Why Your Dog Randomly Stares at the Ceiling

Does your dog have a random habit of staring at the ceiling? A number of reasons could explain this odd behavior. And no, it’s unlikely to do with the presence of a ghost or something supernatural. Here are the reasons why your dog is obsessed with staring at the ceiling.

Dog hears or smells something above

Dogs have a better sense of hearing and smelling than humans so there might be something they sense that we simply can’t. If you live in an apartment, perhaps there’s something your upstairs neighbor is doing that’s driving your dog’s curiosity. If you live in a house, perhaps there is a wild animal or bird roaming the roof.

Health issues like partial seizure

Unfortunately, health issues could also lead to strange habits like staring at the ceiling for a long period of time. For example, while it isn’t considered life-threatening, your dog could be experiencing partial seizure whenever he stares off into space. For older dogs, it could also be a result of disorders like cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS). You may want to take the dog to vet if you think this behavior is either getting worse or too excessive.

In addition to the random staring, dogs that suffer from partial seizures may also exhibit symptoms like profusive salivating and balance issues. Your dog may also look dazed while staring at the ceiling.

Ceiling has some sort of visual stimulation

You might also notice the dog staring at the ceiling during certain times of the day. Perhaps some shadows are being casted on the ceiling, especially when it is super bright outside.

In most cases, there shouldn’t be much to worry about if you ever notice your dog staring at the wall or ceiling. It’s only cases when you notice your dog not acting like his usual self when a trip to the vet or dog behaviorist might be warranted.