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6 signs your dog could have dementia
Signs of dementia typically appear in senior dogs, or dogs in the last 25 percent of their lifespan.
Author of the article:Washington Post
Washington Post
Jane Sykes
Published Sep 09, 2026 • Last updated 1 day ago • 4 minute read
Closeup photo of an adorable dog.
Photo by SasaStock /Adobe Stock
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While dogs don’t get Alzheimer’s disease, older dogs can develop a strikingly similar condition called canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome – which I’ll refer to as dog dementia from here on, although vets prefer the term CCDS. This is a common, chronic, age-related condition that progresses slowly over time, can’t be attributed to other diseases and has an impact on a dog’s daily life.
Up to 60 percent of dogs older than 8 develop dementia, and a dog’s susceptibility increases by at least 50 percent every year after. Caring for a dog with dementia can be emotionally draining and time-consuming, though there are ways to slow the progression, and you and your pet can still continue enjoying meaningful time together.
Signs of dementia typically appear in senior dogs, or dogs in the last 25 percent of their lifespan. For small dogs (less than 20 pounds), this is about age 8 to 10; for large dogs, signs can begin as early as 6 years old.
While improvements in pet health care can mean longer pet lifespans, it also means you’re more likely to end up caring for a senior pet – one that is at risk for developing dementia.
Just as the Alzheimer’s Association has identified 10 warning signs of early Alzheimer’s in people, a group of veterinary neurologists, behaviourists, and other experts (known as the CCDS Working Group) use the acronym DISHAA to describe six signs that your dog could have dementia. Knowing these signs can help you and your vet identify dementia earlier, so that you can better manage it.
1. Disorientation: Disoriented dogs do things like stare at walls, get stuck in corners or go to the wrong side of the door to be let out.
2. Impaired social interactions: These could include attention-seeking behaviours or decreased interactions with other pets and people, such as not responding to petting or no longer greeting you at the door when you get home from work.
3. Sleep disturbances: Pacing or whining during the night or being difficult to wake during the day.
4. House soiling, learning and memory deficits: Forgetting potty-trained behaviours as well as other commands such as “sit” and “stay,” or pawing at the door to go outside after just being let in.
5. Activity changes such as restlessness, aimless pacing or losing interest in going on walks or playing with toys.
6. Anxiety and fear: Showing signs of irritability, increased aggression or clinging to their owners more than usual.
Early on, dogs with dementia can have signs such as increased sleeping and decreased social interactions that you might think are due to old age. As things progress, problematic issues like house soiling and pacing at night crop up – things that may prompt you to make changes such as rearranging your furniture or using dog diapers.
To help with early diagnosis, the CCDS Working Group recommends a standardized owner questionnaire (the DISHAA questionnaire), which can be found online. The group advises that veterinarians use this to assess all dogs older than 10, repeating it every six months.
If you think your dog has dementia, it’s a good idea to fill out the questionnaire before seeing a vet and bring it with you to an appointment. Bringing short videos of your pet’s behaviours can also help your provider understand the problem.
Importantly, many other diseases mimic dementia – especially diseases of the brain (such as brain tumours), eye diseases that cause decreased vision, orthopedic diseases, and common endocrine diseases like Cushing’s disease and hypothyroidism. Before concluding that your dog has dementia, vets will typically ask a series of questions about your dog’s signs and do a thorough physical exam.
They might also recommend blood tests, imaging or referral to a specialist for advanced procedures (such as an abdominal ultrasound or an MRI of the brain). Such tests can be costly and time-consuming, and your dog might have other more urgent health concerns that need to be prioritized first. As a result, often a presumptive diagnosis is made based on a slow progression of typical signs and no obvious indicators of other health conditions.
A variety of treatments have been explored to improve quality of life for affected dogs, including anti-anxiety medications, an antidepressant drug called selegiline (also known as L-deprenyl), group training exercises and even fecal transplants (giving your dog an enema of healthy gut bacteria from another dog). There are ongoing clinical trials evaluating other medications, although so far there’s no evidence that any of these reduce the signs of dementia or slow its progression.
Some studies have shown that diets enriched with medium-chain triglycerides, omega-3 fatty acids (especially eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA) and antioxidants might be able to reduce the rate of cognitive decline in dogs. If you’re interested in trying supplements, several commercial “brain health” diets that are enriched with these combinations are now available online or through your vet. Whether nutraceuticals such as omega-3 fatty acids can improve your dog’s brain health when used alone as a supplement needs further study.
While it’s best to talk to your vet if you suspect your dog might have dementia, some of the most effective treatments can be done in your own home and are good for the health of all dogs. Most importantly, look for ways to ensure your dog remains mentally stimulated by providing puzzle toys or toys that dispense food, offering regular physical exercise in varied locations, allowing regular social interactions with familiar people and pets, and trying to teach new tricks.
Yes, it is a good idea to attempt to teach an old dog new tricks, even if you’re not successful.
torontosun.com
Signs of dementia typically appear in senior dogs, or dogs in the last 25 percent of their lifespan.
