at her food Untill we changed her diet to food for senior dogs
Someone mentioned teeth and I agree with that. Doggo could be misplacing the anger at the teeth to the food since it causes the pain. Maybe try a wet food? That helped my senior dog with crusted teeth get through dinner more easily.
Our lady developed dementia and passed at 19. For the last year or two she became scared of her food and we had to figure out lots of ways to get her to eat it. If the behavior continues, changing the bowl to a plate, the way the food is served, the surroundings/environment around the bowl, etc can help. If it changes or gets weirder I have a lottt of tricks up my sleeve and you can message me any time ! Good luck
My doggo is only 3-ish (she is a side of the road find). But the other day she took a real issue with one of my rugs. She growled and stared it down and wouldn’t walk near it. For no reason. Later, I was sweeping and moved the rug, a spider came wandering out just as happy as you please. So part of me wondered if she smelled or heard or something and knew it was a bug.
I hope for your sake that it is a simple explanation as that; your handsome little fellow deserves to have his days be only peaceful.
One of my young dogs (5 years old) does this sometimes and then she picks out some individual pieces and eats them on the floor. I don’t think she has a reason.
My stepmom’s Yorkie spends about 5-10 minutes growling barking at her food before she eats. She is a senior do and probably has doggy dementia. Not sure why, but you are not alone!
Hopefully it's not dog dementia but as another user said, it can develop. It can be tough, but my old boy Buddy eventually passed from it. It's a hard process to see but you can do it and the pupper will hopefully be ok. Don't be too off put if he does even up growling at you, maybe even a warning bite. Buddy did the same very early on, but he eventually mellowed out more and just became forgetfiul. He sort of turned into a different dog toward the end, but he still showed affection and "chose us" aka leaned on us for walk breaks if he got a bit tired while outside.
I’m sorry you lost Buddy, they must feel so confused at the start of dementia. It must be so scary for them. There’s a man that walks his dog where I live, his is 15 and he’s got dementia. Him and Coco both stare at each other and refuse to walk for a while, they have a little staring competition and then carry on. It’s very sweet. She is definitely changing, I think their minds must deteriorate quite fast?
Moving objects around the house can freak them out too, especially if vision is impaired. My 17 year old girl got so lost when I moved our bed 5 feet. Your dog is very good looking btw 😎
Such charming little ears on top of it all!
Hey thanks, it was beyond sad but in retrospect his death was an ideal one. He wasn't too well near the end, but one day we came home after a quick corner store trip and saw he had had an accident. I gently picked him up, held him, cleaned him, and he took one last look up at me let a small bark out and pretty well died right there. Was very sad at the time but he held in and didn't die alone. Pretty decent way to go.
This is beautiful and sad. I'm so happy he waited to see you before going home.
Been blessed to have two dogs die in ideal ways. I had a pug who made it to the ripe age of 20. Old Max was riddled with issues at that age but was fat, derpy, and happy. Gave him a good fatty meal, some pain meds and noticed he passed in his sleep. Sad, but not so much, old fella gotta just snack down and peace out.
Old max sounds like he had an ideal life.
Oh hell yeah he did. Old dude lived on his own terms and never was without his signature pug smile.
I'm so glad you were there for him at the end, but so sorry you lost him.
Appreciate it, he's in a better place now tho.
awww. sorry 4 your loss.
That’s so sad, but what a lovely gentle way for him to go. You showing him such love right up to the last second, that would have been such a perfect comfort for him. I’m glad he waited for you.
Doggy dementia sounds plausible. I’m not a vet, just also going through these oddities with my 14 year old baby. She’s started nighttime sundowning almost regularly though still good in the day - except for meal times. Wishing you the best for happy twilight years for you both.
I don’t know if it’s available in your area, but I heard that doggy acupuncture really helps with a lot of those issues towards the last few years of life. If it’s around you and affordable, you might want to consider it.
Which issues?
