Dog Care
Dog Dementia
Learn how cognitive changes may affect an older dog and how calmer routines can support them and their family.
Featured article
Updated August 27, 2026
What Are the Three Stages of Dog Dementia?
Learn how veterinarians describe mild, moderate and severe canine cognitive dysfunction, what changes in daily function, and why staging requires an exam.
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Dog Dementia articles
Updated August 19, 2026
Why Does My Old Dog Stand on the Wrong Side of the Door?
An older dog waiting by the hinge side of an open door may be having trouble navigating. Learn what to observe, how to help, and when to call a vet.
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Updated August 19, 2026
Why Does My Old Dog Stare at the Wall?
An old dog staring at a wall may be listening, disoriented, or having an abnormal episode. Learn what to record and when veterinary care is urgent.
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Updated August 19, 2026
Why Does My Old Dog Get Stuck Behind Furniture?
If your old dog gets stuck behind furniture, open a clear exit and block the trap afterward. Learn how to map hazards and when to call a vet.
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Updated August 27, 2026
Dog Dementia vs Normal Aging: How Can You Tell?
Compare ordinary physical slowing with patterns that may suggest canine cognitive dysfunction, and learn why medical causes must be ruled out.
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Updated September 5, 2026
Questions to Ask Before Starting Dementia Medication
What actually exists for canine cognitive dysfunction: the one approved drug, diets, supplements and routine, with the evidence behind each, plus the questions to ask before starting medication.
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Updated September 5, 2026
A Daily Routine for a Dog With Dementia, Hour by Hour
A sample day for a dog with dementia, with times: walks, meals, light, the evening wind down and what to do at 3 a.m. Built from Cornell, Merck and PetMD guidance.
Read article ›Canine cognitive dysfunction is diagnosed by ruling other things out. Pacing at night, standing on the hinge side of a door, staring at a wall: all of these have ordinary physical explanations too, from pain to failing eyesight to a medication side effect. That is why none of these guides will tell you your dog has dementia.
What they will help you do is describe the behavior precisely enough for a vet to work with. When it happens, how often, what the room was like, what your dog did next. A pattern recorded over three weeks is worth more at an appointment than any label you or we could put on it.