Why is My Dog Acting So Distant? (2024)

FAQs

Why is My Dog Acting So Distant? ›

Boredom, pain, aging and stress can all cause a dog to act distant from you. Understanding them can help you find the underlying cause as to why they're acting distant, and show you how to get them to engage with you again.

Reasons a Dog Might Suddenly Act Distant

Here are a few of the most likely causes: Your dog is clinically depressed. He is in pain, and his distant behavior is the way he displays it. Your dog does not like to be touched.

Pain or discomfort: Dogs may exhibit unusual behavior if they are experiencing pain or discomfort. This could be due to injuries, joint problems, dental issues, or digestive problems. Allergies: Allergies can cause dogs to itch, scratch, or exhibit other abnormal behaviors.

Some things people commonly do that teaches dogs to ignore them are: talking too much to the dog in words it doesn't understand, giving mixed signals (body language and verbal directions often do not agree from the perspective of the dog), expecting too much of the dog, constantly touching the dog, not understanding ...

So, what is the first reason a dog might not respond to our cue? The dog didn't hear/see/understand the cue. Dogs can be very literal creatures. It's important that we be consistent when giving cues so that they learn through repetition to recognize our verbal and visual cues.

The Root of the Behavior

If a dog experiences major life changes, they may slump into a depressed state that causes them to want to be alone and isolated. Changes ranging from moving to a new family member, or the loss of a companion (human or otherwise) can all bring about depression in your pup.

A sudden change in his surroundings could cause him to suddenly avoid you or even make him depressed. Did you move, introduce a new person or pet, or make drastic changes to your home? Just the presence of strange noises can cause anxiety in some dogs.

Potential causes include inner/middle ear infections, intoxication, strokes, tumors, infectious or inflammatory diseases (meningitis), idiopathic vestibular disease (also called “old dog” vestibular syndrome), or other less likely causes.

If a dog is unsettled, this may be a sign of an underlying health condition which will need to be addressed by the owner. It may also be something very mild that is causing his restless behavior. Reasons a dog may be unsettled include: Anxiety.

If you find your dog unconscious, first check for a pulse. If there is no pulse, try to administer CPR until you can get medical help. If there is a pulse, check for obvious injuries.

Why is my dog not responding to my commands? ›

Your dog may be ignoring your commands if they are older, not fully trained, or distracted by fear, pain, or other external Stimuli. The most common reason your dog will ignore your commands is the improper use of repetition on your part.

Causes vary from changes in their living situation, the loss of an animal or human companion, to trauma. Dogs with depression often exhibit low energy, withdrawal, and changes in sleep and appetite. Anxiety, too, makes them appear distant, as they are too caught up in their internal stressors to interact as usual.

Old Age. If you have a dog in its teenage years, one of the most likely reasons for your dog staring at the wall is Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (CCD). CCD is similar to dementia in people. Having no specific cause, “doggy dementia” is a slow degenerative process that leads to a decline in cognitive function.

The reasons your dog may not be listening might be medical in nature, but most often, if your dog will not come to you or ignores you completely, it is because of a training or a behavioral issue. Once you feel you have ruled out potential illness, training and conditioning your dog will improve his recall ability.

When dogs are in pain or don't feel well, they tend to display behavioral changes, such as decreased activity or lethargy. Some sick dogs that are normally social may start to withdraw. A kind and energetic pet may begin to show snippiness or aggression.

In other cases, your dog might hide due to stress, anxiety, fear, or even illness. Keep an eye out for changes in your environment – and help them overcome their anxiety with your presence. A frightened dog might be likely to run away to hide somewhere safe. Or to manage a sickness by themselves.

Similar to humans, dogs can stare to interact with you, gather information, or communicate an idea. These types of staring can be interpreted by the context in which they happen. But when your dog is staring at nothing, this might be a sign of anxiety or pain, or potentially be a signal of dementia.

There are plenty of reasons for dogs to dislike humans – just like humans find lots of ways to dislike each other. Some of the most common reasons for dogs not bonding with their owners are down to the owner's behavior. This could be obvious things like yelling, aggression, excessive punishments, and even violence.

Why Isolating Himself Occurs in Dogs. Your dog may be isolating himself because of a mental or physical condition, the reason of which could vary. Anxieties and fears are commonly seen in dogs, and can develop due to a number of reasons, such as poor socialization or trauma.