Author of the article:Washington Post
Washington Post
Jane Sykes
Published Sep 09, 2026 • Last updated 1 day ago • 4 minute read
Closeup photo of an adorable dog.
Photo by SasaStock /Adobe Stock
We independently select everything we recommend. Buying through us may earn us a commission, which supports our work.
While dogs don’t get Alzheimer’s disease, older dogs can develop a strikingly similar condition called canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome – which I’ll refer to as dog dementia from here on, although vets prefer the term CCDS. This is a common, chronic, age-related condition that progresses slowly over time, can’t be attributed to other diseases and has an impact on a dog’s daily life.
Up to 60 percent of dogs older than 8 develop dementia, and a dog’s susceptibility increases by at least 50 percent every year after. Caring for a dog with dementia can be emotionally draining and time-consuming, though there are ways to slow the progression, and you and your pet can still continue enjoying meaningful time together.
Signs of dementia typically appear in senior dogs, or dogs in the last 25 percent of their lifespan. For small dogs (less than 20 pounds), this is about age 8 to 10; for large dogs, signs can begin as early as 6 years old.
While improvements in pet health care can mean longer pet lifespans, it also means you’re more likely to end up caring for a senior pet – one that is at risk for developing dementia.
Just as the Alzheimer’s Association has identified 10 warning signs of early Alzheimer’s in people, a group of veterinary neurologists, behaviourists, and other experts (known as the CCDS Working Group) use the acronym DISHAA to describe six signs that your dog could have dementia. Knowing these signs can help you and your vet identify dementia earlier, so that you can better manage it.
1. Disorientation: Disoriented dogs do things like stare at walls, get stuck in corners or go to the wrong side of the door to be let out.
2. Impaired social interactions: These could include attention-seeking behaviours or decreased interactions with other pets and people, such as not responding to petting or no longer greeting you at the door when you get home from work.
3. Sleep disturbances: Pacing or whining during the night or being difficult to wake during the day.
4. House soiling, learning and memory deficits: Forgetting potty-trained behaviours as well as other commands such as “sit” and “stay,” or pawing at the door to go outside after just being let in.
5. Activity changes such as restlessness, aimless pacing or losing interest in going on walks or playing with toys.
6. Anxiety and fear: Showing signs of irritability, increased aggression or clinging to their owners more than usual.
Early on, dogs with dementia can have signs such as increased sleeping and decreased social interactions that you might think are due to old age. As things progress, problematic issues like house soiling and pacing at night crop up – things that may prompt you to make changes such as rearranging your furniture or using dog diapers.
To help with early diagnosis, the CCDS Working Group recommends a standardized owner questionnaire (the DISHAA questionnaire), which can be found online. The group advises that veterinarians use this to assess all dogs older than 10, repeating it every six months.
If you think your dog has dementia, it’s a good idea to fill out the questionnaire before seeing a vet and bring it with you to an appointment. Bringing short videos of your pet’s behaviours can also help your provider understand the problem.
Importantly, many other diseases mimic dementia – especially diseases of the brain (such as brain tumours), eye diseases that cause decreased vision, orthopedic diseases, and common endocrine diseases like Cushing’s disease and hypothyroidism. Before concluding that your dog has dementia, vets will typically ask a series of questions about your dog’s signs and do a thorough physical exam.
They might also recommend blood tests, imaging or referral to a specialist for advanced procedures (such as an abdominal ultrasound or an MRI of the brain). Such tests can be costly and time-consuming, and your dog might have other more urgent health concerns that need to be prioritized first. As a result, often a presumptive diagnosis is made based on a slow progression of typical signs and no obvious indicators of other health conditions.
A variety of treatments have been explored to improve quality of life for affected dogs, including anti-anxiety medications, an antidepressant drug called selegiline (also known as L-deprenyl), group training exercises and even fecal transplants (giving your dog an enema of healthy gut bacteria from another dog). There are ongoing clinical trials evaluating other medications, although so far there’s no evidence that any of these reduce the signs of dementia or slow its progression.
Some studies have shown that diets enriched with medium-chain triglycerides, omega-3 fatty acids (especially eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA) and antioxidants might be able to reduce the rate of cognitive decline in dogs. If you’re interested in trying supplements, several commercial “brain health” diets that are enriched with these combinations are now available online or through your vet. Whether nutraceuticals such as omega-3 fatty acids can improve your dog’s brain health when used alone as a supplement needs further study.
While it’s best to talk to your vet if you suspect your dog might have dementia, some of the most effective treatments can be done in your own home and are good for the health of all dogs. Most importantly, look for ways to ensure your dog remains mentally stimulated by providing puzzle toys or toys that dispense food, offering regular physical exercise in varied locations, allowing regular social interactions with familiar people and pets, and trying to teach new tricks.
Yes, it is a good idea to attempt to teach an old dog new tricks, even if you’re not successful.
6 signs your dog could have dementia
Signs of dementia typically appear in senior dogs, or dogs in the last 25 percent of their lifespan.