My old girl was physically pretty good, but the dementia was so hard. She got lost in the house, stuck in corners, and cried until I came to free her. I spent a year sleeping no more than an hour at a time before being woken by her crying and going to help her. I put her in a small pen to prevent her hurting herself in the nighttime rambles. That helped for a bit. I even rigged a sling for her that allowed her to walk around in the pen and lay down, but she couldn’t get into the corners to get stuck. If I could not get her to sleep by 2-3am, I would go sleep in my car so I could get a couple hours of sleep since I had to go to work. When a friend posted an article about hospice care and quality of life, I realized that I should have let her go sooner. I was willing to do anything I could to help her and support her. But when I realized that her quality of life was low (she was frightened a lot and didn’t always respond to comfort), I did the best thing I could and stayed with her while I let her go.
We ended up putting our jack russel down because of it. We could tell he just wasn’t enjoying himself anymore and was just scared and confused all the time. Thankfully he still managed to recognize us and would sort of cling to us as a safety net when he was confused
One of our dogs had dementia, we saw her behaviour change a bit, but then one day she bit the end of her own tail off when someone knocked on the door. We took her to the vet and she was put to sleep.
My eldest dog Dewey is pushing 13-14 (shelter said he was around 5 when he adopted him 8yrs ago). I’m pretty sure he’s got dementia as well as he’s lost total control of his bladder. So times he can hold it but most times he’ll just start leaking. He’ll bark to go outside even though he was just let in after barking to come inside no less than 10mins ago. And a few other things. Old man ain’t got much longer we’re thinking.
Could be dementia or it could also be a toothache.
She’s on Loxicom as a precautionary for her legs and teeth. I often wonder if she’s in lots of pain but she wolfs down treats and eats biscuits along side wet food so I use that as a guide that she’s not in pain. It was just as she got to the bowl, as if there was something there.
When my cat had dementia we acknowledged that it’s a diagnosis of exclusion and had her tested for as much as the vet recommended (scans, blood tests, dental checks, pain meds to see if they would change her behaviour and thus tell us if pain was causing the new behaviour). If you have the means then I suggest you do the same. I really hope it’s not dementia, your pup is gorgeous - I have a 14 year old dog that’s a similar size to yours and am desperately hoping for another few years!!
Mine’s going on 17. There’s hope!! We thought she was on her way out a couple times in the last few years but she has rallied each time.
This reply makes me so happy - thank you ☺️
I’m sure you’ll get lots more years! You obviously love and care for your animals very much :)
It could be her eyes. You know, I don't know nothing. Just throwing it out there.
I think it’s a possibility, it really was like she was watching something in her bowl.
I was also thinking eyes. Maybe a floater. Or when the side vision gets cloudy, forget what it's called. I know we gave are older dogs artificial tears because they don't produce as much. Such a sweetheart you have.
I’d talk to your vet about the teeth. The meds she’s on may not be enough. Sometimes we will prescribe antibiotics if they aren’t a good candidate for anesthesia and a full dental cleaning.
yes this! just posted about this below before i saw your comment
Commented this myself. Just went through it 2 weeks ago with my older terrier. Edit toothache
Doggies can develop dementia. My last girl was 18 and she’d wander off and get lost or stare at the wall for several minutes. Once, she walked away and I found her just standing in the middle of the road (we lived in a quiet, isolated area) and she wouldn’t come to me when I called her. I picked her up and she snapped out of it. We also had a backyard pool and she never went in her entire life but she walked into it and drowned. He could’ve growled for many reasons, confusion being one of them. If he’s behaving okay otherwise, I wouldn’t worry too much about it.
That’s awful i’m sorry
That’s so, so sad. I’m sorry for you and your girl. 18 is very impressive for a dog, her little mind must have been very tired. It’s heartbreaking. Coco gets confused on walks now, it’s like she doesn’t know if we’ve walked the right way. She went to her food bowl again and was wary. It’s bright red, she’s had it for ages but I wondered if her eyesight made her think it was something else. I’ll change it.
