How to Correct Whining in Puppies
To virtually all puppies, whining is normal dog behavior. A pup under 8 weeks whines instinctively when it becomes hungry, tired, or cold. The puppy's mother deals with this whining by allowing the pup to suckle and by providing a warm and safe environment. As the puppy grows older, its whining is no longer instinctive, but consciously calculated to get what it wants from mom.
When the puppy is about eight weeks old and moves to its new home with a new mom (you), it will carry on using this whining technique to get what it wants. It's only normal; it worked on its first mom, so why shouldn't it work on you?
Puppies will be happy in a safe and balanced environment. Simply responding to all its demands will produce imbalance in time, with the dog becoming confused about its position within the family and possibly developing obsessive disorders. Now is the perfect time to deal with whining by not responding in an encouraging manner.
Rather than showing affection when the pup begins to whine, show affection when it's in a stable frame of mind. Unless there is an obvious reason for the puppy's whining, ignore it. Help your pup to understand that all its needs will be met at a time decided by you, not when it produces a manipulative whine. Very quickly this will, in fact, make the pup feel much more secure than otherwise.
The most important thing to remember is that it's all about timing. If you are unlucky and do happen to get a pup that whines incessantly, wait until it stops even for two or three seconds, seize the moment and show immediate affection.
How to Correct Whining in Adult Dogs
Whining after about six months old is not a normal for dogs. If your dog is still whining beyond this age, there are four main reasons for why this is happening.
Firstly, your dog may be suffering discomfort. The second reason is that your dog may be bored and lonely. Thirdly, it may just need a comfort break and needs letting out. Lastly, it may be suffering from anxiety, even distress.
You need to be able to identify the reason for the whining and then respond in an appropriate manner.
Whining from discomfort
When a dog starts whining from out of the blue and for no other identifiable reason, it may well be that it is distressed due to discomfort or pain. If in doubt, see your vet, but you can check for pain by observing your dog to see if its locomotive functions are normal. For example, is it limping? Will it rest on one side only? Then you can check it over for abrasions, splinters and the like. If you can still see no reason for the whining, check over its body for signs of inflammation. Check each leg by running your hand up and down and prod lightly around the joints. It's as simple as that.
Whining due to boredom or feeling ignored
All dogs, to varying degrees depending on the breed and individual dog, need plenty of exercise and a sense of purpose. Lack of exercise and stimulation is one of the worst things a dog can experience. Signs of ennui are a distracted whine, directed at nothing in particular, and a listless plodding around the house.
The solution in this case is obvious: your dog needs more exercise. It is in a dog's nature to spend time running and walking in a pack. Without that input, your dog will become unbalanced. Increased exercise will probably also cure a dog's feeling of being ignored, although for many breeds it is also a good idea to formulate some interactive game play.
Whining from anxiety or stress
Dogs can be spooked by many things: fireworks, thunderstorms etc. This can make them fearful. Do not attempt to correct the behavior; just ignore it. That may seem tough, but showing any kind of reaction, even affection, will only serve to increase the dog's fear. Just act normally and your dog should feed off your confident energy if you have its full trust.
Again, if your dog just happens to be a little nervy for no discernible reason, do not react. If you do react, you will only reinforce your dog's sense that there is something to be nervous about. Instead, why not take a walk to redirect your dog's mind onto something he is familiar with and enjoys.
Whining to go outside
If your dog is whining to go outside, you know that it is comfortable, trusting and wanting to please you. You have obviously trained him very well indeed. All dog owners know when their dog is whining to be let outside. Whining on this account is a great sign of your success in training your dog. Want to know the solution for this problem? Didn't think so.
Further Reading
I would recommend, without a moment's reflection, the interactive site below if you really want to understand your dog's behavior.
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