Dog Training Basics

Posts Tagged ‘stop dog whining’

To stop a dog from whining, you must first work out why they are choosing to do it.

A dog will whine as a way of expressing his emotional state to us, to let us know that he is happy, sad, anxious, in pain, etc..It’s important that you do not reprimand your dog for trying to communicate in this way, but instead teach him to do it in a more acceptable way. Whilst some dogs seem to prefer whining over other forms of expression such as barking, all dogs can be persuaded to choose another method of expression, so long as you are consistent in your re-training.

You can read loads more useful tips on how to teach dogs to stop whining by taking a look at How To Stop Your Dog From Whining

Step one is to withdraw any attention he receives for starting his whining behaviour. It may be that your dog begins whining excitedly when he thinks he’s about to be taken on a walk. If your usual response is to quickly get him leashed and out of the door in order to stop his whining, in a way you are confirming to him that whining is a great way of persuading you to take him on a walk! Instead, what you should do is reward your dog for calm, quiet obedient behaviour.

Have a go at this method…

Ask your dog to “lie-down” or “sit”, and then don’t do anything until he does as you have asked. If the whining continues, tell him calmly but firmly ‘no’, or ‘quiet’. Just give this command once, and then wait for him to obey it.Don’t give him any eye contact while you wait for him to be quiet.

If after ten seconds or so, he still hasn’t behaved as you have asked him to, then leave the situation and start another task without him – the idea is to show him that he has been unsuccessful in trying to control your actions <with his whining behaviour.

To read more on this topic, why not take a look at Useful Tips On Stopping Dogs From Whining

Repeat this process until he does as he has been told.

When he does, give him lots of praise in a happy tone of voice – this will encourage him to repeat this behaviour the next time. It may take a few attempts before he works out what he needs to do, but if you stay consistent with your message, he will eventually work out which behaviour to adopt when its time for a walk, and most importantly he’ll realise that whining no longer achieves a positive outcome.

You can easily adapt this technique to stop dogs from whining in a car, before they are fed, or any other whining which is caused by over-excitement.

If you’re looking for more help on this subject, or any other dog behavioural issue, I recommend you read Review of Daniel Stevens ‘Secrets to Dog Training’

When a dog whines it is trying to communicate. One of the first actions a dog learns is to whine. 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 a dog grows it will continue to whine when it is distressed or requires attention. A puppy that is one of a litter will feel a sense of belonging to that litter. If a puppy becomes separated from its litter its whines are a sign of its distress and it is letting the litter know that it needs to be rescued.

When the puppy is removed from its litter to become a member of your family it may feel extreme distress at being removed from its familiar surroundings and former family. It may whine to communicate its distress and sense of loss.

Now is the time to start training your dog not to whine. 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 has food and water and is comfortable and is not trying to communicate to you that he is hungry. Have your dog seen by a vet if it whines when running, eating or gong to the toilet.

You must spend time with your dog and play with him; do not neglect him. If you spend time with him when he is quiet and not whining it will reinforce good behavior.

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 pack animals by nature so remember that when you leave it it may feel quite anxious. If it is your habit to put your dog outside before you go out spend some time with him in the outside environment and make sure he has toys to play with. The dog will soon learn that being outside can be fun, too.

Pay attention to your dog’s whines and you’ll begin to understand what he is trying to tell you and why. Your dog could be trying to communicate to you that he is hungry, thirsty, hot, cold, bored, lonely, wanting to go outside to relieve himself, or he may be in pain.

Provide your dog with plenty of stimulation and exercise. Your dog is a sociable animal and you should take him for walks, play with him and take him to dog parks so that he can learn to socialize with other dogs. Dogs are intelligent creatures and require exercise and stimulation or they can easily become bored. A bored dog will sometimes whine to get attention.

Tend to your dog’s needs and don’t let him manipulate you with 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.

Puppy whining comes very naturally to puppies when they are hungry, cold or tired. In response to puppy whining, a mother dog will provide milk, a safe place to sleep, and warmth.

Gradually, the puppy will start to connect the two things and will begin to whine deliberately. This tells the mother that her puppy wants something or there is a problem.

Puppy adoption should occur between eight and ten weeks of age. This is when puppies learn that whining doesn’t have any affect with their new family; or they may use whining to influence their new mom (you!) into giving them what they need.

Therefore, it is commonly believed that a new puppy should be left on his own for the first night is his new home. If you react to your puppy’ s whining with kindness, cooing, hugging, your dog is sure to believe that whining will get him what he needs.

For a top notch guide to stop your pup from whining, I recommend that you check out: Puppy Whining.

Naturally, you will need to be reasonable and show good judgment. A nervous puppy will need affection, reassurance and attention. The secret is to respond quickly so he doesn’t think that puppy whining is what got the desired result. Puppies should not become accustomed to whining each time they want something.

You should teach your puppy to be comfortable with isolation and privacy by leaving him alone even when you are at home. This will help to prevent separation anxiety when you leave the home. As soon as you know that all your puppy’s physical needs have been met and you have taken the time to get him used to isolation, then you must teach him that whining is unacceptable.

Of course, puppies that are very upset, crying, and whining should not be heartlessly ignored. When he has stopped whining, you should show him some attention and calm him down. It is not always possible to wait until your puppy has stopped whining completely as some puppies will whine for hours.

If this is the case, there is no need to prolong your puppy’s suffering – seize your chance when he stops whining, if just for a few seconds, and open the door of the crate. Although this is far from perfect, it’s likely to be the best you can do.

Most dogs have grown out of puppy whining by the time they are six months old. If the whining continues after this period, the puppy is doing it by nature, or has discovered that this gets him what he wants.

For more information on how to deal with puppy whining, visit Stop Dog Whining.