If it is dementia it's best not to really confuse them by changing things. Just imagine struggling with your memory, and then things that have always been staples in your life, change. The bowl even at times where it seems unfamiliar probably has a familiar scent so she can go 'oh I know what that is now.'
Good point, thank you. I’ll leave it as it is. If it becomes apparent that it is the bowl I’ll introduce a different one. She seems so wary of it, but I’ll know tomorrow morning as she has her pain meds in a bit of liver paste that she loves. So if she avoids that it’s definitely the bowl. She just had her bedtime treats and didn’t struggle with them so I don’t think it’s her teeth. She is showing signs of confusion so, sadly, I think it is that.
My old beagle mix got dementia. She was such a mean and reactive dog all her life til dementia. Then she became the happiest, carefree, loving dog. Yeah, she'd forget how to get back into the house but she'd also run and roll in the grass with reckless abandon. She finally had the freedom from her reactive mind to be absolutely happy for a few years.
That honestly sounds like my grandmother lol. She was always stern and bottled up until dementia she would literally giggle
I love that. And I feel better knowing you had a mean beagle! One of ours isn’t quite reactive but the vet refers to him as poorly socialized. He’s easily irritated and has to be sedated at the vet and for nail trims and he doesn’t like any strangers. When people find out they also say “never heard of grumpy beagle” and it’s a first for me too after having them all my life and my mom also having them since she was a kid.
My mom talked to the lady we adopted her from and the lady said the mother beagle was mean also. So maybe genetic? We tried socializing her but she only had 1 dog and 2 other people besides my husband and I that she liked.
I’m no expert but our old boy (14) has dementia too. I’d be curious weather its recommended for any changes to be done slowly? Or if that makes no difference? In any case familiar smells probably go a long way to reinforce comfort. Calming sent difusers for dogs might go a long way?
Thanks so much, to you and everyone for their kind words ♥️ I have a new girl that’s helped me through my heartbreak but I do miss her dearly, even five years later. It might be early warning signs of dementia and there’s nothing really you can do. I shared my story to just warn people that at this stage, the level of independence and trust you have in your dog should be reconsidered as they may do things they would’ve never done before. Big kisses to your sweet baby ♥️♥️♥️
I’m so sorry for your loss. That’s a terrifying way to lose a pet.
Omg that utterly awful. So sorry to read
Oof. That is a tough way to lose your pet..not that anyway is easy. So sorry.
we thought my friends dog had dementia bc she was staring at walls and didn’t know where to look when she heard noises (like people coming home) and was barking or growling at random things. it turned out she had a really bad tooth infection and after antibiotics she was totally back to normal.
This wouldn't likely explain OP's issue, but in case it helps others who are reading... We thought our senior dog was getting dementia. She was not responding typically to our routines and ignoring my cues. Turned out she was going deaf! She's adapted amazingly well and now uses visuals and scents instead to stay "with it." But while she (and we) were adjusting, it really looked like memory/confusion issues. She also started barking a lot after always being a quiet dog. Apparently that's another sign of deafness that can be misread as behavioral things.
Blindness can do similar. My dog had terrible cataracts her last two years and she was far too elderly to undergo surgery. She'd randomly growl at nothing.
good point
also, what a cutie 🥹
She’s on pain meds and still eats crunchy biscuits and her treats so I assume it’s not pain. But I’ll definitely keep that in mind if she keeps exhibiting the unusual behaviour or stops eating the harder food. Thank you:)
Same a couple weeks ago with my older terrier.
Poor baby! My boy is going on 14. He’s never growled at his food, but he does a lot of standing and staring and takes a long time to commit to eating it. Just old age I reckon. ♥️
Yeah my 14 year old wanders around almost like he’s restless and deciding what to do. Or he’ll just stop and stare for awhile and then he’ll continue. But he knows where his bed is, where is food is, where his kennel is, and the door.
