Why is my dog looking around at nothing?

My Dog Keeps Looking Up and Around

People love their dogs. More than companions and more than just pets, dogs often feel like part of the family. The things they do and the quirks they acquire endear them to us, strengthening the natural bond that exists between a dog and their person.

So when your dog keeps looking up and around and developing other strange, inexplicable behaviors, it’s natural to have slight concerns.

Understanding why your dog keeps looking up and around will help put you at ease. Some explanations for this behavior are perfectly harmless. However, some reasons might require further study and a trip to the vet.

Harmless Reasons Your Dog Looks Around

When you catch your dog looking up and around, you might feel concerned. But remember: there are a lot of practical explanations for why your dog might be behaving this way. Jumping to conclusions about your dog’s health will only lead to anxiety on your part, so it’s best to consider all the possibilities before making any calls to the vet.

They See Something

Dogs are alert, and their sense is usually better than ours. But when it comes to vision, they actually don’t see as well as humans do. Seeing something on the ceiling or in the sky could capture their attention as they try to figure out what they’re seeing.

It may seem strange if your furry friend suddenly starts staring at the ceiling, and you don’t spot anything interesting up there. And if you find yourself wondering why your dog keeps looking up and around, remember that what might seem dull and mundane to you could be incredibly interesting to them.

Often, a dog looks up and around simply because they’re curious. If your pup sees something, they want to figure out what they’re observing.

Even if they see something they’ve seen a hundred times, like a fan or a stain on the ceiling, you’ll likely catch your dog looking up and around quite often.

They Hear Something

If you catch your dog looking up and around, it might be that they don’t see anything. It could be that they hear something.

Dogs have notoriously good hearing, much better than we humans. Often, a sound will catch their attention, and they will look up and around to try to locate the source.

If you catch them staring upward and you can’t seem to figure out what they’re staring at, consider the possibility that they’re staring at nothing. It could be that they’re just looking for a sound.

They’re Bored

Dogs need stimulation and entertainment. They need things to occupy their minds and use up their energy.

A dog looking up and around can signify that they’re bored and need something exciting to do. If your pal keeps staring at the ceiling, and there’s nothing on the ceiling, consider taking them for a quick walk around the neighborhood.

When a dog gets bored, that usually leads to bad behavior. If your dog keeps looking up and around, and it doesn’t seem likely that they’re looking at something exciting or trying to locate a sound, it might be that they need some exercise. Putting this off can lead to chewed shoelaces and massive holes in the yard.

More Serious Reasons

Sometimes, when your dog keeps looking up and around, it’s a sign that something more serious is going on with them. Whether it’s a sign of a medical condition or anxiety, it’s essential to know how to react when these behaviors catch you off guard.

Stargazing

We all know what stargazing is, but what about when we see our dogs stargazing? Does this mean there’s something wrong with our four-legged buddies?

Stargazing could be a sign of many things. Infections, viral and bacterial, can cause your pup to stargaze. Some organ dysfunction causes stargazing, as well as head injuries and neurological problems.

If combined with other strange behaviors, such as snapping at the air or licking the floor, stargazing could signify gastrointestinal disease.

Stargazing can be a sign or a symptom of something serious going on with your dog. When your dog starts looking straight up and staring for long periods, it’s wise to seek consultation with an expert.

Disorientation

If your dog keeps looking up and around and you notice that they seem disoriented, it could be a sign of something called Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (CDS).

CDS is more common in aging dogs, especially when they live longer than expected. CDS acts like Alzheimer’s in a dog, reducing their cognitive function.

CDS is challenging to diagnose in a dog. It’s much more common in aging dogs, and usually, a process of elimination must be utilized to figure out what’s going on with them.

Disorientation is usually the first symptom of CDS, followed by other symptoms such as looking up and around with no apparent explanation.

Fly-Snapping

Fly-snapping can be a sign of many different things. If you notice your dog snapping at flies, pay attention to other things that they do to try and figure out what might be going on with your dog.

