How To Stop Dogs Whining

Posted by Puppy Trainer on December 22nd, 2009 filed in Dogs

When your dog whines he is attempting to communicate. Whining is one of the first actions that a dog learns. The hungry puppy whines to let its mother know that it is hungry. The mother dog feeds the puppy and the puppy learns that whining produces the desired result.

As the puppy grows older it will continue to whine when it is distressed or requires attention. A puppy is usually one of a litter and feels a sense of belonging to its litter. A puppy that becomes separated from its litter will be distressed and will whine to let the litter know about its distress.

It can be extremely distressing for a puppy when it has to leave its litter and its familiar surroundings to become a part of your family. It will whine to communicate its distress to you.

You should start to train your dog not to whine at this time. The dog will continue to whine if you reinforce this action by paying attention to its whines. On the other hand it is important that you have taken care of the dog’s needs before you try to stop a dog from whining. Make sure that your dog is comfortable and has a supply of food and plenty of fresh water and is not trying to communicate to you that he is thirsty. If your dog whines when eating, running or going to the toilet it will need to be seen by a vet.

You must not neglect your dog and you must spend time with him and play with him. Reinforce his good behavior by spending time with him when he is being quiet and good.

Your dog may suffer from separation anxiety one it has adjusted to you and you leave it alone. Separation anxiety in dogs is not uncommon. Dogs are naturally pack animals so remember that it may feel quite anxious when you leave it. If your dog is put outside before you go out try spending a few moments with it in its outside world and make sure you leave toys for it to play with while you’re out. The dog will soon learn that he can have fun outside, as well.

When you pay attention to you dog’s whines you’ll soon begin to know what he is trying to communicate to you and why. Perhaps your dog could be trying to let you know that he is hungry or thirsty, hot or cold, bored and lonely or wanting to go outside, or he may be in pain.

Provide plenty of exercise and stimulation for your dog. Play games with him, take him for walks and take him to dog parks so that he can run off the leash and socialize with other dogs. Dogs can quickly become bored if they do not receive the stimulation that they require as intelligent animals. A dog that is bored may whine for attention.

Always take care of your dog’s needs and don’t let yourself be manipulated by his whining. You must learn to recognize the difference between the dog’s genuine needs and his need for attention.  Reinforce good dog behavior. He will soon learn that his whines do not get him the results that he wants if you only show him the attention and love that he needs once the whining has ended.