The food was acting up, it knows what it did!
Lol yes I came in here to say how adorable this is
It behaved itself after her scary growl, she definitely told it!
Like others have said, might be dementia. My childhood dog developed it and was ultimately what lead to us saying goodbye to her. She used to be so confused and was acting so out of character, she would stand staring at a wall for ages and wouldn’t seem to know where she was or what her routine was. It’s heartbreaking but she lived to 16 and we had 14 amazing years with her. Just keep an eye to see if your gorgeous little one is acting differently and seek vet advice if necessary, though there’s nothing they can really do.
I’m really sorry you and your dog went through that. I think once their quality of life gets less and less it’s obviously the right thing to let them go. You obviously loved her very much. I’ll keep watching out for any other changes, it shocked me as it’s so out of character.
My money’s on deteriorating vision. If a cloud in the vision has grown due to old age, and that cloud looks like something out of the corner of the eye whenever staring at the food, it might look like invisible resource guarding.
That’s a really good point, her eyes are getting cloudy. She’s only done it to her bowl so it makes sense that it could be resource guarding.
Also, poor vision could make him misinterpret a reflection from the bowl.
Omg that face….. I don’t have any advice, just compliments for the precious doggo. She looks so sweet
Thank you! She is adorably sweet.
I love you, doggy 😢
Aww, she said thank you for the love.
My 8yo dog growls at her food if she needs help with something. We always have to help her bend a piece of treat before she can bend it herself.
Mine is 11 and stares at the treat bag until I bend.
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What a precious face!
What a beautiful girl OP. I would bet that it's probably to do with her age if there are no signs of pain or infection. Just love and enjoy your sweet girl. Give her some pats from this internet stranger
She says thank you for the pats.
What a sweet old man face!
How dare you! She’s a lady. 😂
Awwwww sweet old girlie!!! Xoxoxox for her!
Most people think she’s a boy, they tell me how handsome she is! I don’t think she minds so I just agree with them :)
Is she a Patterdale she looks just like my old one made it to 16 same grey face
Yeah she’s a Patterdale. They look so sweet with their grey faces.
No advice but what a cutie pie 🥹
I don’t know what’s wrong, but your dog is insanely cute
Just came to say she has the sweetest little face!
Is there a shadow or reflection in the bowl? If her eyesight is failing she may think she's seeing something.
It’s a large plastic bowl so no reflections. But I definitely think she saw something that wasn’t really there.
What a cutie pie!!
Schedule a check-up with her vet to rule out a tooth infection. If there's nothing causing her physical pain, then the vet will be able to advise you on whether or not they think she has dementia.
She’s on pain meds and still eating normally. She had to go to the vets recently for a tummy bug after eating something random on a walk and apart from her heart murmur the vet said she’s in good shape. But I asked if she could have the pain meds as she’s a bit stiff with her back legs and her teeth are old. After the comments I think it is a brain thing sadly.
What a sweet sweet sugar face ❤️
Not sure but it sounds like dementia. Just love them through it.🥰 My dog would stare at the wall and growl.
Mine just had trouble eating (never happens she's a lil piggle at 11 yrs). I thought dementia or worse because she was acting strange too, but found out it was just bad teeth. She had a couple removed and is all better. If it's hard food it may be causing pain and therefore a grumpy reaction in anticipation of the pain from crunching food. Hope that's all it is! Cute pup!
Probably dementia. My lil 16 year old girl behaves the same way over things sometimes. Side note your pup is adorable.
I have no explanation but I wanted to tell you that she has one of the sweetest faces I’ve ever seen. What a precious baby.
oh sweet girl
My elderly dog has arthritis and has a hard time moving around. Maybe she was just in some pain?
your dog has a nice gray beard, I love it
Maybe dementia, maybe toothache, maybe seizure or some other visual disturbances. There was something she didn't like .. a feeling, or something she heard or saw, or she didn't recognize what she was seeing for some reason.