If you notice lots of fly-snapping associated with other things, especially looking up and around, it could be a sign of some neurological disorder in your furry friend. If your dog keeps looking up and around and has fly-snapping syndrome, it could be a sign of epilepsy.

Epilepsy is one of the more common neurological problems a dog might face, and getting them the proper treatment is critical to making sure your dog can still have a good life.

Final Thoughts

If you’re wondering why your dog keeps looking up and around, it could be a sign of something serious that requires the attention of a veterinarian.

However, if your dog keeps looking up and around, it could simply be a sign of them getting distracted, hearing things, or checking out something interesting on the ceiling.

There’s no need to panic if you notice that your dog does this, but it’s worth paying attention in case your pup does need expert attention.

Chris

My name is Chris and I am the co-creator of Oodle Life. My wife and I love playing with our active miniature Labradoodle Max. We want all Oodle puppies to be healthy and happy, have lots of fun and be part of the family.

Reasons Why Your Dog May Be Acting Weird

Welcome back to the Acoma Animal Clinic blog! Today we want to help you understand why your dog may be acting weird lately. If you’re unsure whether your dog is showing symptoms of illness or distress it is always best to consult your veterinarian to discuss what may be the issue. Because our dogs cannot communicate with us through words we must pay close attention to what they demonstrate through their physical and behavioral changes.

There are a few common symptoms to be aware of and what they may mean, but if you are ever unsure please reach out to your vet for a consultation or appointment to avoid any long-term symptoms to your dog. We want to list a few of the possible symptoms your dog may show and what they may mean, but symptoms may vary between dogs and illnesses.

Behavioral changes can be your first indicator that something is wrong with your dog. If interest is lost in playing games, going for walks, eating, and sudden lethargy are good key indicators that something is wrong, and your dog is trying to tell you in their own way.

Vomiting and Diarrhea

If your dog (especially puppy) is playing outside eating grass, leaves, and anything else in sight they may vomit or have diarrhea following that, which is nothing to be concerned about. But when your dog is vomiting multiple times throughout the day, does not eat or drink, and seems under the weather in attitude should be brought to the attention of your vet.

If your dog also has blood in their vomiting or stool that should be taken seriously as it can be caused by a blockage in the intestines, ulcers, or other serious illnesses. Be sure to pay attention to your dog when you see a consistency throughout the day of lethargic movements along with these two symptoms.

Lack of Appetite

While lack of appetite can mean many things and not be serious. Dogs can stop eating and drinking because of stress, fever, pain, and many more reasons. If your dog has not eaten for up to 24 hours you should take he/she in to the vet immediately.

This does not include your dog being picky about breakfast or dinner waiting for table food, this is in reference to your dog not touching any food or water due to serious intestinal issues. The vet will be able to quickly tell with possibly a few x-rays, blood tests, or other matters what is wrong and be quick to help you and your furry friend.

Loss of Thirst

Not drinking water is often more of a concern than not eating. Just think how often you reach for water, soda, or anything to quench your thirst. If your dog is not going to the water bowl, try to bring the bowl to them and raise it to their lips. Coax them a little by swirling your finger in the water and putting your finger under their lips to give the feeling of the water on their lips.

A good test of dehydration is by picking up the skin on the back of your dogs’ neck. If it does not go down and flatten immediately, but rather stays up a few moments then they need water as soon as possible. If after trying everything to get your dog to drink, take them to the vet for an IV and discuss what may be happening with your dogs’ doctor.

Urination Frequency

While excessive thirst and urination may signal diabetes, it can also signal liver or kidney disease as well as adrenal gland disease. Increased urination may mean house trained dogs begin to urinate in the house throughout the day, and possibly wet themselves and their bed.

However, if your dog is straining to urinate and urination has decreased drastically may signal a urinary tract infection or bladder stones. If there is blood within your dog’s urine it evident that there are possible issues. So, while you take notice of the straining or increased urination patterns begin to look for blood as well. All of these symptoms require a vet’s care immediately.

