Help me understand my confused old collie

[AnneTwackie]

Our lovely family dog is 12 years old, she’s still got lots of energy for walks and silly play but her mind seems to be going- she no longer goes crazy at seeing a cat just looks at it calmly, often doesn’t come when we call, stands in the very place we’re about to walk like she’s purposefully trying to trip us, begs for dinner when she’s just had it, doesn’t realise when food has been dropped where previously it wouldn’t hit the floor etc.
Is her mind going? Is this the end? How can I help her?

Oh bless her. My old dog is the same. It’s fine, they’re happy, just about 85 years old - give them a break. At 85 all I plan on doing is looking at cats and asking for food. You’ll know when she’s had enough,

Thank you @ZooeyS that’s so nice to hear, I just don’t want her to be unhappy when she’s been such a good dog.

Aww bless.

My dog is similar. He’s taken to barking if I’m in the kitchen cooking. Only ever if I’m in the kitchen, I’ll then go into the lounge and he’s still lying on his bed. Today I took my dinner into the lounge and he stopped straight away. I have come to the conclusion that he just likes his humans to be near him.

He’s still happy though, likes his treats and his walks and is just winding down I think (he’s 13 and is a lab/retriever cross.)

OP, it sounds like you will know when it is time, whenever that may be.
You're thinking about it, and that's a very loving thing.

I guess I just have to change my mindset, she’s physically fit so may be around until she’s completely senile!

It’s been super abrupt with my gun dog - he’s always been so fit and active, and over the past eight months he’s got much thinner, doesn’t want to walk as much, definitely a bit dotty. The end is coming and I know that the last act of love will be to let him go - it’s just not quite yet

Yes my old lady(14) who is a mini collie(sheltie ) is a bit baffled in her old age. She still gets very excited for a walk although can't go far but enjoys her sniffs.

She spends most of her time asleep under the kitchen table. Has the occasional bark at the window cleaner if she can be bothered and looks interested in the squirrels in the garden but doesn't chase them any more.

Loves her food still and is always very attentive when we are cooking and eating- especially if it's a roast or steak where she will yowl and poke us with her nose just to remind us she's still there.

I feel she enjoys her life and feel she will let us know when she has had enough.

Ah bless her, do you think she could be a bit deaf? I only say that as my collie cross (13) stopped responding to her name or food dropping on the floor or into her dish about a year ago and it turns out she's gone deaf. Is your dog's startle reflex more pronounced now as that's another sign? Mine is still fit and loves her long walks but her prey instinct is definitely subdued. A squirrel ran right across our path today and she just looked at it, whereas before she would have been climbing the tree!

I think she might be a little deaf too, I wonder how much that has to do with it? yes she does startle more easily which worries me around our children, I’d hate for them surprise her and her snap at them, I have to supervise them whenever they’re together.

I was wondering about sight and / or hearing loss, which would explain everything - for instance, startling because she no longer hears your approach.

It doesn't explain asking for dinner when she's just been fed - but that could be because she forgets, because she's trying it on more, or because there's an underlying medical condition causing her to feel more hungry (or certain medication eg steroids)

So long as she's still enjoying life, let her carry on pootling around, being a trip hazard and failing to clean the kitchen floor. Just try and make sensible accommodations - like making sure she's spotted you before trying to touch her.

This happened our old terrier. She was deaf and couldn't see very well and eventually she got so senile that she would just sit staring into a corner and then couldn't find her way out. She was physically fit up until 6 months before she passed and that was at 18.

My 14yr old lab is like that. We take her out for walks and she has a lovely time but she has our younger dog to keep an eye on. At home in the garden she wonders aimlessly about looking confused. I couldn't find her the other day and she was asleep under a bush.

She's old, not in pain, happy with life, but senile.

OP, there are a few meds for dogs designed to help with age related 'senility'/ mental decline, by improving blood and oxygen flow to the brain. (Canergy, Vitofyllin.) Worth seeing your vet, to discuss possible hearing / sight loss and perhaps to prescribe a trial course of these.

Our old dog began waking at night and whining/barking/panting. She was about 14. She seemed pretty good in the day, eating and walking, especially with a neighbour who took her out and she adored. He was a non conformist like her and we heard tell of her barking in the vestibule of the local Catholic church while he was worshipping.

But it got worse and I was getting very little sleep. I would take her out, put her back in her bed and 20 minutes later she was at it again.

She did improve on a medication called selegeline for about a year.