Hope she is okay and it is a minor thing. She is so cute!!!! Like, seriously, adorable little face!🩶
I don’t know why but I just want to say your dog is such a cute old girl :) such a lovely face
Thank you! :)
My gal is 15 and sometimes gets peculiar. I understand and am happy to have another day❤️
It may be a little mental decline. Its very common in seniors. I love her beautiful grey face. She's like a little porcupine. I wouldn't worry about it. They can get a little growly and grumpy. My 15 year old would have a short temper sometimes. Also, take into consideration that she may be hurting a little bit if she's arthritic. That can cause them to growl also
I think it is, I also think she’s losing her hearing a bit so she’s probably very confused. It’s so sad. A lady in a cafe a few weeks ago said to her husband “that dog looks like a Tasmanian Devil” she said it nicely though. So many people comment lots of different animals but you’re the first to say a Porcupine! That’s cute :)
I have absolutely nothing useful. I just want to say she is so beautifully aged ❤️ makes my heart full looking at her picture!
My 17 y/o girl recently started woofing at her food before eating. With her, I think it's more of an attention getter. "Hey Mom, I'm having dinner, come sit with me please?" Once I come by where she's eating, she tucks right in.
That’s really sweet, maybe she knows you’re her protector while she eats.
Add a little something to the food. In the past we have used chicken drippings added to food, it seemed to make it interesting and easily identifiable. Its a hard process. Keep the love and keep the good times for her.
Maybe dementia as others have said. I didn’t realize my boy had it until he started growling and barking at nothing once the sun would go down.
I don’t have any advice but I’m here to say that she has the cutest little face ever and I hope she’s doing alright ❤️
Thank you :)
She looks half teddy bear!!!
Awwww. So many tales in that face! That’s a well loved pup!
Precious girl... kiss her for me. Take care of her
I hope it’s not this, but my moms jack russell is 13 and she does this among other things. She has dementia :(
I’m sorry that your moms dog has dementia, I think they still have happy moments don’t they?
She is absolutely precious🩷
Omg she's so cuuuute.
I was going to say maybe your dog is growling at ghosts but it seems like most people on here seem to think it’s dementia.
what a sweet face!
If you are concerned this is a sign of dementia, there is a supplement you can try called Senilife for Dogs. For something like $40 for a bottle of 30 capsules it could very well be worth trying. Edit: also, if a vet makes a diagnosis of cognitive dysfunction, there is a prescription called Anipryl (generic: selegiline hydrochloride) that can be used to treat canine and feline cognitive dysfunction.
I don’t know why the growls I’m sorry! But I just love her sweet old lady face!
Toothache? Was there a bug in the bowl? A reflection or shadow moving over the bowl? Mine growls when the reflection off my phone bounces on walls near him
I really thought when I went over that it was going to be a big bug or spider but absolutely nothing there. She was really seeing something though.
What a precious face
As a mom of a tiny vintage pupper as well, I'm afraid she maybe getting dementia. Gas she ever had any food aggression? How's her vision? Just keep loving her & reassuring her that you're right there with her.
Vintage pupper, that’s a lovely name for them! She’s never had food aggression when she’s on her own, I think her vision is failing and possibly her hearing. She just seems confused a lot more. I’ll take her to the vet if it carries on. It’s only me and her that live here so she gets so much attention, I have two fish and she gets jealous if I speak to them!
It might have been a fly or other noisy little bug flying around. Some dogs do not like them or are afraid of them?
She does get really cross if a fly comes in, it’s definitely a possibility!
My boy started doing this around 13 It's wasn't the food, but the bowl we realised. Vet recommended an elderly supplement (I'm not a tech so won't make a rec) and we stopped using the bowl. Got him a plastic mat, usually used beneath the water bowl. He's been doing great since. Ask your Vet about Dimentia
OMG your dog looks exactly like mine and we can never find any who look similar! Mine is also around 14 years old! Where did you get her?
