My Golden Retriever is now 13, we just have short walks these days as he’s a little arthritic, and he doesn’t walk fast. I don’t use the lead as we are off road and I let him go at his own pace.

Lately he’s been acting a little strange, and if I’m not right next to him he’ll panic and wander off in random directions looking for me.

I’m sure he’s not blind but does anyone think dogs can get confused / senile?

They can indeed.
I would advise a vet trip, there are some quite effective meds and supplements available, which you might consider

Sending gentle scritches to your old lad x

Thank you Muze, I will indeed, and thank you also for your lovely footnote!

Yes, as muze says its quite common, it might also be his hearing?

Our older cross breed is getting like that now, have to make sure he stays in sight on walks so we can spot if he starts wandering in the wrong direction

My old lad, a JRX, is 17 now. He can lose me in a room and has some neurological issues with his back legs (they work fine, just to a slightly different rhythm than his front legs). He's had a lot of benefit from Vivitonin tablets, as have previous old dogs. It doesn't help poor sight and hearing but it increases blood flow to the brain, I believe. It certainly helps him - he eats like a horse, runs around like a dog half his age (although admittedly not for as long) and, on a good day, can still jump on the settee.

I hope the vet can help your oldun.

They can become senile. My old man was pts at 17 and his last couple of weeks were heartbreaking. His body was still verystrong but his mind was completely gone. It's so sad when their little characters are lost like this.

My dog was put on Vivitonin for its oxygenation effects. But I understand it is often given for doggy dementia. Warning - it's expensive. If my dog was going to be on it for the rest of her life I would try to save money by getting it online with a vets prescription.
Or it could be hearing as suggested. My elderly dog gets a bit jumpy sometimes. I think that's because her hearing is patchy and things startle her.

When our Mollie started showing signs of panic when off lead the vet said never let her off get a flexi or long lunge line and be ready to reassure her she was not alone. Works well she is enjoying her walks and knows I am still at the end of the lead if she needs me.

Yes.

My mini bull terrier is 13 and was diagnosed by the vet with senile dementia two years ago (It's a breed that more commonly lives to 10/11 yrs old).

She was already blind (well can see outlines and blurs but has no lenses in her eyes) and has since lost her hearing. Sleeps all day and refuses to walk even as far as the kids' school bus stop (over the road, about 100 metres) but is otherwise happy in herself.

She has a fear of metal shiny dog bowls A common one, apparently, with old dogs. So we swapped em out for china. And she likes to be with me - if I go out a few hours she looks for me, and still wags her tail when I come back in (she used to go mental!)

At first when we noticed she stopped answering to her name, we thought it was the senility but have since realised she is no longer able to hear. (She can hear and comes if you clap your hands but can't hear voices any more).

Vet told us if the dog was always good natured chances are they are not mean when senile - and she has kept going quite happily (in her own quiet way) so we just keep an eye on her. She is still continent but she forgets she has just been out for a wee and goes through phases of constantly asking to go out. She'll go out then forget why she went out and come back in again... Not so bad this time of year, but in winter it's a killer as the whole house is freezing.

It's sad when they get like this isn't it but I think we have more of a bond now than ever before, certainly have loved Mollie all her life but just now when she seems to need me more I couldn't adore her more if I tried.