How to Stop your Dog from Whining
Whining is quite a natural way of a puppy communicating that it needs something. Perhaps it is thirsty, hungry, scared or cold?. As puppies grow they no longer need to whine to communicate. If when they arrive in their new home and discover that whining gets results they will continue to do it. To stop your dog from whining you will first need to understand the cause.
Puppy whining
It’s quite natural and acceptable for puppies to whine. Whining is a sound they make from birth and as the mother continues to respond to the whining, the puppy continues to use whining to communicate. When the time comes for the puppy to leave its mother and join a new family the way in which whining is dealt with will determine how long it continues. If all your new puppy’s needs are catered for, it won’t need to whine. To begin with it may whine because it’s scared of the new environment.
I Want Help with My Whining Dog
You may need to spend a lot of time with your new puppy to settle it into its new home and remember to give lots of praise to your puppy when it does stop whining. Soon it will learn that whining does not get the results it is hoping for.
Adult dog whining
Adult dogs don’t generally use whining to communicate. By around six months of age dogs have usually grown out of whining and if you have a dog that is still whining, it could be because your dog has learned that whining reaps rewards! Other reasons for whining could be that your dog is:
In pain
This sort of whining will usually be quite distinctive in that it may start suddenly and steadily continue. You’re going to want to check your dog over carefully if you think this might be the case and don’t be afraid to make a trip to the vet.
Bored or lonely
Is your dog following you around the house, whining aimlessly or pacing about? The best way to stop your dog from whining in this situation is to take it for a walk or a run. Some exercise will do wonders for burning off some boredom energy.
Needs to go outside
If this is the case then you have done a good job training your dog, congratulations! Your dog is doing exactly what you want it to and not peeing on the carpet!
Afraid or anxious
Perhaps there is a thunderstorm outside? It’s going to be better for you and your dog if you try to ignore the storm and distract your dog with a game or some quick training. Don’t punish your dog for whining from fear as this will increase your dogs stress. Distraction is a much more positive way to deal with it. If you empathise and cuddle your dog you will be reinforcing your dogs fear that there is something to worry about.
Further Reading For more information on dog ownership, including a huge variety of detailed information on canine problem behaviors, dog psychology, and the most effective ways to train your dog, take a look at Secrets to Dog Training.
Comments on this entry are closed.