Whining

[tank]

Lucy has a problem with whining. She whines everyday, a lot. True, she is still a puppy, almost 7 months. I like that she whines in the morning to wake us up when she has to go out or at the door when she has to go out (which is rare, she usually just sits there leaning against the door) but she also whines at anything and everything she doesn't like for even a second. She sometimes sits there and whines for no reason at all when nothing is wrong. She whines when I won't let her have something, if the cats or another dog, or even a person won't play with her, she whines. Do you guys think this is normal? Will she just grow out of it? We have tried ignoring her, looking away etc, but it never works, she doesn't get tired of it. She also isn't always whining at us, just whining in general. The only thing she has responded to is me yelling at her, which I don't want to get in the habit of doing, and is really kind of tiring.

[RealPitBull]

The whining is most likely an attention-getting thing. If you find yourself giving her what she wants when she whines, even very sparingly, you'll be reinforcing the behavior. Do your best to ignore her when she whines, and lavish attention on her when she's quiet.

Make sure she is getting enough exercise and mental stimulation. A tired pup is a non-whiney pup.

[DiamondTiger]

Something that's worked for me with attention seekers/whiny dogs too is to turn away and ignore the unwanted behavior and to calmly and quietly treat for the desired behavior. When they're laying on the floor, in the crate, wherever I *want* them to be and being calm and good... I'll walk past without saying a word and drop a nice piece of food roll or chicken. I don't say anything, I don't pet or get down with them for a cuddle... I just drop the treat and keep walking. They'll look at me at first like, "Oh what? What'd I do?"... but they get the idea pretty quickly that just being a good dog makes me happy and they keep doing it.

And as Mary said... exercise, exercise, exercise. I use a laser light on those days that the weather just won't permit me to be outside with the dogs... and a good game of tug helps expel some of that pinned up energy too! (And you can always use play/exercise time to teach new commands or tricks which is mental exercise and helps to wear them out too... teach your dog to do "push ups!" Sit/down/sit/down/etc...)

[tank]

I feel like I do all of those things. I never pay attention to her when she whines, and I work part time and she comes with me, and do a lot of work (art) from home, so I always have time to take her for hour long walks and free runs everyday. So she is defiantly well excersized, maybe i will try more play time outside. I try to get her nice and pooped before dark, because I live in a semi dangerous neighborhood and I'm not comfortable bringing her out past 7PM, maybe when she gets bigger and people won't even think about bothering me because I have a pit bull with me lol. I was mainly asking you guys because I think (hope) it is just because she is a puppy and she will grow out of it. Boy, I hope that is the case.

[DiamondTiger]

How long has she been doing this? Has there been any change in her routine, diet, treats... anything? What else is going on when she whines? Is (or was she ever) she allowed on furniture? Where is she in relation to the rest of the family when she whines?

Puppies do whine, but 7 months old and whining for "no reason"... there's a reason, you just have to find it. Have you talked with your vet about her whining? It could be something going on medically and her whining is the only way she can tell you it's bothering her.

[tank]

This started about a month ago. Nothing has really changed. She is allowed on furniture, but if she gets too rowdy she is told to get off the couch. She has her own bed and sleeps on it at night, but is allowed to nap or hang out on the bed only when we invite her up. That works for the most part, although sometimes she sneaks up in the middle of the night. She is usually in the same room as us when she whines. I guess I exaggerated about her whining at nothing at all. She just whines to when she is unhappy about a situation, even a little bit. Since I have made this post, I have ademently been ignoring and turning my back on her whines, but she is still doing it, just not as much. I think she whines because she does that when she needs to go out, and we cater to it, because it works. So, I think she realized when she whines she gets attention and she tries to whine every time she wants something. Maybe there is something we can teach her to do if she wants to go out? If we NEVER even looked her way when she whined, she might just stop, but since we let her out when she whines she still think it will work for everything. Sorry if that made no sence.
Oh yeah, and she also whines when we take a walk and have to stop, like for poop pick up or traffic, lol.
She whines when people in the house are stressed now too. We have been having some problems with our roommates. So when they come home she gets instantly nervous and whiny, she is a very good judge of character. But, that problem will be solved when they move out this weekend, hopefully.

[pitpupmom]

I'm having this problem with Odie, although he is whining when I leave him at home with hubby and others in the house. Lastnight I had to run to the food store to get my husband some pineapples. He said from the time I left till I got home which I was gone maybe 15 mins, all he did was whine, now this morning I went into the kids bathroom and shut the door on him and he stood behind it and whined. I still believe he has some form of Separation Anxiety because he gets very upset when I leave him. Although he is barely 6 mos old. He is really bonded to me. He goes everywhere I go except when I go to work. Which is just part-time. How do I get him used to me leaving him alone.

[bamapitbullmom]

Have you guys considered ruling out any medical issues which may be causing the sudden and increased whining?

[RealPitBull]

Dec 18, 2008 8:19:00 GMT -5 @pitpupmom said:

He goes everywhere I go except when I go to work. Which is just part-time.

This is the problem. He is with you too much and not used to being without you. I don't think this is separation anxiety (although it could worsen into that), because it doesn't seem to be the fact that he is left alone that bothers him, it seems to be the fact that he is without YOU.

I would do what I call 'forced separations' - throughout the day, contain him and move away from him. Put him in a crate, behind a baby gate, etc. and just completely ignore him for a period of time (start slow, maybe only 5 or 10 minutes, and work up to a half hour to an hour or more). If he whines incessently, ignore him. Do not release him until such a time that he's quiet. He needs to learn to be away from you, and that nothing bad will happen and you will come back to him. This isn't punishment or a 'time out', it is just teaching him to accept necessary dog husbandry procedures.

Also be sure you aren't giving him freebies - no attention of any kind (at least for now), without making him 'pay for it' with a sit or down. Ignore any attention-getting behaviors like whining, barking, pawing, nudging, jumping, etc. - those things should make you 'go away'.

[tank]

I have had a little bit of anti whining training with Lucy. She too is with me A LOT, she goes to work with me as well. The things that have been helping are:

when I leave the room and she doesn't follow, doesn't whine, she gets a treat (sometimes) when I come back. I don't praise her, don't look at her, just sort of throw it in her general direction. Or even if she is hanging out quietly playing by herself in the same room as me I throw her a cookie.

I encourage her to stay sleeping in the living room while I go to bed and let her let herself into the room when she wants to come in. I had been making her come with me because she was younger and would be bad when I left the room (pooping, eating stuff etc) but she has pretty much grew out of that stuff.

I don't make a big deal when I come and go out of the house, and encourage the roommates and guests to do the same. For a while I was going outside for 10-15 min just to give her a break from me always being around.

So, I think part of her problem is she was used to me being with her all the time, and when I would not pay attention to her, even if she was tired out from a long hike she would whine if she wanted it.
She still whines at work, she has really good days and really bad days. I feel like I can't leave her at home because she needs to suck it up and get used to being at work with me, because sometimes it is the only exercise she gets that day (she gets a lot of exercise when she works with me.) Plus she gets TONS of socialization when she comes with me. I work at a dog grooming place, fyi.