Why doesn’t my dog recognize me?

If your dog does not seem to recognize you, you might be wondering why and what you can do about it. This post will show you a number of possible causes and what to do about it.

So, why doesn’t my dog recognize me? Possible reasons why your dog doesn’t recognize you are brain issues, eyesight issues, depression, not having been with you for long, or it might be naturally aloof.

There are a number of possible reasons why your dog has been doing it. However, there are some things you can consider when figuring out the main reason.

Reasons why your dog does not recognize you

Below are some possible causes and what would make each of them more likely.

You only recently got it

If you only recently got your dog, it might be the case that it does not realize that you are its owner yet. However, if you have had it for more than a few days, this is not likely to be the main cause.

Brain issues

The cause could be that it has brain issues such as a brain tumor. This would be more likely if your dog has suddenly stopped recognizing you and if it has started behaving abnormally suddenly. In this case, the best option would be to take it to a vet.

Eyesight issues

The cause might also be that it has been having eyesight issues. This would be more likely if it has stopped recognizing you suddenly, it has been doing things such as walking into things and if it does get excited when it can hear you. Again, in this case, it would help to take it to a vet.

Depression

Another possible cause is that it has become depressed. This would be more likely if it has stopped showing interest in you and everything else suddenly after an event that might have caused it to become depressed such as an owner leaving. If the behavior does not improve after a few weeks, the best option would be to take it to a vet.

Nature

It might be the case that it is naturally aloof. This would be more likely if your dog has always behaved that way and it has not started doing it suddenly.

Things to consider

Below are some things to consider about the behavior.

What else happened when it first started

If your dog did recognize you in the past, it would help to consider what else happened when it first stopped recognizing you. If it stopped doing it suddenly, it would make it more likely to be due to something such as a brain injury or eyesight issues so it would be best to take it to a vet.

What is different when it does seem to recognize you

If it does seem to recognize you sometimes, it would help to consider what is different about the timing. For example, if it does recognize you when you arrive home, it might be the case that it does become excited the rest of the day because it already knows you are around.

Take it to a vet

If it has started doing it suddenly or you are unsure why your dog has been doing it, the best option would be to take it to a vet. By doing so, you should be able to get expert advice tailored towards your particular dog and to rule out more serious causes.