The annoyance of a whining dog can surpass even that of one that barks incessantly. Many dog owners cite incessant whimpering as the most irritating dog behavior. 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. Typically, as wild dogs mature and become more independent the whining is outgrown.
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, grunting and other sounds made by a fully grown dog are a blatant attempt to focus your attention on them. Wild dog mothers make a point to put an end to their pups whining early on, and it’s important that human dog owners do the same thing.
Finding the cause of the whining
Dogs usually whine for a specific reason. They have determined that auditory cues are the best way to get something that they want from you. Discovering the underlying cause for the whimpering will leave you better equipped to halt the unwanted behavior entirely. 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. Dogs who whine while eating their food or using the bathroom typically have something physically wrong with them, as do dogs who begin whining for no apparent reason. 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.
Just as you have a consequence for a child who misbehaves, there should be a consequence for the dog who whines. The first thing is that you must recognize this as attention seeking behavior and be sure that you do not reward your dog for it by giving him what he wants. Reverse the process by interrupting the whining with an unrelated instruction, such as telling the dog to lay down or sit, which will distract his train of thought away from the initial reason for the whining. 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. Simply answer him with a firm “no”, and then again leave the room for a brief time interval. If the dog does not whine, or stops when you say no, then wait a few more minutes and then reenter the room and praise your dog for his great behavior. 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.
Each time you work on this exercise, and your dog is able to watch you leave without whining, you will want to extend the length of time that you leave him alone. At some point, the pet will realize that you have no intentions of deserting him, and he will not have any need to express his fear with that constant whining. By coming back into the room each time he whines, you are providing positive reinforcement to his behavior and yielding to the notion that you are wrong to leave him anywhere by himself. Exuding this dominant energy lets your dog know that you are the alpha in the pack and allows them to adjust their behavior accordingly.