How To Teach A Dog To Stop Whining

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.

A puppy will continue to whine when it is distressed or requires attention as it grows into a dog. 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 whines to let you know that it is distressed.

You should start to train your dog not to whine at this time. If you pay attention to its whining you are reinforcing this action and the dog continues to believe that if it whines it gets the attention it wants. 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. If your dog whines when eating, running or going to the toilet it will need to be seen by a vet.

You must spend time with your dog and play with him; do not neglect him. You can reinforce good behaviors by spending time with him when he is quiet and not whining.

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. Remember that dogs are naturally pack animals and it may feel quite anxious when you leave it. If you put your dog outside before you go out try spending a few minutes with it in the outside environment and make sure you leave it toys to play with. The dog will soon learn that being outside can be fun, too.

Listen to your dog’s whines and you’ll start to understand what it is he is trying to tell you. Your dog may be trying to communicate to you that he needs to go outside to the toilet, or that he is hungry, thirsty, hot, cold, lonely, bored, or he could be in pain.

Provide your dog with plenty of stimulation and exercise. Take him for walks, play games with him and take him to dog parks so that he can socialize with other dogs. Dogs are intelligent creatures and require exercise and stimulation or they can easily become bored. A bored dog 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. Only when the whining has stopped should you show him the love and attention that he deserves, this way he will soon learn that his whines do not produce the results that he wants.