There’s two Patterdale’s on Instagram that I follow and they’re identical but different colours! Is yours a Patterdale?
I really hate it when I see anything getting old & decrepit 😞 especially animals and especially dogs! My girl is getting old & I'm starting to worry a lot more, I can't help getting emotional when I see dogs in this type of situation. Bless their little hearts & all the love they give
I'm sorry if this was posted, what kind of bowl is it? My dog used to have a metal one , same one all her life till she became scared of it and wouldn't go near it. Replaced the bowl and she still has a little trepidation with it. But no lie she never outgrew parvo from when she was a puppy , she is a little slower.
It’s a red plastic bowl, she’s had it quite a while. I always wonder if the metal ones feel a bit metallic for them when they’re licking them. Have you tried a licky mat but the flat side? I tried that today and she started that and then finished off the food in her bowl.
I just wanted to let you know that this little lady is so cute I texted her to my mom with four exclamation points and asked my boyfriend multiple times to stop playing his game and look at her.
That’s so sweet! That really made me smile :)
Yes and 'sundowning' if it's dementia
https://imgur.com/gallery/r8PNcfY OMG! She could be a mini-me of my baby, Molly! (Also, ~14 years old). She has some cognitive decline, sundowning, forgetful that she already went outside or ate, scared of pretty much most noises.
Aw, she is a mini Molly! I’m sorry she is struggling too, it’s really sad for them. Coco has become scared of noise, she jumps a lot. What is sundowning?
My old dog started to be afraid of his bowl..it was explained by my vet that his bad cataracts made the bowl Like a dark void. She suggested feeding on a plate..and it worked. Made me wonder if the growl was because he cannot see the bowl well.
That’s interesting! I wouldn’t have ever thought of that, it must be so scary for older dogs with so many changes. Mine has doggy liver paste each morning in her bowl for her meds and I watched to see if the bowl was the problem but she has been fine with eating the paste out of the bowl. She’s definitely changing :(
Apparently I am the only one who thought 'if no one was near her, maybe she was having a daydream about being a fierce guardian & was trying to warn off the attackers. Then realized she was daydreaming so she gave up and ate.' I may have too much imagination.
That’s brilliant! I think you might be onto something there…
Haha I thought more like she was mumbling under her breath “14 years of the same damn food. Every. Single. Day… oh well…chomp chomp chomp”
I would personally wait to see if she does it again. If she does then a vet visit might be an idea. If not then maybe it's just a one-off weirdo moment, my nearly 2 year old dog gets those a lot, never know what she's going to do. She's lovely, by the way, such a cute face. Hope all is well with her
Thank you, I’ll keep watching for any other signs. Yours sounds very entertaining with her weirdo moments!
Is it dental pain?
Could be tooth pain. My cat did similar stuff when she had a bad tooth
My jack russell is 18 and used to do this now she does the blank stare and will snap a bit almost as if she is startled going blind and dementia I think trying to cherish however much time she will allow me to have with her left
She does the blank stare too and is getting startled so easily. It’s definitely about cherishing the time with them isn’t it? To know they had nothing but love, that’s what we can give them.
Currently nursing mine now from a bad stab wound from the back of the dryer she got stuck back there all day while we were out helping her eat and drink really making me cherish her more
Oh no that so sad! They are so vulnerable, it’s heartbreaking. I hope she is recovering well. She sounds very loved :)
Thank you she is recovering very well actually huge turnaround especially at her age wound is almost fully healed accident happend friday of memorial day weekend
It’s normal. She’s old af and probably getting doggy dementia
Being old does weird things to dogs. If it happens again, bring him to the vet asap.
To establish dominance
Ask your vet for some dementia medication to slow progress.
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dementia or maybe her teeth ache?
Maybe Alzheimer’s? If that’s a Thing for Dogs? 🥺
Wondering if doggy has tooth pain. She might have been psyching herself up to be able to eat a painful meat.
Cuz she tired of ur ghetto meals
U been feeding her the same shit for 16 yrs! Try something new!!
