Stop Dog Whining Forever
Dealing with a whining dog is just as troublesome as dealing with a barking dog. The sound of a canine whining is the most troubling dog behavior for many people. Pups in the wild instinctively whine to alert their mother when something is wrong, so that she can make correct the problem. Wild pups quickly lose this trait when they mature.
Many domestic dogs continue to utilize this method of communication well into their adult life in order to manipulate their owners. The whining of a fully mature canine is strictly for the purpose of getting attention from his master. Much like a mother in the wild, dog owners must curb this behavior early on in order to keep their pet’s behavior in check later on in life.
The first step is to determine why the dog or puppy is whining
Dogs usually whine for a specific reason. There is something that they want from you, and they believe that whining will help them get it. Once you can determine what it is that your dog ultimately wants, you should be able to stop the whining. Typical reasons for the whining include wanting you to feed him, the desire to have you play with him or spend time giving him affection, and possibly he feels the urgency to go out into the backyard to have a bowel movement.
But there could be atypical causes for the whining which are not so obvious. If the animal is eating normally and experiencing the usual bowel movements, then the whining could be providing a signal that something else may be going on, that the dog is bothered by something. Your pet may be trying to tell you that he or she is in pain. After you have ruled out the most common factors, you should call your local veterinarian for an appointment.
How to Stop their Annoying Habit
The most successful method of curing the problem is to handle it as you would one of your kids. Rewarding their behavior by giving them what they want should be avoided. For example, if you are eating and the dog is whining for scraps the first thing you should remember is not to give him the scraps, then you should give your dog commands that will draw his attention away from your food such as sit, lay down or stay. Obedience should be rewarded not with your food from the table, but instead with an appropriate dog treat.
If the whining is due to the animal wanting to spend more time with you, this might indicate that you have been neglecting the animal and that he believes you are going to desert him. In this instance, you will need to put in some work to make your dog feel more comfortable about being left alone. Begin by sitting with him for a while, then leave him by himself over a short time interval. When you are working on this and leave the room, you dog may start whining and it is important that you do not reward the whining by immediately returning. Simply answer him with a firm “no”, and then again leave the room for a brief time interval. Compliance should be rewarded several minutes later by lots of praise and affection. If your dog continues to whine after a few minutes, the return to the room, do not praise him, but do start the process over.
Upon successful responses from the animal, gradually lengthen the time intervals that he is being left to his own devices. Eventually, your dog will realize that you will come back when you leave and you will find that he will stop whining. However, if your dog continues whining and you return immediately when it starts to whine then you are actually rewarding the whining, you are teaching your dog that when he whines you will come back and this will encourage your dog to continue whining. Exuding this dominant energy lets your dog know that you are the alpha in the pack and allows them to adjust their behavior accordingly.
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