Stiffness or Difficulty Rising

Dogs that have difficulty standing on one leg or rising from the ground may have issues with a hip or the spine. Often times dogs will have hip dysplasia, displaced discs, spine arthritis, or torn ligaments.

Larger dogs tend to have more issues with arthritis and hip, elbow, and shoulder dysplasia due to their weight and size. While this is also common in smaller dogs it may not be as evident due to the owner possibly carrying them around and not noticing the issues with rising and falling.

Overall, you are the best person to decide when you need to take your dog to the vet. These are just a few mentions of what may be bothering your dog, but if you are unsure of anything call your vet or bring them down to the vet’s office to have a good look through. Any questions you may have regarding your dog contact us. There can never be too many precautions when taking care of your fluffy friend!

Dog Acting Strange and Looking Around. Is it a Concern?

If you notice your dog acting strange and looking around frantically for seemingly no reason, these are the most common causes:

Fear
Stress or Anxiety
Old age

Dog Acting Strange and Looking Around

Is your dog acting strangely and looking around as if it’s scared of something?

Are you concerned about your pup’s newfound behavior and would like to know how you can fix it?

My article will help you determine what could be causing your furry friend to act this way and how to deal with its behavior.

First, let’s discuss the reasoning behind it.

Dog Acting Strange and Looking Around: Common Causes

If there’s one thing about dogs you need to remember, it’s that they’re usually consistent with their behavior.

Also, just like humans, canines have their regular routines and like to stick to them.

So, if you notice any deviation from your pup’s normal behavioral patterns, you have every right to be concerned.

For instance, if your (usually) calm and collected pup suddenly start acting paranoid and fidgety throughout the day, there could be several reasons for this newly-developed behavior.

The most common causes are:

Fear
Stress or anxiety
Old age

In hopes of giving you a clear picture of how to discern the differences between these three causes, I would like to provide you with a few examples of each instance.

Dog Acting Strange and Looking Around: Fear

Dogs may act like fearless protectors, but they can get scared as easily as we humans do.

A frightened doggo will:

Put its tail between its legs
Lower its ears
Whimper while looking around

There could be several things that are scaring your pup, so now the real challenge is figuring out the cause.

Fear of Specific Objects in Your Home

If you like to redecorate your home from time to time, I’m willing to bet you buy new decor to match your furniture.

If that’s the case, your dog could be scared of the new items you purchased.

Fortunately, you’ll likely be able to spot the culprit and get rid of it.

Scared of New Smells

Keep in mind that dogs like to surround themselves with familiar smells.

If you like to change air-fresheners once in a while or try out a new perfume, your doggo will be the first one to notice.

New and unfamiliar smells can easily trigger fear in dogs, which can cause your pup to look around frantically to try and locate the source of the scent.

Dog Acting Strange and Looking Around: Stress and Anxiety

Dogs don’t get stressed as humans do, so it may be difficult for you to determine whether your pup’s behavior is stress-related.

The same thing goes for anxiety.

However, I’d like to share a few common behavior patterns of a stressed/anxious dog.

Your pup will whine a lot.
It will bark in a higher pitch than usual.
It may chase its tail more often than usual.

Stress Caused by a Change of Scenery

As I’ve already mentioned several times, dogs like to keep things familiar. If you’ve recently moved to a new home, your dog will feel stressed due to the change of scenery.

But that’s completely normal. I mean, even we humans experience some level of stress when we move to a new place.

Since dogs can’t express their feelings with words, they need to do so through their actions.

So, if you notice your dog acting strange and looking around your new home anxiously, keep in mind that it’s most likely behaving this way because of the unfamiliar surroundings.

Stress Caused by a New Pet

Introducing a new pet to your household can stress your dog out. We would all like for our pets to get along with each other immediately.

Unfortunately, however, that’s not always the case.

You may have gone to the pet shelter and brought a new friend for your doggo to play with, but the reality is that your pup may not be up for it. At least, not at first.

When introducing a new animal to your household, here’s what you can expect:

Your dog will likely growl at the newcomer.
Your dog will probably snap and retreat away from it.

