Stop Your Dog  Whining!

Is it Pain or Separation Anxiety?

Dogs that whine for attention usually have a similar problem to those dogs that bark for attention.  In most instances, you have accidentally rewarded the behaviors that you are trying to avoid.  Whenever you tell your dog to be quiet for whining, you are giving the dog attention for whining.  It doesn’t matter if the attention is negative, the dog still gets attention for the behavior and they feed off of it.  The dog doesn’t know the meaning of your words, but he does know that when he whines he gets a reaction out of you.

You can easily extinguish this problem with a squirt bottle.  When the dog whines, squirt him and say “quiet.”  In this circumstance, you are making your reaction to the whining unpleasant for the dog.  The dog learns that after a few squirts this game is no longer fun and that he is not receiving good attention.  When you tell the dog to be “quiet” you need to use the same tone that you use when you say “no” to the dog.  You can also use extinction training and simply ignore the whining dog.  They soon learn that they are getting no attention, so it’s not worth the effort.

Some dogs whine out of fear.  These dogs may also be suffering from separation anxiety.  Yelling and punishing this dog will only make the behavior worse.  They may even become more afraid and whine even more.  The best thing you can do for this type of dog is ignore the whining completely.  Don’t squirt the dog with water, but ignore it all together.  Act as though you don’t hear the dog at all, even if you feel as though you are losing your mind!  If you stop giving the dog attention for whining, then the dog has no reason to whine. 

If ignoring the dog or squirting doesn't work, then you need  to find the cause of the whining and outside help is probably necessary. There are several good Dog Training Courses available online, all similarly priced at about $37.00. You can compare six of the better ones in our section on Dog Trainers

The most popular course is written by Daniel Stevens, who has sold over 60,000 copies of his course, Sit Stay Fetch. He covers all aspects of dog training, including a special section on the causes and solutions to Whining. The course includes seven bonus sections, including House Training; Dog Grooming and Security Training.

Alternatively, you can try Daniel's 6 Day Mini Course, which is FREE! This Course is Normally Worth $29, BUT You'll Receive it for FREE! This 6-Day Course will Teach YOU Secrets to Correcting Dog Behavior Problems Using REAL-LIFE scenarios, such as...

• How to prevent your dog from destructive attention seeking behaviors,
• How to get your dog to respond to 'off-leash' commands,
• What to do to overcome separation anxiety,
• Selecting the right puppy for you,
• Stopping aggression towards strangers and other dogs,
• Overcoming general disobedience and much, much more...

If the dog whines when you come into the room, don’t go back into the room.  This will teach the dog that if he whines you will come back and give him attention.  This will only make the whining problem worse.  If you are eating and the dog whines, order the dog to sit and tell him to be quiet.  Reward the dog only after he has been quiet after following your command.  

Dogs may whine for various reasons and you need to ensure that the dog does not have a medical problem that may be causing him pain.  This is common in older dogs that suddenly begin to whine for various reasons.  Be sure to have the older dog checked by a vet before beginning a training procedure. 

If you think your dog may be in pain and that's the reason for his whining, look for other signs. Does he limp, or cry out whine touched? Is he reluctant to play games or go out for a walk? If you suspect arthritis or hip displaysia, or joint pains of any sort, take a look at our page on Arthritis  Pain Relief. Pay particular attention to the sections on the dangerous side effects of some of the well known drugs which are available.