Silencing Your Whimpering Dog
Dealing with a whining dog is just as troublesome as dealing with a barking dog. Many people find incessant whining to be the most irritating of dog behaviors. When out in the elements, puppies use whining as the vehicle by which they inform their mother that they are suffering in some way, or that they require help. Wild pups quickly lose this trait when they mature.
Housebound dogs sometimes retain the whining habit into old age, simply because they can use it to manipulate their masters into giving them something. Whining and other noises that an adult, domesticated dog makes are solely for the purpose of gaining attention from the owner. 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
Generally, a dog of any age is whining with a specific purpose in mind. They have determined that auditory cues are the best way to get something that they want from you. By initially getting to the bottom of the whining, you can find a way to modify the animal’s behavior completely. Generally, domesticated dogs will whine in an attempt to inform you that it needs food, that it needs to be let outside to relieve itself, or that it merely wants physical attention from you.
However, these are not the only reasons a dog will whine. If the basic needs of your dog are met, and it seems to continue whining without an obvious reason, you should begin to consider other causes. Also, whining can indicate that the dog is hurting, so if he is whining while performing any of the above mentioned routine activities, this is an indicator that he may be suffering, and an appointment with the doctor is warranted.
Once this has been done, you can assume the whining is a behavior and work on correcting it.
A whimpering dog should be treated much like a misbehaving child. 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. If your dog obeys accordingly, then reward him with a dog biscuit or other treat, but never with food from your plate or table.
Dogs often whine out of fear of abandonment. Continued whimpering may be a sign that you are not providing enough quality attention to your pet. Comfort and confidence are the best things to give your dog in this situation. Begin this process by first spending a few moments with your dog and then leaving for a short time. Upon leaving, do not let him bring you back to the room with whining. Instead, respond from outside the room with a firm no, and continue to leave the dog alone. 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.
Once you begin to notice progress with your dog, begin increasing the periods of time that you leave your pet by itself. Before long, your dog will be comforted by the knowledge that you will eventually return, and will then stop whimpering when you leave. 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. It is important that your dog understand that you are the Alpha Dog, the dominant partner, the one in control and you will find that the whining will subside in no time.
