Why Do Behavior Problems Arise In Older Dogs?
Many people have noticed that as their dogs get older, their behavior has changed. Behavioral problems in older dogs seem to have become widespread in recent times and many experts are looking for ways to avoid this.
Behavior Problems in Older Dogs
Dogs, when they get older, just like people, undergo physical, internal and emotional changes that can force them to act differently than they always did.
For example, there will be brain deterioration that will prevent neurons from regenerating, which will bring other problems in the long run.
Having old neurons causes oxidation in the brain that prevents certain animal functions from being normal.
These are the behavior problems in older dogs that occur with most of them and also their causes:
Anxiety
Although dogs are prone to anxiety, as they get older this behavior gets worse.
It’s possible that because many of their senses aren’t working 100%, they develop an unnatural fear of other people or other pets they don’t know.
This could also arise from separation anxiety, possibly increasing noise phobias , not tolerating being caught or hugged, etc.
The opposite can also happen, as he may always want to be getting your attention.
Perhaps this anxiety expresses itself as destructive behaviors, especially at the door of the house you leave, or in refusing to eat if you are not there.
Aggression
Age will cause your dog’s hearing, smell and vision, as well as its agility to flee in case of danger, to be considerably reduced.
All of this will make him stay alert all the time and that he can come to attack the first change he notices around him.
Unfortunately, this aggression can be towards you or another family member.
The best way to detect it is to observe your dog, together with your veterinarian, and find out what tends to be the trigger for this behavior and thus be able to stop it.
If you feel that you cannot solve the problem on your own and the situation quickly gets worse, talk to an animal behavior specialist to help and advise you as soon as possible.
destructive behavior
This destructive behavior can go beyond biting and breaking some of your belongings.
There are dogs that develop habits such as eating things that are not food, biting areas of their body or family members, or compulsively biting other household objects.
He may also dig or scratch more than usual, which would later lead to other behaviors.
Your veterinarian can help you alleviate this compulsion and give you advice on what you can do.
For example, make sure the animal has enough toys and raw bones to bite. If at any time you see him biting any part of his body, replace him with a toy.
fears and phobias
With age, a dog’s fears and phobias can intensify or even develop new ones.
The root of this problem is usually the same as that of others, lack of vision, hearing and smell.
Even if he has lived with you all his life, your home can become a strange place that awakens your deepest fears.
To help make this easier, don’t change anything in the house. Leave your stuff where it’s always been and don’t move the furniture.
Keep up your routines and, in short, allow him to continue his normal life as he has done so far.
Insomnia
Loss of vision or hearing can cause the animal to have sleep problems and remain restless at night. You already know that this is a common case when people get older.
He may also need to take care of his needs more often and, as he won’t be able to do it outside at night, he will do it indoors.
Don’t scold him and understand that he is at a time in his life when he can no longer control certain things and when involuntary behavior problems arise.
Just take care of him, give him your love and try to let him live his life with as much dignity as possible. You can’t give him a better gift than this.
