Dogs whine for many different reasons but it is usually a behaviour that begins when a dog is a puppy. A whine will get them attention from their mother so they may try it out on their new owner as well. They usually find that this works on people too! From that point on, you may have a dog that whines. Here’s a look at why dogs whine and what you can do about it.
What Causes A Dog To Whine?
- When they are excited
- When they are not getting their way (frustration)
- When they are trying to get your attention
- When they are sad or in pain
- When they need to relieve themselves
- Their way of saying they miss you
- Due to behavioural issues
- Due to lack of training
- Due to fear or anxiety
- They are experiencing a form of separation anxiety (to learn more about separation anxiety, check out our blog post titled “Does Your Dog Suffer From Separation Anxiety”)
- Due to unused energy or boredom
- They could be hungry or thirsty
How To Stop Your Dog From Whining
Stopping your dog from whining is not that difficult to do, in theory.
Here are a few great ideas that you can try out to help stop your dog from whining.
- Ignore the dog until it is silent (this is normally the most effective method but ensure that nothing is truly wrong with your dog before enforcing this method)
- Place the dog’s kennel or crate in a separate area so you are not inclined to acknowledge the behaviour
- Provide chew toys to keep them busy or distracted (kong’s works well)
- Bring the dog’s crate in your bedroom as most dogs want to see their pack (only do this if you are comfortable with your dog being in your bedroom)
- Provide something with your scent on it to leave with the dog in their kennel or crate
- Spray the dog with a water bottle when it whines to create a negative experience which they will relate to whining
- Take your dog to obedience training classes
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