Dog Acting Strange and Looking Around: Old Age

No one likes to think about their dog getting older. However, aging is an inevitable part of life, even for our best friends.

However, before you mark your dog’s strange new behavior as age-related, keep in mind that small breeds age slower than large dogs and have longer life spans.

That means if you have a small pooch aged 10–12, it’s considered a senior dog.

Medium-sized breeds are considered to be senior dogs when they’re 8–9 years old, whereas large breeds are considered seniors at 6–7 years of age.

How to Deal With the Behavior

Dealing with any type of newfound behavior requires plenty of patience and understanding.

Keep in mind that your dog is not willingly acting differently, and possibly doesn’t even know its behavior is strange.

In the next section, I’d like to share some tips I found useful when dealing with this type of unwanted behavior.

How to Help a Scared Dog

If all signs are pointing toward fear, the first step is finding out what’s scaring your dog.

Fear of Inanimate Objects

As I mentioned, if your dog is afraid of an inanimate object, you can easily eliminate the culprit.

However, the better solution is to get your pup used to the object instead.

For instance, one of my friends had an interesting situation a few years ago when he decided to buy a Santa statue and place it next to his Christmas tree.

At first, his pup didn’t seem to notice it. However, a few hours later, the dog started looking around the room in a panicked state and whimpering on and off.

It took a while, but my friend finally figured out that the poor dog was afraid of the Santa statue!

Rather than packing it up, he decided to let his dog sniff the statue and get used to its presence.

After a few minutes, everything was back to normal, and his pup quickly became fond of the statue!

If you don’t want to keep having to throw away items your dog is scared of, the best thing to do is to allow your pup to sniff the object, lick it, and get to know its scent.

Fear of Scents

On the other hand, if your dog is afraid of certain scents, you may have a difficult time discerning what smell is bothering it.

The best thing to do is to start with yourself. If you’re wearing a new perfume, your dog may not be a fan of it.

Most people like to douse themselves in perfume before they go out. That leaves the entire house smelling like a perfumery.

Since dogs have an incredibly keen sense of smell, the scent is bound to bother your pup at some point and cause it to behave erratically.

Furthermore, if you’re using a new fragrance, the unfamiliarity of it might cause your dog to panic.

If that’s the case, you should consider wearing less perfume or even putting it on outdoors.

Yes, your pup will eventually get used to the scent, but there’s no need to give your doggo a panic attack by overdoing it with your perfume.

How to Help a Stressed/Anxious Dog

Stressed in a New Home

Most people will move at least once in their lives. When you do so, your dog is bound to feel stressed and anxious in its new environment.

The best way to calm down an anxious dog is to surround it with as many familiar things as possible.

Create a special area just for your dog, and place all of its belonging there. Also, it doesn’t hurt to buy a few extra toys and doggy treats as well.

Remember to give your doggo extra love and attention for the next few weeks, or at least until it gets used to its new surroundings.

Anxiety Caused by a New Pet

Introducing a new pet to the family will always lead to a change in your dog’s behavior.

Some adapt within a few days, while for others, it can take months.

If you want to make sure everyone gets along with one another, you need to closely monitor your pets.

Make sure you don’t punish either party, but instead, reinforce good behavior.

Also, it’s essential to provide both pets with a “safe house” in the form of a crate. That way, either dog can quickly distance itself from the other.

How to Help an Old Dog

If your dog is a senior one, it’s perfectly reasonable to expect a change in its behavior.

The important thing to remember is that, even if your pup does something out of the ordinary, you should try to maintain a regular exercise and play routine.

The next step is taking your dog to the vet for a consultation.

A professional will be able to advise you on how to deal with your pup’s newly-developed behavior.

Final Thoughts

Dogs behave strangely out of fear, anxiety, and stress. However, they also act differently as they grow older. Sometimes, the behavior will go away on its own.

However, other times your pet may need your help.

Whatever the case may be, seeing your dog acting strange and looking around the house can be quite alarming.

However, with the right approach, you can help your dog get back to its old habits in no time!

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