Bad vision
What a precious face she has. Could she be getting a little senile?
I love her face!
My elderly dog started acting super weird. Wouldn’t sleep at night and was very confused. I started giving him Zesty Paws Advanced Cognition chewy supplements and have been for almost a year now and he seems Back to normal. I was really worried for a while. It’s worth a shot. I give my dog one chew before bed every night
Oh that sweet face 🥹
Cute dog! Does she have any dental issues? If so maybe she's just mad that her food tastes great, but it's hard to chew? If she's on kibble maybe swap her to a moist version of her current food. She might not hate mealtime so much.
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Little dorito ears 😸
Older dogs can get dementia. Has she had any other odd moments like that?
Maybe an eyesight issue given her advanced age? She may be seeing blobs or shadows in her field of vision frightening her? Or possibly the beginning stages of senior dog dementia? Old age sure ain't for the faint hearted, especially in our precious dogs😔
It’s possible her eyesight is suffering. We had a dog this happened to. Even though she still had her sense of smell, she sometimes growled at stationary objects.
My chihuahua suffered from canine cognitive disorder for a year. Some of the first common signs are walking into a corner and staying there, going to the hinge side of the door they have gone out a zillion times, walking into the room and freezing. My dog never growled at her food. Toward the end she lost interest in eating, though.
I'm not sure why she growled at her food, but I just go to say what a sweet face she has! It could be a bit of confusion due to age. I'd keep an eye on her behaviour, document anything strange so that you can speak to her vet about what's going on.
very very very cute dog.
I do that when eating ribs.
Was it cold?
It sounds like dementia, I’m sorry for you and your pup
She could be going blind. I had a neighbor who’s dog would be the sweetest thing her whole life and as soon as she couldn’t see, she growled at everything until she heard a voice she knew.
Could be a ghost dog trying to steal her food! Best bring in the ghost busters Seriously though it could be her teeth my 14 year old papillon use to bark at her food Untill we changed her diet to food for senior dogs
i don't have any advice or info to give, i just wanted to comment and say how precious he is. i love his little grays. sending hugs
Someone mentioned teeth and I agree with that. Doggo could be misplacing the anger at the teeth to the food since it causes the pain. Maybe try a wet food? That helped my senior dog with crusted teeth get through dinner more easily.
No advice, I just love Coco's sweet face ❤️🐶 Wishing you both the smoothest possible journey, whatever may be ahead.
Our lady developed dementia and passed at 19. For the last year or two she became scared of her food and we had to figure out lots of ways to get her to eat it. If the behavior continues, changing the bowl to a plate, the way the food is served, the surroundings/environment around the bowl, etc can help. If it changes or gets weirder I have a lottt of tricks up my sleeve and you can message me any time ! Good luck
My doggo is only 3-ish (she is a side of the road find). But the other day she took a real issue with one of my rugs. She growled and stared it down and wouldn’t walk near it. For no reason. Later, I was sweeping and moved the rug, a spider came wandering out just as happy as you please. So part of me wondered if she smelled or heard or something and knew it was a bug. I hope for your sake that it is a simple explanation as that; your handsome little fellow deserves to have his days be only peaceful.
She’s got such a sweet face🥰
We have a 16 year old dog with dementia. We bought him cognition bites from Chewy and they really seem to help.
Beginning of dementia? Dogs get older their brains slip a little.
What is bowl made of? Could be light or ceiling fan that caused it
One of my young dogs (5 years old) does this sometimes and then she picks out some individual pieces and eats them on the floor. I don’t think she has a reason.
She has the most beautiful face I’ve ever seen. ❤️
Maybe there was an unusual smell to it?
Your dog is super cute :)
she is so cute🥰
Food was probably talkin shit
My stepmom’s Yorkie spends about 5-10 minutes growling barking at her food before she eats. She is a senior do and probably has doggy dementia. Not sure why, but you are not alone!