How to Deal With
A Whining Dog
Whining in puppies
Whining in young puppies is natural when they're tired, cold, or hungry.
Because the mother dog responds with a safe place to sleep, warmth, and milk, a puppy will associate whining with these rewards. This can lead to deliberate whining to get attention.
A puppy that is new to your family may whine because it's unfamiliar and scared of its new surroundings.
Responding to whining requires good judement and common sense.
Petting and cuddling a puppy to stop it from whining can actually make the problem worse since it conditions the dog to whine when it wants attention.
Whining in adult dogs
Most dogs outgrow whining when they are about six months of age. If your dog whines then it is either doing it unconsciously or it has learned that whining gets it attention and rewards.
Adult dogs whine for a number of reasons:
(1) They are excited
(2) They are in pain or ill
(3) They need to go outside
(4) They want attention
(5) They are afraid or anxious
(6) They are bored or lonely
(7) They are frustrated
(8) They are hungry
How you respond to a dog's whining depends on the circumstances. You should use good judgment and common sense in determining why your dog is whining.
Dog whining:
A dog that whines because it's in pain or ill should be given immediate attention.
If you think the whining is because your dog is in pain then check it for obvious signs of injury: favoring a limb or side or holding a paw off the ground. Also check for scratches, cuts, and lumps. If the whining persists, even though you cannot find anything wrong, and you think your dog is in pain, seek medical help from a vet.
A dog that whines because it needs to go outside is a well-trained dog. Your dog is smart enough to tell you that it needs to go badly. Usually your dog will stand near the door or have an expression on its face that signals its need.
If your dog whines simply for the sake of whining or to get attention, ignore it. When it calms down and stops whining praise it and reward it. Your dog will learn that it is rewarded when it is quiet, not when it is whining. Click here for more information on how to stop a dog from whining using dog behavior training.
When a dog is whining out of fear it's usually caused by something directly related such as a thunderstorm, a loud noise, an earth tremor, or a high wind that rattles the windows.
If your dog is anxious, it could mean your dog's routine has been changed or he's picking up your emotions if you're stressed out.
Avoid correcting or punishing your dog when it whines out of fear or anxiety. That will increase the stress and make it whine even more.
While your natural tendency in this situation is to comfort your dog, many experts advise that the very opposite should be done - simply ignore the whining. Otherwise, your attention will validate your dog's fear or anxiety.
Instead - and depending upon the circumstances - try and distract your dog by playing with it or taking it through a training routine to get it thinking about something else.
Another effective method for stopping a dog from whining - especially when it is bored - is to give it plenty of exercise.
If your dog is lonely then it will probably whine as it follows you around or paces around the room. In situations where your dog is lonely, spend more time with it and make your time together count when you are playing, training, or grooming.
Some forms of dog whining can be corrected and respond well to dog behavior training.
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