Stop Your Dog Whining
There are a number of ways in which a dog vocalizes including howling, barking, growling and, of course, whining. Whining is perhaps the most subtle of these, but a sure attention getter, because humans normally interpret it as a cry of distress. I mean, who can resist such a pitiful sound?
Dogs, being smart creatures, have figured this out. And some dogs, especially those with dotting owners, have taken their whining skills to an art form.
Why Dogs Whine
A dog will usually whine when it is fearful, anxious or in pain. Some of our more creative canine friends have also learned how to fake being anxious or afraid in order to attract our attention. But dogs don't pretend to be hurt, so if you believe your dog is genuinely in pain you'll want to attend to the problem right away.
Other cases of problem whining are quite easy to treat with a bit of discipline and common sense.How to Put a Stop to the Whining
Let's discuss anxiety whining first. Often this is related to the dog being left alone. The dog has noticed a routine you go through before leaving the house, something as simple as turning off the TV and activating the alarm.
These actions become a catalyst for the dog's whining. The way to address this is to short-circuit the connection the dog makes between what he sees, and what he thinks is about to happen. There are a number of ways you could go about this.
You could quite simply change your routine. Or you could go through your "pre-leaving" routine and then not leave. Alternatively, you could leave and then return after standing outside for a few seconds.
These are all easy ways to break the connection the dog has built up between your routine, and the fact that it results in him being left on his own. It sounds simplistic, but it works.
Another cause for whining is fear. For example a dog left alone in an empty house may become fearful and anxious. The solution here is simply to cut down his space.
Restricting your dog to just one or two rooms and giving him some crate training is an effective way of dealing with this form of whining.
Be aware that it will take a bit of time to accustom your dog to the crate, but it is relatively easy because the crate simulates a den environment. Once the dog is used to the crate he no longer feels the need to patrol his larger "territory" (the house). It is an effective way of addressing both fear and anxiety in your dog.
How to Address "Attention" Whining
Dogs are arch manipulators and usually have a bag of tricks that they use to get what they want. For example, small dogs love doing the "sit up and beg trick", because they know it is cute and gets them attention.Similarly, if your dog works out that you come running every time he whines, prepare yourself for plenty of running.
As you get to know your dog you'll soon learn all his little tricks and quirks. Turn a deaf ear to attention seeking whining and your dog will soon get the message.
There's lots more about dog training, dog care, dog anatomy and other helpful dog advice at dogsanddogtraining.com
